IS RIZAL WORTHY OF BEING CONSIDERED AS A HERO OF COUNTRY?
Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal is known for his nationalism and patriotism. He became the national
hero of the Philippines because he fought for the freedom of the country in silent but in a powerful
way. Rizal uses his intelligence, talents and skills for he believes that pen is mightier than the
sword. No doubt, Rizal is worthy to be considered as a hero for he fought for country and his
fellowmen in his own way. However, “Veneration Without Understanding” by Renato Constantino
is not one of the articles about Rizal that tells us of his intelligence, his heroic deeds, and his
sacrifice for our country. For this reason, it seems to me that Rizal is a Filipino we can be proud
of, but we should not consider him as the whole basis of determinant of our national goals. In times
of war, you cannot defend yourself or your people through your works and intelligence, sometimes
we also need actions. That is why today we need new heroes who can help us to solve our pressing
problems.
Rizal as an Ilustrado, he underestimated the power and talents of the mass. It is said that it
is not an act of underestimating the masses’ capabilities at the time but rather an act of selflessness
