WHY IS JOSE RIZAL OUR NATIONAL HERO?

Jose Rizal is our national hero because first, as a towering figure in the Propaganda

Campaign, he took an "admirable part" in that movement which roughly covered the period

from 1882-1896. He made different prominent works and one these is his Noli Me Tangere

which happened to be a superior book and brought equal glory because he exposed to the

world the sufferings of our country from Spain. His book has been written with the blood of

the heart and Rizal happened to be on the the great men who exercised a determinative

influence over the progress of their spiritual life. Because of Noli Me Tangere, Rizal had

become the most prominent or the central figure of the Propaganda Movement.

Second, Jose Rizal is our national hero because no Filipino has been yet born who

could equal or surpass Rizal as "a person of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or

fortitude in sufferings." Rizal abandoned his personal interests and gas his complete self-denial

in order to think only of those of his country. He could have earned considerable sums of

money from his profession, he could have been whatever he wished to be and he could have

lived relatively rich, happy, prosperous, had he not dedicated himself to public matters. But

Rizal believed that the voice of species was stronger that the voice of personal progress or of

private fortune, and had preferred to live far from his family and to sacrifice his personal

affections for an ideal he had dreamed of. He headed not his brother, not even his parents,

being whom he respected and venerated so much, in order to follow the road his conscience

had traced for him. Even though he did not have great means at his disposal to carry out his

campaign, it didn't discourage him and he just contented himself with what he had. He suffered

hunger, privation, and misery but when he raised his eyes to heaven and saw his ideal, his

hope was reborn. He complained of his countrymen who had promised him help and do not

help him. He wanted to renounce his campaign forever, giving up everything. But such

moments were evanescent, he soon felt comforted and resumes the task of bearing the cross of

suffering.

Lastly, Rizal is our national hero because he is "a man honored after death by public
worship, because of exceptional service to mankind." According to Prof. Blumentritt, Rizal

was the greatest product of the Philippines and that his coming to the world was like the

appearance of a rare comet, whose rare brilliance appears only every other century. Rizal's

leadership was recognized by his countrymen here and abroad. And because he was

considered as the foremost Filipino hero, Revolutionary Government paid tributes to his

memory. The day he was executed was proclaimed as "Rizal Day." Not only his countrymen

or the Filipinos who pays tribute to him but the elite of other lands as well who intimately

knew his patriotic labors. He was the leader who used his own quill and pen to fight rather that

fire and bullets.

To sum it up, Jose Rizal is our National Hero because he met the definition of the term

'hero.' He is "a prominent or central personage taking an admirable part in any remarkable

action or event." He is "a person of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or fortitude in

suffering." And finally, he is "a man honored after death by public worship, because of

exceptional service to mankind."

1. Andres Bonifacio (1863-1897)

Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, a secret

society which spearheaded the uprising

against the oppressive Spanish rule. It was the

groundwork for the first Philippine Republic.

He faced a trial for acts inimical to the

existence of the new government, and was

sentenced to death by a military tribunal.

Tributes and trivia: Besides Rizal, the only other hero given an implied

recognition as a national hero is Bonifacio whose date of birth on November

30 had officially been proclaimed as a national holiday. Monuments of

Bonificio, like Rizal, are common across the nation; and again, like his

compatriot, this inspiring hero’s life has been immortalized on film and

television, such as 2014’s Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo (starring Robin

Padilla), 2013’s TV series Katipunan and 2014’s Ilustrado (both starring Sid

Lucero).

2. Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964)

Aguinaldo is a revolutionary, politician,

and military leader who is officially

recognized as the First President of the

Philippines. After the Japanese invasion of

the Philippines in 1941, he cooperated with

the new forces, and appealed on radio for

American and Filipino soldiers to surrender

Americans but was later freed on general amnesty.

Tributes and trivia: In 1931, an American Pre-Code documentary titled

Around the World in 80 Minutes with Douglas Fairbanks, showed host

Fairbanks in an interview with former Philippine president Emilio

Aguinaldo.

Aguinaldo has also been portrayed in various films centered on the

revolution, with such actors as Mon Confiado in Heneral Luna, and

Jericho Ejercito and E.R. Ejercito in El

Presidente highlighting his controversial

life.

3. Juan Luna (1857-1899)

Luna was a painter, sculptor and a political

activist of the Philippine Revolution during

a master Philippine artist for paintings,

which often depicted his his sentiments for

country.

Tributes and trivia: Luna’s most revered artwork, “The Spolarium” is

held in prominent display at the National Museum. Of his sought after

masterpieces, “¿A Do…Va la Nave?” sold for P46.8 million at a Makati

auction.

