'Batang Rizal,' dokumentaryo ni Howie Severino, ngayong Sabado sa 'I-Witness'

“BATANG RIZAL”

Dokumentaryo ni Howie Severino
August 24, 2019

Rizal Gutierrez grew up wearing a handkerchief to cover his face, ashamed of what others would see. His mother was told at his birth that he would not live long, so deformed was his head and face that infection was possible. But even after he survived early childhood, Rizal still didn't go to school since teachers did not know how to handle a boy that appeared so different and fragile. When some suggested that he be enrolled in special education, Rizal's mother insisted that there was nothing different about his mental development. Still, Rizal would have to endure the inevitable stares and frequent taunting of other children.

Rizal's turning point was coming under the tutelage of a teacher who also felt like an underdog for converting to Islam in a predominantly Christian community. Together, Teacher Brian and student Rizal conquered their insecurities. Rizal took off the cover on his face, as Brian introduced him to scouting where other boy scouts accepted Rizal and soon recognized that he had a unique gift for visual art. He's also a ukelele player despite missing fingers.

Howie Severino and his documentary team spent time in Rizal's world in Bulacan, where the boy born with severe facial cleft is becoming a cheerful man of many words but is barely understood because of his disability. He supplements his loquaciousness with heartfelt poetry that expresses his unique perspective on the world. Along the way, Severino and his team begin to reconsider what it means to be disadvantaged, and even discern ways in which the younger Rizal may have achieved more than his famous namesake.

Filipino version:

Noong bata pa siya, laging may panyo sa mukha si Rizal Gutierrez para pagtakpan ang kaniyang hitsura.  Nahihiya kasi siyang makita ang kaniyang deformity.  Pagkapanganak sa kaniya, tinaningan na ang kaniyang buhay dahil maselan ang kaniyang kondisyon.  Bagamat nalagpasan niya ang mga unang taon, hindi pa rin normal ang trato kay Rizal.  Hindi siya makapasok sa eskwelahan at ipinayo pang ilagay siya sa special school dahil hindi alam ng mga guro kung paano dapat turuan ang batang tulad niya.  Ngunit ipinaglaban siya ng kaniyang ina at sinabing walang problema sa pag-iisip ang kaniyang anak, hitsura lang ang naiba.  Sa edad na sampu, nakapasok din sa paaralan si Rizal ngunit naging tampulan naman siya ng tukso. 

Unti-unting nagbago ang landas ni Rizal nang makilala niya si Teacher Brian.  Isang bagong Muslim, naranasan ni Teacher Brian na pagtinginan siya nang masama sa komunidad na puro Kristiyano.  Pareho nilang nilagpasan ang mga karanasan ng pagmamaliit at piniling maging matatag.  Tinanggal na rin ni Rizal ang panyo sa kaniyang mukha nang ipasok siya ni Teacher Brian sa Boy Scouts.  Doon, naramdaman ni Rizal ang pagtanggap sa kaniya ng tao.  Doon din sumibol ang kaniyang talento sa visual arts.  Isa palang magaling na pintor at mangguguhit si Rizal.  Nakatutugtog din siya ng ukelele kahit kulang ang kaniyang mga daliri.

Dinayo ni Howie Severino ang mundo ni Rizal sa Bulacan, kung saan ang batang ipinanganak na may rare facial cleft ay umuusbong bilang isang masayahing tao na marami ang nais sabihin.  Hirap magsalita ang mga tulad niyang may rare facial cleft.  Kaya ang hindi mabigkas ng bibig, panulat ang nagsasabi.  Isa ring makata si Rizal na maraming paghuhugutan dahil sa kaniyang karanasan.  Sa lalong pagkilala ni Severino kay Rizal, unti-unting nababago ang pananaw niya sa taong may kapansanan.  Natuklasan niya na ang batang si Rizal maaaring mas higit pa ang naabot kesa sa kaniyang pamosong katukayo.