Rizal was a man for all seasons. He was a universal man , a polyglot who utilized his God-given talents to improve the condition of his people. Through his writings, he urged his countrymen to take pride in themselves, in their race, and in their culture and gave them a sense of identity and self -confidence to meet the challenges of their times. On March 27, 1896, Dr. Blumentritt wrote to Rizal after he finished reading the novel, Noli Me Tangere,"...I know you are a man of extraordinary talent.Your work has exceeded my expectations and I consider myself happy for having honored me by your friendship ..." Indeed, Rizal's novels are labeled as classic novels.It is said that his novel is the pattern of Boris Pasternakk's novel, Dr. Zhivago,that was published in 1957.
Rizal is universally acknowledged as the greatest man of the Malay race. His greatness came from the realm of his spirit, ideals,and universal love and faith in mankind In 1886, Rizal was in Wilhelmsfeld, Germany. He spent five months in the village of Pastor Ullmer. There, he completed his novel, the Noli Me Tangere. Wilhelmsfeld has never forgotten Jose Rizal. The people named the street in front of the parsonage where their "gifted guest"lived, Jose Rizal Street. They hollowed the historic fountain in the plaza where Rizal used to drink and shipped it to the Philippines as a visible reminder of Rizal's stay in that village. Parson Weber laid a large bouquet of flowers in the fountain before it was packed for shipment as remembrance of the "flowers of Heidelberg "which Rizal wrote about in his poem, "A las Flores de Heidelberg".
As a pacifist and reformist, Rizal envisioned his country's political independence with a discriminate analysis and steadfast internationalization He believed that a fatuous government would be an anomaly among righteous peoples, just as a corrupt people cannot exist under just rulers and wise laws. In November 1891, Rizal went to Hongkong . While there, he conceived of establishing a Filipino colony in British North Borneo. He wrote to his Austrian friend, Dr. Blumentritt about his plan.."..If it is impossible for me to give freedom to my country,at least , I can give it to my noble compatriots by bringing them to other lands..."(Just like the ten Malay datus of Borneo and the pilgrims from England) Rizal went to Sandakan and made arrangements with the British officials who agreed to his plan. The Spanish governor general did not give him permission to go to Borneo.He was ordered to go back to Manila. Then, he was arrested, imprisoned and exiled to Dapitan. His dream to emancipate his people perished; but the Chinese adopted his concept. In 1949,Chiang Kai -Shek, leader of koumintang which was founded by Sun Yat Sen , was defeated by the communist armies. He fled to Formosa, taking with him his followers and there, established the Republic of Taiwan.
Rizal is a renowned hero . Unlike Aguinaldo and Marcos, he was not a self-proclaimed fake hero. He ts a world acclaimed true hero. Prior to granting independence to the Filipinos,Civil Gov. Gen. W. H. Taft encouraged the Filipinos to have a national hero in order to have their own identity as a nation. In a discussion in the U.S. Congress, a congressman questioned, "Why is it important that those monkeys must have a national hero?" A pro- Filipino congressman stood up, slammed Rizal's Noli on the table, and pointing at the book, angrily retorted, "Is this the work of a monkey?!" In the subsequent discussion on the merits of the revolutionary heroes: _ Aguinaldo, too militant, Bonifacio, too radical, Mabini, unregenerate ; the final choice_now universally acclaimed as a wise one, _Rizal. And so, was history made...."and now, gentlemen, you must have a national hero."In this fateful words by the Civil Gov, Gen. W.H. Taft, to the Filipino members of the Civil Commission_ Pardo de Tavera, Legarda and Luzuriaga , Rizal was designated as the National Hero in 1901 through the Philippine Commission.
As a national hero, Rizal provided the country a symbol of unity, dignity and integrity. He is the first Filipino thinker who has significant ideas of Philippine political modernization. His political writings and philosophies awakened the conscience of the whole Filipino nation. His ideas in fact,served as the most important principle of political formula of the Filipino nation which is now crystalized in the Philippine Constitution. He served as a well-spring of the national political formula and significantly helped in Philippine nation building.His death united the Filipinos for a militant and dynamic movement and generated explosive energies for the restoration of our motherland.
Note: To the pseudo-historian who said no law declared Rizal as a national
hero, she must dig up the archives of the U.S. Congress and verify the documents signed by the members of the Philippine Commission in 1901.
To those who said, "Nabaril lang sa Luneta, bayani na", They have a vacuum-cleaner like heads that collect all trash, rubbish, dirt and waste from the filthy ground.They badly need to be rescued from mental decay and soul devastating ignorance. I call upon patriotic teachers with sufficient knowledge of Rizal to teach his life works and writings as mandated by the Rizal Law,using textbooks approved
by the Board of National Education, the body solely authorized by law to act on such matter.
References: The Philippine Free Press , Dec. 28, 1946
The Philippine Free Press,June 17, 1967
The Philippine Free Press,June 21,1969
The Philippine Educational Forum June 1964
The Modern Teacher August 1971
The Philippine Journal of Education Dec. 1996
Solidarity Dec. 1969
Jose Rizal_ by Isidoro Panlasigui
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