Mindanao State University Iligan Institute of Technology

College of Education
The life and Works of Rizal-CASS

Hielvin E. Ermac GEC109 A2-2

Interpreting points of view and making comparisons.

Application to articles “Veneration Without Understanding” by Renato Constantino and “Who

Made Rizal Our Foremost Hero, and Why?” by Esteban A. De Ocampo discussing the merit of
Jose Rizal as a Philippine Hero.
Interpreting Points of View
Interpreting points of view determine the objectivity of an argument or the accuracy of a
description about the same people, events, or issues.

Instruction:

1. Read the articles “Veneration Without Understanding” by Renato Constantino

and “Who Made Rizal Our Foremost Hero, and Why?” by Esteban A. Ocampo
and identify the main idea of the authors.
A. “Veneration without Understanding” by Renato Constantino

The general public's twisted mindset to why does it matter on the off chance that we possibly give the
most elevated acknowledgment to one individual when there was a large number of individuals who
worked connected at the hip to foster the idea of a country?
B. “Who made Rizal Our Foremost Hero, and Why?” by Esteban A. Ocampo

It centers around the Prominent works and his honorable part that Dr. Jose Rizal is taking the
development that his compositions become the feature that contributed hugely to the arrangement of
Filipino Independence from the oppression of the Spanish colonial rule and the formation of Filipino
Nationality.

2. Gather background information about the authors and their articles’ subject
matter.
A. Renato Constantino Background Information his articles’ subject matter:

He was a Filipino Historian, born on March 10, 1919, and died on September 15, 1999. A leftist
member of the tradition of Philippine Historiography. In his early days during college, he was the
youngest editor on UP School Publication. During his Workdays, he published many writings and that
includes the “Veneration Without Understanding” where it drastically emphasizes the matter of
question about the twisted mind of Filipinos on the acknowledgment of Rizal as the most elevated
individual on fostering Idea of our country, when in fact he addresses that there was a large number of
individuals who worked connected at the hip to foster the idea of our country.
These are two articles’ subject matter of Renato Constantino that his works of articles simply
emphasized to revisit to articulate advocate the importance of a correct understanding of Filipino history
in the past just to correct and able to have insights to the problems of the present.
The articles’ subject matter includes the writing of “The miseducation of Filipino people” in 1959 which
simply emphasizes the expounded views on historiography on the American Educational System that
disfigure the minds of Filipinos the true story of their past. Lastly the Philippines a Past Revisited where
it highlights rejecting the point of view of Philippine History proposed by the colonial powers or by the
Filipino itself. These articles’ subject matter has an interconnection to his write-ups on “Veneration
without Understanding” that drastically interprets the general idea on the Concept of history of Filipino
in the past particularly on the Twisted mind of Filipinos about taking a chance of acknowledgment of
Dr. Jose Rizal as the prominent and highly chosen Hero among others who also have certain respective
contributions on the formation to foster the Independence of the country.

B. Esteban A. Ocampo Background Information his articles’ subject matter

Esteban A. Ocampo though limited in his background information, but was a well-known Filipino
author and writer, historian, and a known college anthology of Rizal’s Work. His articles subject matter
as we look at his most widely held works and write-ups are all centered on the Life and Works of Rizal:
these are the few most widely held works, a Rizal’s biographical sketch, where it centers on knowing
Riza better, this also includes the College Anthology of Rizal ‘s Work which it is all about his full
biography and lastly “who made Rizal our foremost Hero and Why? Where this book-article centers
around Rizal that even the foreign-made him proud that through his writings they see the light and the
immortality of the writer which it was written with the blood of the heart that his prominent works
become the foundation that contributed hugely to the Filipino Independence.