In film, the brilliant Luna had been

portrayed by Bryan Benedict in Ilustrado;

and Allan Paule Heneral Luna.

Del Pilar was a Philippine revolutionary propagandist and satirist. He tried to

marshal the nationalist sentiment of the Filipino ilustrados or bourgeoisie,

against Spanish imperialism. He founded the newspaper Diariong Tagalog to

propagate democratic liberal ideas among farmers and peasants.

Tributes and trivia: For his 150 essays and 66 editorials, mostly published in

La Solidaridad and various anti-friar pamphlets, del Pilar has long been

regarded as the “Father of Philippine Journalism.”

As such Samahang Plaridel, an organization of veteran journalists and

communicators, was founded in October 2003 to honor his ideals. The group

further promotes cooperation and understanding among Filipino journalists in

service of the nation.

5. Melchora Aquino (1812-1919)

One of two females among the nine

heroes, Aquino operated a store, which

became a refuge for sick and wounded

revolutionaries. She fed and provided

medical attention to the revolutionaries,

while encouraging them with motherly

advice in pursuing their battles, and

offering prayers.

Secret meetings of the Katipuneros were also held in her home, thus earning

Aquino the titles “Woman of Revolution”, “Mother of Balintawak”, “Mother

of the Philippine Revolution”, and more famously “Tandang Sora.”

Tributes and trivia: As a token of gratitude, a district and road expanse in

commemorated in the five-centavo coin, which existed from 1967 to 1992;

and is considered the very first Filipina to be featured on Philippine peso

banknote, in this case, a 100-peso bill from the English Series (1951 to 1966).

Further from home, Aquino’s legacy is honored via Tandang Sora Street in

San Francisco, USA.

6. Apolinario Mabini (1864-1903)

Mabini was the “brains” of the revolution. He

served first as a legal and constitutional adviser

to the Revolutionary Government, and then as

the first Prime Minister of the Philippines upon

the establishment of the First Philippine

Republic. Mabini performed all his

revolutionary and governmental activities

Philippine Revolution of 1896.

Tributes and trivia: There are two shrines devoted to Mabini: The house

where he died is located on the grounds of the Polytechnic University of the

Philippines (PUP) in Santa Mesa, Manila; while his hometown in Talaga,

Tanauan City has long been the site of his burial.

In films, he has been portrayed by Ronnie Quizon in the 2012’s El

Presidente, and by Epi Quizon in the 2015’s

Heneral Luna.

7. Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat (1581–1671)

Kudarat was a Sultan of Maguindanao in the

Philippines. He successfully opposed the

hindrance to the Christianization of the island of Mindanao much like the

other Muslim rulers of the southern Philippine Archipelago.

Kudarat was a direct descendant of Shariff Kabungsuwan, a Malay-Arab

missionary who brought Islam to the Philippines between the 13th and 14th

century.

Tributes and trivia: The province of Sultan Kudarat is named after this brave

Filipino, together with the Municipality of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao,

where his descendants of datus and rulers

remain to be political leaders.

8. Gabriela Silang (1731-1763)

Silang was a revolutionary best known as the

first female leader of a Filipino movement in

the fight for independence from Spain. She

Silang’s revolutionary movement following his

assassination in 1763. During this time, she led

the Ilocano rebel movement until she was captured and executed by the

colonial government of the Spanish East Indies.

Tributes and trivia: The organization and party list Gabriela Women’s Party,

which advocates women’s rights and issues, was founded in April 1984 in

Silang’s honor. A statue of this female hero on horseback was further

commissioned and erected by the Zóbel de Ayala family at the corner of

Ayala and Makati Avenues.

Silang Memorial Park with a monument to the brave Filipina.

The report recommending these nine historical figures as national heroes

was likewise submitted to the Department of Education, Culture and Sports

on November 22, 1995. However, no action was taken by the government

agency afterward based on speculations that an official proclamation by law

of national heroes might trigger debates on historical controversies

surrounding a number of them.

Nevertheless, despite the lack of any official declaration explicitly

proclaiming the nine patriots as national heroes, they remain admired and

revered for their pivotal roles in Philippine history.

As writer Quennie Ann Palafox points out in her article, “Reinventing the

Filipino Hero” from the NHCP archives, “Heroes are not born, but they are

chosen by the society among men deserving esteem and emulation.”

their contributions to the society. Otherwise, they will be similar to others

who unselfishly helped for the betterment of others and yet they are

unrecognized.”