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Rizal: Heroism and Legacy Debate

The document discusses whether Jose Rizal deserved to be considered the Philippines' national hero. It presents arguments both for and against this designation. On one hand, it argues that Rizal only became prominent because he came from a wealthy family that could provide him educational opportunities not available to many Filipinos at the time. However, it also argues that Rizal used his talents and skills to fight for Filipino freedom through his writings, which touched many lives and awakened people to the abuses under Spanish colonial rule. While he may not have directly fought with weapons, he battled through his books and knowledge. For these reasons, the document concludes that Rizal is deserving of being considered the national hero as

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Jerick Mercado Rosal
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866 views2 pages

Rizal: Heroism and Legacy Debate

The document discusses whether Jose Rizal deserved to be considered the Philippines' national hero. It presents arguments both for and against this designation. On one hand, it argues that Rizal only became prominent because he came from a wealthy family that could provide him educational opportunities not available to many Filipinos at the time. However, it also argues that Rizal used his talents and skills to fight for Filipino freedom through his writings, which touched many lives and awakened people to the abuses under Spanish colonial rule. While he may not have directly fought with weapons, he battled through his books and knowledge. For these reasons, the document concludes that Rizal is deserving of being considered the national hero as

Uploaded by

Jerick Mercado Rosal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mark Kevin Montoya Mrs.

Marilou Seacor
Second Year A.B. Philosophy Life and Works of Rizal

Jose Rizal’s Heroism


(A position paper whether Jose Rizal deserved to be our national hero or not)

It has always been a heated discussion and argument on who deserves to be called a
national hero in the Philippines and is Jose Rizal truly deserves to be our national hero or not.
Then why Jose Rizal is the national hero of the Philippines? It is interesting to note and to argue
that Jose Rizal should be considered as a national hero and if he actually deserves the said title
and honor? In this position paper, I will present to you my own opinion on whether Jose Rizal
deserved to be our national hero and why?

Throughout our discussion in the Life and Works of Rizal, I learned that his life is not
that too far on our lives per se. We can be Rizal and can live what he left us, among which is the
love for education and to our country. Meanwhile, to answer the question of whether he is
deserving to be a national hero has long been talked about and debated. José Protasio Rizal
Mercado y Alonso Realonda was born on June 19, 1861. He is the seventh of the eleven children
born to a relatively well-off family in a Dominican-owned tenant land in Calamba, Laguna, Jose
Rizal lived and died during the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines. Dr. Jose P. Rizal is a
hero for me, but was he worthy to be considered as our national hero here in the Philippines? In
my own opinion, he only became a hero because his family was wealthy and famous. They were
rich that he had a private tutor when he was a child. His family has a lot of money that he was
sent to Manila to study at a prestigious school and to learn during the time where Filipinos are at
the lowest part of the society and he even sent to Spain to widen his wisdom and to serve as the
hope of other Filipinos. Because of his family’s fortune, he also gained friends and among them
were very well-known and were respected by the society. Without his family’s money, he would
not be able to prosper and improved himself hence, was able to see the difference between the
rich and the poor and even witnessed the maltreatment and abuses of the friars against the
Filipinos including the exploitations of the Spanish officials who were then running our country.
On the other hand, I might say that he is indeed deserving to be a national hero and should be a
living exemplar among the youth of today. Because he is a multitalented and passionate
individual both through the mind and other areas, not to mention his superb character and the
love to people, especially to the poor. His compassion to the needs of others was overwhelming
as demonstrated by his sincere services to the people as doctor, friend, teacher, artist, writer and
the like. He fought using his pen, books and knowledge. He did not fight through weaponries
and swords. Through the books he has written, as he uses his God-given talent and skills of
which most of the topics and stories presented were all about suffering and abused of Filipinos.
Rizal to say has touched lives, awakened the people during his time and yet he was also
provoked the Spaniards therefore they sent him to jail. But even thou he was imprisoned, he was
still fighting, not for himself nor for his family, but more for the so-called Inang Bayan and for
the liberty of the filipinos through his philosophies, through writings and through his
incomparable love for our country. But whether a national hero or not, I can proudly say that
Jose Rizal did a very good job for us bearing in mind the fact that he had set us all free from
slavery and left us a better education. Rizal’s legacy has been manifested and continually giving
us beautiful reason to love education and fight for our country. And for me he is a very good
example and an inspiration to us, most specially to the youth of today. He had proven the saying
that goes,”A pen is mightier than sword”. And lived what he has said, “Ang kabataan ang pag-
asa ng bayan” and that is why for me he is truly and must be our national hero.

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