3. Determine any aspects of the topics emphasized or excluded by the authors.

A. Veneration Without Understanding: Topic Emphasized
1. Rizal and the Revolutions
2. An American-Sponsored Hero
3. The Roles of Heroes
4. Innovation and Change (Economic and Socio)
5. The Ideological Framework
6. The Precursors of Mendicancy
7. Ilustrado And Indio’s (differences description)
8. Blind Adoration
B. “Who Made Rizal Our Foremost Hero, and Why?”: Topic Emphasized
1. How well known is Rizal
2. Definition of a Hero
3. First Reason: Why is Rizal a hero, nay, our foremost national hero?
4. Second, third and last Reason: Why is Rizal a hero, nay, our foremost national hero?
5. The Responses of His Novels outside the Philippines that moved the minds and hearts of
many well-known individuals
C. Veneration Without Understanding: Topic Excluded

1. How well known is Rizal

2. Definition of a Hero
3. The Responses of His Novels outside the Philippines that moved the minds and hearts of
many well-known individuals

D. “Who Made Rizal Our Foremost Hero, and Why?”: Topic Excluded

1. The Roles of Heroes

2. Innovation and Change (Economic and Socio)
3. Ilustrado And Indio’s (differences description)
4. The Ideological Framework
5. The Precursors of Mendicancy
6. Blind Adoration

4. Identify words or phrases that suggest a personal opinion like the greatest,
everybody, unique, exploits, lambaste, and provocative.
A. These are the words or phrases that suggest an opinion: on “Veneration Without
Understanding” by Renato Constantino
1. In our case, our national hero was not the leader of our revolution. He repudiated
that Revolution
2. Those words were treasonous

3. This means Constantino is doing exactly what he accuses everyone else of doing
with Rizal: Putting one man above the idea of a nation.

It was Governor William Howard Taft who in the 1900s suggested to the
Philippine Commission that the Filipinos be given a national hero.

4. Rizal’s preoccupation with education.

5. Bonifacio, not as Hispanized as the ilustrado, saw in people’s action the only road
to liberation
6. the ilustrados joined the Revolution were, despite their revolutionary rhetoric, they
revealed by their behavior their own limited goals
7. He is as bad as the colonialists he derides throughout his essay.
B. These are the words or phrases that suggest an opinion: on “Who Made Rizal Our Foremost
Hero, and Why?” by Esteban A. Ocampo
1. If Rizal’s friends & admirers praised w/ justifiable pride the Noli & its author, his
enemies were equally loud & bitter in attacking & condemning the same.
 2. no Filipino has yet been born who could equal or surpass Rizal as a "person of
distinguished valor/enterprise in danger, fortitude in suffering
3. To the bigoted Spaniards in Spain & the Philippines
4. History tells us that the revolutionary society is known as Katipunan likewise
acknowledge Rizal’s Leadership and Greatness

5. Pay attention to metaphors and analogies used by the authors to indirectly

express their opinion.
A. These are the metaphors and analogies used by Renato Constantino to indirectly express
his opinion:
1. He repudiated
2. His pre-eminence among our heroes
3. They picture him as the supreme symbol of our struggle for freedom
4. Rizal’s preoccupation with education
5. He did not equate liberty with independence
B. These are the metaphors and analogies used by Esteban A. Ocampo to indirectly express
his opinion:
1. His name is a byword in every Filipino home
2. To the bigoted Spaniards in Spain & the Philippines

6. Identify the authors’ point of view on the topic.

A. Renato Constantino Point of view:

Does he simply emphasize the twisted mindset of all Filipinos as to why does it matter on the off chance
that we possibly give the most elevated acknowledgment to one individual when there was a large
number of individuals who worked connected at the hip to foster the idea of a country? And to articulate
that a true hero is one with the masses: he does not exist above them. A whole people can be heroes
given the proper motivation and articulation of their dreams.
B. Esteban A. Ocampo Point of View:

He simply emphasizes that no one can deter of a hero who his prominent works become central
in taking admirable part that contributed largely to the Independence of Filipino, including the
contribution of all people that draws him as the candidate of all greatest hero as well as he posses
himself excellent qualities and merit.
Making Comparison
Making comparisons is done to determine similarities and differences between data to conclude.

