Nelson Morales

‘Makabagong pluma’: Jose Rizal takes center stage in AI animation created by Pinoy

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Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2005914776870981851&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2024-12-12T04%3A07%3A08.976489%3Ac3a1e99c-6a47-4b62-9c69-072615dec579%26action%3Dcorrect&amp;sessionId=980e7a7172d32ea8e4ce25172ddb8311b71a79bf&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:624px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2005914776870981851"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p><strong></strong>MANILA – Last year, a website was launched that allowed the public to interact with Dr. Jose Rizal through the help of artificial intelligence or AI.</p><p>This 2025, Pocholo De Leon Gonzales – better known as the Voice Master – has taken things further by creating an animated AI series where Rizal himself is the main character, narrating the story and lessons of his life.</p><p>The series also features stories told by Rizal, which offer valuable lessons not only for children but for adults as well.</p><p>Gonzales said the project aims to bring Rizal closer to the public, especially amid the rise of artificial intelligence and the growing influence of social media on how people engage with history.</p><p>“Ang AI ang makabagong pluma,” he told ABS-CBN News.  </p><p>“Sabi ko, may problema ang mga kabataan ngayon dahil ang mga kabataan nalululong na bukod sa bisyo, ibang lahi ang nagiging idolo... So sabi ko, since gumagawa din naman ako ng anime din, bakit hindi na lang din ako ang gumawa ng sarili kong cartoons...Jose Rizal ang bida,” he said.</p><p>Gonzales said the national hero has long been his personal idol. In fact, he has visited more than 400 Jose Rizal monuments across different parts of the Philippines and even in other countries.</p><p>He said he spent years developing the AI animation program and used his own voice to bring Rizal to life.</p><p>This year, Gonzales officially released the video series.</p><p>Some of these videos have since garnered millions of views on social media, drawing renewed interest in the life and ideals of Dr. Jose Rizal from the public.</p><p>“Itong mga storya na ito ay mga bago, may mga kuwento siya na dati at mga bagong kuwento na aabangan ng mga bata. Ito ay libre at para sainyo.”</p><p>This Rizal Day, the voice master said he would release a trailer of his new animated series titled “Pepe: Ang Batang Henyo.” The full series will be released early next year, he said.</p><p>“Ang konsepto nun, napunta siya sa future, so medyo nakakatuwa and nakaka-amaze kasi imaginin mo yung 10 years old na Jose Rizal, napunta sa date na 2030 at ang goal niya is para iligtas ang kabataang Pilipino,” he said.</p><div><strong>RIZAL AND HIS FIGHT VS CORRUPTION</strong></div><p>But how do AI content creators like Gonzales continuously make the life of Dr. Rizal relevant in the age of social media and the issues of corruption hounding the country?</p><p>For Gonzales, they must tell the stories of the national hero through his perspective and share the lessons of the past.</p><p>“Sabi nga ang bayani ay hindi lang nasa libro, monumento, dapat nasa tao na. Tayo ang bagong Rizal. Tayo ang mga bagong bayani na dapat isabuhay ang mga prinsipyo at pinaglaban ni Rizal,” he said.</p><p>“Ano ba ang [pinaglaban] niya noon? Pang-aapi, pang-aabuso at panlalamang ng mga Kastila, sa kasamaang palad, karamihan sa pulitiko ngayon at ilang opisyal ng gobyerno ay sila naman ang nanlalamang at nag-aapi at nang-aabuso sa kanilang kapwa Pilipino,” he added.</p><div><strong>PLEASE EMBED: https://x.com/manahan_job/status/2005920639668863308?s=20</strong></div><p>Some visitors at the Rizal Park in Manila said the AI-generated animation about the hero helped them understand his stories. </p><p>“Malaking tulong ang AI-generated animation about Rizal or anything about history. Alam naman natin ang mga kabataan ngayon ay more on social media and then parang mavi-visualize natin nang maayos kung ano ba talaga ang history,” said Randy Ren, who visited Luneta with his family.</p><p>Freshmen students like Justine Aramburo and Maricris Dumoran said Rizal’s stories and lessons remained relevant today.</p><p>“Nag-iimprove na ang technology natin... Navi-visualize natin yung nangyari kay Jose Rizal kesa sa libro, kasi kapag AI, na-animate mo na siya, nakikita natin kung ano ang nangyari,” said Aramburo.</p><p>“Isa siya sa pambansang bayani natin. Ngayon, talamak ang korapsyon na nararanasan kahit ang mga kabataan magiging aware talaga... Mayroon tayong kaalaman na maitutulong na hindi lang tayo sa shadow ng nasa itaas,” Dumoran said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MORE LESSONS LEARNED</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>A historian said initiatives like this are important in ensuring that the telling of history—and the challenges faced during Rizal’s time—keep pace with the times, even as technology continues to evolve.</p><p>“Maganda yung layunin niya, very passionate siya about it at makikita natin na talagang pinagbuhusan ng panahon at i-develop... Kailangan ang history natin makasabay, although hindi siya historian, ang history natin makasabay sa pagbabago ng teknolohiya upang patuloy na maging epektibo si Rizal sa mga kabataan,” Prof. Xiao Chua said in a phone interview.</p><p>In creating these types of content, however, heavy research and correct AI prompts are needed to ensure the lessons and the message are transmitted properly across all audiences.</p><p>“Ang importante talaga diyan, ano ang itinuturong lesson ng buhay ni Rizal?&quot; Chua said. &quot;Kailangan kung may gagawa pang iba, talagang maging seryoso sa pananaliksik, pagbabasa ng buhay ni Rizal at yung kasaysayan na umiikot...Pati yung time, milieu, konteksto.&quot;</p><p>“Kung si Jose Rizal ang titingnan natin, ang paglaban sa korapsyon ay pag-engage sa pamahalaang kolonyal...Yung isa din sa ginamit niya ay creative resistance. Ibig sabihin nun, ikaw ay bumabalikwas pero malikhain,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED STORIES: </strong></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/people-culture-events/2025/12/30/jose-and-i-would-ve-been-friends-exploring-the-human-side-of-our-national-hero-1129">Jose and I would&#x27;ve been friends: exploring the human side of our national hero</a> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/4/dfa-confirms-disappearance-of-jose-rizal-bust-in-paris-1500"></a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/4/dfa-confirms-disappearance-of-jose-rizal-bust-in-paris-1500">DFA confirms disappearance of Jose Rizal bust in Paris</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2025/6/20/tampok-na-lugar-sa-mga-nobela-ni-rizal-muling-binalikan-1652">Tampok na lugar sa mga nobela ni Rizal, muling binalikan</a></div>

<p>Last year, a website was launched that allowed the public to interact with Dr. Jose Rizal through the help of artificial intelligence.</p>

Last year, a website was launched that allowed the public to interact with Dr. Jose Rizal through the help of artificial intelligence.