WATCH! SPANISH GUY VISITS THE PHILIPPINES TO PERSONALLY ASK FORGIVENESS FOR ANCESTORS’ ABUSE IN OVER 330 YEARS THEY RULED THE COUNTRY....!

Spain ruled the Philippines for a total of 333 years, starting on the day that European explorer Ferdinand Magellan ‘discovered’ the country in 1521 and ending in 1898 when the American Colonial Era began.

It could not be denied that Spain had a major influence on the Philippines, shaping our language, influencing our customs and behavior, changing our religion, and so much more. There are lots of families with Spanish ancestry, plenty of homes and buildings with Spanish architecture, and lots of various relics from the Spanish era.

But behind these positive influences were the dark atrocities that happened, sometimes behind closed doors but others out in the open – things that people like national hero Jose Rizal rebelled against and got killed for

Many of these bad things never made it to official history books but when one Spaniard, Johnny Barnreuther, learned about the abuse done by his ancestors in the Philippines in those over 330 years they ruled the country, he researched more about it and was shocked to learn that not one of his country’s leaders ever apologized to Filipinos about it!

He took it upon himself to apologize to Filipinos, in behalf of the people of Spain. If his leaders won’t do it, then he felt that it was his task to do it for the healing of nations – a big responsibility for just one man to carry yet he did it, anyway.

With money from his own pocket but bringing Spain’s name and honor along, he went to the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite. He spoke with the leaders and ceremoniously asked for their forgiveness and from the Filipino people for the things his ancestors did a long, long time ago.

Barnreuther later wrote on Facebook:

I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD MAKE HISTORY LIKE THIS!

I found out that the Spaniards conquered and ruled the Philippines for over 330 years. We stole, abused and murdered. Countries like Japan and the U.S. have sent their leaders to the Philippines in the past to ask for forgiveness for what they have done to this country, but Spain has never sent an official leader to repented.

So I got some of the leaders of the region together in the exact location where they became an independent nation over 100 years ago.

So, as a Spaniard I asked for forgiveness for what we as a people have done to them in this historical place!!! HEALING OF THE NATIONS!!!

Of course, this generation of Filipinos was never the direct victims of the Spaniards’ conquest – it was our ancestors who suffered under their hands. But this Spanish guy wasn’t the bad one, either!

The act might seem so simple to some but it reverberated in the Filipino community, making them feel happy that at last, someone had asked forgiveness and took a step to “heal” the land in some way.

Isn’t this wonderful?

SOURCE : DEFINITELYFILIPINO