RIZAL Day is the last big event for 2016. We honor the national hero, Jose Rizal, who was introduced to us by our teachers since Grade One. He is popular.
In Silay, we have our usual whole day activity to commemorate the deeds of our national hero. We have Rizal Street, the former Rizal Cultural and Civic Center, Barangay Rizal, and we have three Rizal monuments. How much do we know what is behind his popularity?
In all national revolutions, the leader of that particular revolution becomes the principal hero of his people. History tells us that there is Ho Chi Minh for Vietnam, Lenin for the Soviet Union, Bolivar for Latin America, Washington for the Unites States, Sun Yat Seu, then Mao Tse-Tung for China.
In the Philippines, our national hero did not emerge from a revolution. He was against that revolution. He opposed Bonifacio and the “cedula”-tearing members of the Katipunan. For Rizal, that revolution was an impossibility. This is funny because when he was arrested, he was going to Cuba to use his medical skills in the service of Spain.
Jose Rizal has his words for the revolution. “I considered myself fortunate if, at any sacrifice, I could prevent such useless misfortunes.
Reforms to be beneficial, must come from above, and those which come from below are irregularly gained and uncertain.” He does not want fighting.
For him, revolution is a savage act and dishonors the Filipinos. Revolution uses criminal methods and his heart cannot take it and he does not want any participation.
Rizal’s refusal to be a part of the revolutionary forces has placed Filipinos in a dilemma. Those who study Rizal have treated Rizal’s condemnation of the Katipunan as a skeleton in his closet and have been responsible for the “silent treatment” on his unequivocal position against the revolution. If you go deeper into this, you might think that Rizal is a source of embarrassment.
To those who agree with Rizal, they consider his stand on the emphasis on gradualism. He insisted that the priority should be on the primacy of education. He believed that revolution would bring death and disunity. For the new generation, there are two choices: revolution for independence or the reputation of Rizal.
Many thoughts have been derailed here (including mine). If we take Rizal as our national hero, how do we value our Philippine Revolution that paved the way to the making of many heroes who died in the battlefield?
That would even affect our view of Cinco de Noviembre Revolution in Negros considering that our leaders here were the “ilustrados”? If we take Rizal’s view, the general regard for our Revolution is not as high as it should be.
One of my highest grades in college was the subject “Rizal.” I got 98 percent. Rizal was already a revered Filipino because of his qualifications (medicine, farming, literature, martial arts, education, humanities, and women). He became more of that after his martyrdom and his pre-eminence among our heroes was partly the result of American sponsorship.
The sponsorship has two objectives: to encourage a Rizal cult and to minimize the importance of other heroes. Rizal’s life is loaded with drama that made him famous. He is a patriot and a martyr to oppression, obscurantism, and bigotry. His capture was dramatic and his “Last Farewell” is classic. His Bagumbayan Field firing squad drama reminds us of the proposed death penalty.
It was Governor William Howard Taft who in 1901 suggested to the Philippine Commission that the Filipinos be given a national hero. Rizal was chosen as a model hero over other contestants… Aguinaldo too militant, Bonifacio too radical, and Mabini unregenerate (funny, very funny). That paved for the creation of the Province of Rizal (former military district of Morong), erection of Rizal Monument in Luneta, and the celebration of Rizal Day every December 30.
Bravo Americanos! Rizal opposed the Spaniards. He died because the Spaniards wanted him dead. He died before the Americans became the next colonizers. Poor Rizal! He had no knowledge of what the Americans did to his beloved Philippines. Thanks to President Digong for reminding us. (To be continued)