Haunted by sorrow, a mother’s grief echoes in this statue. This is the Sisa Statue. It stands here as a poignant reminder of a character from Jose Rizal’s novel, Noli Me Tangere.
Sisa’s story is one of hardship. She is a mother to Basilio and Crispin. They endure immense suffering in the novel. The Sisa Statue was donated by the Knights of Rizal, Mandaluyong Chapter, on June 19, 1972.
The statue symbolizes the patients of the National Center for Mental Health. It represents those who struggle with mental illness. The Sisa Statue serves as a symbol. It reminds us of the challenges faced by patients and the hospital.
Behind the Sisa Statue is the Bridge of Hope. It features a fountain on both sides. The Bridge of Hope signifies that many patients with mental health conditions have a chance to recover.
The New Sisa Mural resides at the lobby of the NCMH administration building. In it Sisa is smiling and she is flanked by her two children. The mural depicts the 80 years of service that NCMH has provided. It has maintained the mental health of Filipinos in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.
Napoleon Abueva, a National Artist for Sculpture, created another mural. It stands at the right side entrance of the National Center for Mental Health compound. Carved on marbles and embedded on the concrete, the mural is composed of geometric mass of blocks and engraved figures.
Sisa was not always mad. Rizal described her as beautiful. She had long black hair and deep eyes. She was illiterate but a hard worker. She married an abusive drunkard. He gambled and did not care for her or their sons.
Her sons Crispin and Basilio were forced to work in harsh conditions. They kept her going. They kept her from insanity. She remained strong. She smiled despite her husband. She did it to keep her sons. Upon losing them, she lost everything. She even lost her mind.
Worn from the despotic society, Sisa became an object of scorn and pity. She wandered into the forest. She was haunted by images and memories. She was exhausted.
Sisa’s statue invites us to remember. It invites us to reflect on compassion. Consider the silent battles fought within the minds of many. The Sisa Statue is more than bronze. It is a beacon of hope. It invites understanding. It reminds us that recovery is possible.