Chapter 1: Rizal the Filipino Hero

2. The first point that should be stressed in discussing the topic on Rizal as
the National Hero of the Philippines is the issue of who selected him,
either the Americans or Filipinos. The Philippine Revolutionary
Government headed by Emilio Aguinaldo in Malolos, Bulacan was the
first to celebrate the death anniversary of Dr. Jose rizal on December 30,
1898. This day was marked as the day for national mourning and solemn
observance of the death anniversary of the Filipino national hero. The
following excerpts are presented to stress the point that the Americans
declared him as the Philippine national hero: Filipino Account An officer
of the revolutionary government named Antonio Guevarra, who has sent
to Lucban, Quezon in 1899, to accomplish a mission for the government,
wrote the following observations: The town was in mourning with a flag
at half most at each house. I learned later that it was in commemoration
of the annoversary of the tragic killing of the eminent Doctor Jose Rizal
at the hands of the spaniards in the execution ground of Bagumbayan
(now luneta) American Account In another account by Mrs.
DaunceyCompbell, an American another who visited the Philippines in
December 31, 1904, she noted her observations while she was in iloilo: she
stated how the people in this place celebrated the death anniversary of
Rizal. I think you may be amused to hear about a Filipino Fiesta, which
look place yesterday, called Rizal Day- the anniversary of the death of the
national hero, a Filipino by the name of Doctor Rizal.

3. KATHERINE MAYO
an American Journalist who visited the Philippines in the 1920’s and
wrote a book about the country. She noted an observation in her article
on the crisis of 1923 in Surigao, which was called SurigaoColorum
uprising.

4. General William Howard Taft
The American Governor headed a commission named after him, The “Taft
Commission”, chose Rizal as the national hero of the country after the
consultation with the Filipinos.
Act number 137, enacted by the Philippines Commission on June 11, 1900. This
organized a politico-military district and named it as the Province of Rizal in
honor of the most illustrious Filipino hero.
Act number 2432, enacted by the Philippines Commission in September 28, 1901,
which authorized the subscription from Europe and the erection of a monument
in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal at Luneta.
Act number 345, enacted by the Philippines Commission in February 1, 1902, this
act places every December 30th of the year as the year as the observations of the
death anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal.

5. RIZAL LAW
The Republic Act 1425, known as the Rizal Law which has enacted
in 1956, requires teaching of the life, works, and writings of Dr.
Jose Rizal in all educational institutions in the Philippines. The
sponsor of the Law was the late Senator Claro M. Recto, who firmly
believed that every country has lots of heroes.
The Taft Commission
The national hero was chosen during the American regime through
a committee. They believed the Philippines must have a distinct
hero which will be a model to the Filipinos in almost all aspects of
life. The Taft commission was given the responsibility to do the
job.

6. Criteria:
•He must be a Filipino
•He is already dead
•He has immeasurable love for the country
•He has low temper and Since the Filipinos are emotional
•He died in a dramatic manner
Candidates:
•Graciano Lopez Jaena,
•Marcelo H. del Pilar,
•Jose Rizal
•Emilio Jacinto
•Antonio Luna

7.  William Morgan Shuster Bernard Moses
 Dean Warcester Henry Clay

8.  Jose Luzuriaga Gregorio Araneta
Trinidad Pardo de Tavera

9. All of the candidates answered the three first criteria. Emilio
Jacinto and Antonio Luna did not fit the fourth criteria which is ,
has low temper since they used arms in their fight .. Graciano
Lopez Jaena and Macelo H. Del Pilar answered the fourth critirium
but failed on the fifth since they both died of the tuberculosis .
Jose Rizal answered all the criteria since he died through a firing
squad at Bagumbayan .
EMILIO JACINTO ANTONIO LUNA MARCELO DEL PILAR

10. Aside from the criteria used in choosing the national hero for the country ,
known and prominent people of the Philippines and through out the world also
chose Jose Rizal the National Hero of the Philippines . Rizal is the greatest
Filipino Hero because he is a man of honored . Even after death he received
public worship , because of his exceptional service to mankind . We can say
that even before his execution, Rizal was already acclaimed by both Filipinos
and Foreigners as the foremost leader of his people. In Epistolario Rizalino
Tomo Segundo, Fernando Acevedo wrote a letter to Rizal from Zaragoza , Spain
, on October 25,1889 ; “ I see in you the model Filipino ; your application to
study and your talents have placed on a height which I revere and admire “ On
Dec 29 , 1897 year after Rizal’s execution, General Emilio Aguinaldo and the
other revolutionary chiefs exiled in Hong Kong held a Commemorative
program on the occasion of the first anniversary of the Hero’s execution and
martyrdom . On Dec. 20 1898 at the revolutionary capital at Malolos, Pres.
Aguinaldo issued the first proclamation making December 30 , of that year as “
Rizal Day “ . It should further be noted that both the La Independencia , edited
by Gen. Antonio Luna , and El Heraldo de la Revolution , official organ of the
Revolutionary Government , issued a special supplement in honor of Rizal in
one of their December issues in 1898 . Andres Bonifacio was present on the
founding of the La Liga Filipina which died shortly when Rizal was exiled to
Dapitan . It was believed that he continued La Liga Filipina by founding
Katipunan .

12. Emilio Aguinaldo

13.  In 1956 the third Congress of the Philippines
passed Republic Act No. 1425, an act to
include the curricula of all public and
private school’s, college and universities to
have courses on the life , works and writings
of Rizal particularly his two immortal
novels, Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, authorizing further the
printing and distribution of such other
material for use in the proper
implementation of the law .