Good morning to everyone …..

To foretell the destiny of a nation, it is necessary to open the books that to tell his past.
Today, we are gathered once again on this hallowed grounds to open the books to tell of our nation past and most importantly
to evoke the sacred memory and martyrdom of our national hero, DR. JOSE RIZAL.

Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal was born in the town of Calamba, Laguna on June 19, 1861. The second son and the seventh among the
eleven children of Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso. With his mother as his first teacher. He began his early education at
home and continued in Biñan, Laguna. He entered a Jesuit-run Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1872 and obtained a Bachelor’s
Degree and highest honors in 1876. He studied in medicine at the University of Santo Tomas but had to stop because he felt that
the Filipino students were being discriminated by their Dominican tutor. He went to Madrid at Universidad Central De Madrid
and in 1885, at the age of 24. He finished his course in Philosophy and letter with a grade of “EXCELLENT”. He took graduate
studies in Paris, France, and Heidelberg Germany. He was a man incredible intellectual power and amazing artistic talent. He
excelled at anything that put his mind to- medicine, poetry, sketching, architecture, sociology and more.

Rizal does not only belong to our race. He belongs to humanity. I am confident that a greater and deeper understanding of his
life and work will free him at last from the perennials controversies to which we have unwittingly subjected his memory, and
establish him in his final exalted place, not only in our history but also in the history of all mankind.

It is important that the millennial’s should know more about our national hero. The most important legacy of Dr. Jose Rizal left
to the youth is his statement that the hope of the motherlands in their hands. Not in the politicians, not even in the
businessmen, or social and political leaders. The question we ask for today is whether or not today’s youth have proven
themselves worthy of the legacy left y our national hero.

It is useful for the millennial’s to take another look at the life of Rizal, especially his academic and career achievements, his
passion for excellence and his drive for achievement. He was not contented being only a doctor or surgeon. He worked very hard
in many other fields of endeavors and he did succeed as a writer, poet, novelist, agriculturist, community organizer, painter,
sculptor, architect, and engineer. He was multi-skilled and he could multi-task beyond the scope of normal human
achievements. I believe that Rizal continues to be relevant today as a model for all young Filipinos who aspire to break barriers
and achieve more than the ordinary.

Each one of us have its owned gift by our almighty God. As one of the millennial’s I can’t say tha I may not excellence or have
high intellectual as Dr. Jose Rizal but we can follow his steps in other way.

As we take ever greater pride in him and his memory, we shall also earn wider respect for our race among the other races of the
world. And its start for us as youth, as what Dr. Jose Rizal says “The youth is hope of our future.”

Long live the heroism of Dr. Jose Rizal.

Long live all of us!
Thank you!