Instruction:

1. Compare the arguments of Renato Constantino’s article, “Veneration Without

Understanding” and Esteban A. Ocampo’s work, “Who Made Rizal Our
Foremost Hero, and Why?” discussing Jose Rizal’s role as a Philippine hero;
participation in Philippine history; and contribution to the Filipino’s struggle for
liberty, independence, and national consciousness. Address also the points of view
of the authors on the issue regarding who made Rizal a Hero?

The two articles discussed the job/title of Jose Rizal in the Philippines. One appears to go against it
while the other one upholds the name given to Jose Rizal. The article "Veneration Without
Understanding" by Renato Constantino lets us know that Jose Rizal the main Filipino will be recognized
as an incredible catalyzer in the transformation of the de-colonized Indio, not as the best saint of his
kin. He underlined the assignment of Rizal as a public saint that it was embraced and upheld by the
Americans

2. Examine every argument emphasized by the authors and take note of the
information.
A. Renato Constantino Argument emphasized:
1. Rizal shouldn’t be the National Hero
Constantino once said that the true hero is one with the masses: he does not exist above them.
A whole people can be heroes given the proper motivation and articulation of their dreams.
2. Rizal is an American-made Hero
His pre-eminence among our heroes was partly the result of American sponsorship. For he
cannot reject that he has introduced an alternate face of a well-known piece of the country's
set of experiences in an exceptionally convincing way. He has referred to realities I have
thought I previously put by heart, similar to what the word Filipino implied.
3. Rizal as a great catalyzer

He will be negated by the true Filipino by whom he will be remembered as a great catalyzer
in the metamorphosis of the de-colonized Indio.

B. Esteban A. Ocampo Argument emphasizes:

1. How Well known is Rizal and Who made Rizal our foremost hero and why?

The is truly indeed well known to all textbooks in all schools, universities, places and executive numbers
and laws for no one can deter the description that was given unto him a great elevation of
acknowledgment fro his prominent works become the foundation in which he becomes the greatest of
all heroes that his works signified to a greater change in which it drastically becomes the foundation of
Filpino Independence since through.

3. Classify the authors’ arguments into a tabular presentation.

“Veneration Without Understanding” Who Made Rizal Our Foremost Hero

by Renato Constantino and Why?
By Esteban A. De Ocampo

1. Rizal shouldn’t be the National Hero 1. Rizal as a National Hero

2. A true hero is one with the masses
3. Rizal is an American-made hero
4. Rizal as a great catalyzer in the
decolonized Indio
2. Rizal as the greatest hero among
the Filipinos
3. All together contributed to make
him the greatest hero of his people
4. Great hero possess himself excellent
qualities and merit

4. Find the similarities and differences of the identified arguments.

A. The differences between the two are the following:
1. Veneration Without Understanding:
a. Rizal Shouldn’t be the National Hero
b. True Hero is one with the masses.
c. Rizal is an American-made Hero
d. Rizal as a great catalyzer in the decolonized Indio
2. Who Made Rizal Our Foremost Hero and Why?
a. Rizal as the National Hero
b. Rizal as the greatest hero among the Filipinos
c. All together contributed to make him the greatest hero of his people
d. Great heroes possess excellent qualities and merit
B. The similarity(ies) of the two:
a. Rizal is an American-made Hero and All together contributed to make him the greatest hero
of his people.
5. Draw a conclusion based on the comparisons made on the
information/arguments of the two articles.

In conclusion, the two have different views and interpretations as they sought to describe Rizal and give
him the acknowledgment as to recognize him as the National hero. Does Constantino simply argue on
the matter of Questioning that identifies whether Rizal deserves to be a national hero but rather is it
necessary to have one most elevated national hero? While on the other hand Ocampo simply emphasizes
that no one can deter the perception that his prominent work become the central figure of propaganda
movement where through his works it becomes the foundation that contributed hugely to the Filipino
Independence. Thus, it all says that Rizal is the greatest hero among the Filipinos.