1.

Develop your own list of historical figures that you consider to be national
heroes. Justify your chosen list and recommend which historical figures may
or may not fall within the criteria set by the National Heroes Commission.

There are a certain number of criteria wherein historical figures are chosen to
become a national hero. In my list, some of the historical figures that will be mentioned
are already national hero and some are not. In my first list is Dr. Jose Rizal. Rizal is one
of the most revolutionary political activists in the Spanish Colonization. He studied
abroad and even though he pursued ophthalmology, he then became a writer and
became a member of one of the exclusive propaganda movement, also the ilustrados.
Even though he did not joined the actual battle, he used his writing abilities to expose
the injustice of Spanish colonization against our own country that made or branded him
as an enemy of the Spanish government which caused his execution in the year 1896.

As a fellow member of the group ilustrados or the “enlightened one,” Juan Luna
served his country through his talent in art. Luna was not just an artist, but also known
as a revolutionary and influential political activist who is one of the participant of the
Philippine Revolution. One of his masterpieces is known as “Spoliarium” is inspired
wherein the last defenders of the ancient Spanish town sacrificed their lives instead of
being captured by Romans. It also means that “It is better to perish than to be slaves.”

Ramon Magsaysay became the seventh president of the Philippines. Even though
he is a politician, his objectives or motives are clean which made him one of the most
popular Presidents of the Philippines. He gave land to the landless, banned nepotism
and corruption, refused special treatment, and also has a clean, incorruptible record
(Mia, 2016). Sadly, his term only lasted for 3-4 years due to airplane crash which
caused his instant death.

Even though many of the above mentioned are considered to be national hero, there
are some historical figures which do not lie in the criteria set by National Heroes
Comission like Ferdinand Edralin Marcos (which became a dictator for almost 20 years,
used his power for the betterment of himself and his family), and Pedro Paterno which
then referred as “original and perfect balimbing.”

Works Cited
Mia, R. (2016, May 18). Why Ramon Magsaysay could the best Philippine president
ever. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from Daily Pedia:
https://www.dailypedia.net/2016/05/ramon-magsaysay-best-philippine-president-
ever/2/