University of La Salette

2nd Semester 2020-2021

Preliminary Examination
GEC 005-The Life and Works of Rizal

Mrs. Monina P. Badua, MAED-Instructor consummatu

“it is finished” m est
“JOSE RIZAL SHOULD BE THE OFFICIAL NATIONAL HERO”

A hero is part of the people’s expression. But the process of a people’s internalization of
a hero’s life and works takes time, with the youth forming a part of the internalization. One can
only speaks for itself whenever they are influenced and urged to part-take on the
internalization of heroism. One may not understand as to why people can be considered
heroes, individuals have their own perception and judgment over qualification and standard of
characteristics of people.

Since the submission of the report or recommendations by the National Heroes

Committee to then Secretary Ricardo T. Gloria of the Department of Education, Culture and
Sports on November 22,1995 for who shall be the country’s national hero, no action has been
taken. It is important therefore that we must review first, criteria set by society and even
national standard in recognizing personalities to be considered a hero of a nation. To whether,
us the youth, shall stand and choose whom shall we fight for the elusive title. According to The
Technical Committee of the National Heroes Committee, Heroes are those who have a concept
of nation and thereafter aspire and struggle for the nation’s freedom. Our own struggle for
freedom was begun by Bonifacio and finished by Aguinaldo, the latter formally declaring the
revolution’s success. However, a revolution has no end. Revolutions are only the beginning. One
cannot aspire to be free only to sink back into bondage.

Furthermore, heroes are those who define and contribute to a system or life of freedom
and order for a nation. Freedom without order will only lead to anarchy. Therefore, heroes are
those who make the nation’s constitution and laws, such as Mabini and Recto. To the latter,
constitutions are only the beginning, for it is the people living under the constitution that truly
constitute a nation and Heroes are those who contribute to the quality of life and destiny of a

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nation as defined by Dr. Onofre D. Corpuz. These qualities make a hero in a general perspective
as set by a committee established by the laws of the Philippine government. Additionally, a hero
is part of the people’s expression. But the process of a people’s internalization of a hero’s life
and works takes time, with the youth forming a part of the internalization. A hero thinks of the
future, especially the future generations. The choice of a hero involves not only the recounting
of an episode or events in history, but of the entire process that made this particular person a
hero as defined by Dr. Alfredo Lagmay.

If we are to recount all the qualifications stated above, Dr. Jose Rizal, without a doubt
lived a life of a hero for the Filipino people. Even today, his words of wisdom and principles are
well remembered, and reiterated to inspire most especially the youth. If we are to review his
journey, it is not a secret to the Filipino people that he fought significantly for our freedom
against Spanish occupation. This reason is enough to recognize his works and coin him as a
national hero. He may not have fought by sword, or bullets, or in any manner conventional in
war but he used his words, his works, to rekindle patriotism to the nation.

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