When We Choose to See

A reimagined sequel to Dr. José Rizal's "El Filibusterismo," exploring the quiet revolutions that follow the fall of fire.

*Heavily inspired by the Book "I Love You Since 1892" by Binibining Mia

In the ashes of a failed revolution and the death of Simoun, Manila lies quiet-its people weary, its heroes forgotten. Basilio, once a brilliant medical student and hopeful reformist, now drifts through life hollowed by loss. His dreams are ghosts: his mother, Juli, Ibarra-all gone. He no longer believes in justice, only in survival.

Then, in the stillness of his grief, she arrives.

Leonora Alcaraz is unlike anyone Basilio has ever known-serene, enigmatic, and impossibly knowing. Her voice stirs memories long buried; her questions cut deeper than protest ever did. She speaks of pasts she shouldn't know and futures she refuses to change. In her quiet strength, Basilio begins to remember the man he once was-and dares to believe he can become again. But just as he begins to awaken, she disappears, leaving behind only a note that will change everything.

Decades later, in modern-day Manila, another Leonora Alcaraz-an unassuming journalism student-uncovers a forgotten manuscript bearing Basilio's name. Its pages tell a story of loss, remembrance, and a love that transcends time. Through his words, she discovers a revolution that was not waged in blood, but in soul-a legacy of compassion, healing, and truth.