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The judges were all Spaniards and awarded the first prize to Rizal. The Spanish community in Manila were against the decision because the winning author was an Indio. Despite all objections, the prize was awarded to Rizal, a gold ring on which was engraved the bust of Cervantes.
This poem may have been written during the Spanish colonization, but the essence of it applies to the our generation as well. Currently, our country's economy is not doing so well. We have a lot of debt and many internal issues unresolved. Only a few years from now, our generation will be handling those problems. But how can we, if we are only sitting around and being satisfied with mediocre work. The poem reminds us that we, as Filipino youth, have a duty to serve our countrymen to our full extent. In order to do this, we must harness talents and skills that we have. We must also take initiative to help our country. Everyone of us can be able to contribute to the better development of our country. The vision that Rizal had for our country can become a reality if and only if we remember our duty.
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