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Gregorio del Pilar and the Battle of Tirad Pass / Pasong Tirad

As a child studying Philippine History during the elementary stages of my education, I am in awe when I read General Del Pilar. Not only was he the youngest general in history under the command of President Aguinaldo, he is also responsible for a piece of history that demonstrated what Philippine resilience looks like at its extreme.

Due to my childhood naivety, I might have held him in lofty pedestal. The awe and the amazement I felt when I read his exploits made me forget that he is also a human like me. This is where the movie worked wonders for me. This movie did a good job portraying the part of him not commonly included in our history books. The movie, of course, showed his bravery in the battlefield and his loyalty to his cause. However, this piece also showed, with absolute brilliance, the weaknesses of his character caused by the times. His trauma during his previous battles, the impulsiveness and ignorance brought by his youth, and his brief episodes of doubt to his cause contrasted well with my perception of him. This movie made him human and I like the movie for this reason.