Jose Rizal, our national hero, was one of the Filipinos who asked for reforms.

These reforms will grant the ultimate dream of the reformists; assimilation. Filipinos will be given the rights that they deserve. Rizal choose to seek for reforms than to start a revolution because he knew that Philippines was not yet ready to stand on its own during his time!. Rizal used his liberal ideas in asking for reforms. Rizal "oined the #irculo $ispano Filipino when he was still in %urope. This organization did not achieve its goal because the members have different interests. &oli 'e Tangere and %l Filibusterismo served as Rizal(s means for asking reforms. $e used these novels to portray what was happening in the Philippines during the )panish #olonization. $is goal was to awaken the Filipinos and the )paniards )pain! with what is happening in the Philippines and he thought that through these novels the Filipinos and the )paniards would believed that assimilation is the "ust action for the Filipinos. The Filipinos who were studying in %urope during those times use this movement to ask for reforms to the )panish *overnment. They organized the Propaganda 'ovement to serve as a way of getting those reforms. +ose Rizal was an outstanding Propagandist of the Propaganda 'ovement. Rizal did not support the revolution for he believed that this will not make the Philippines a better country. The Philippine Revolution freed the Filipinos from the hands of the )paniards. ,lthough Rizal did not actually support it he had contributed much to this revolution. $is works and writings were the corner stone of the revolution and he was indeed an inspiration for the -atipuneros during those times. Rizal(s life was devoted to his country Philippines!. $is works and writings were evidence for his noble act as a reformist.

Jose Rizal was a man of incredible intellectual power, with amazing artistic talent as well. $e e.celled at anything that he put his mind to / medicine, poetry, sketching, architecture, sociology... the list seems nearly endless. Thus, Rizal0s martyrdom by the )panish colonial authorities while he was still 1uite young was a huge loss to the Philippines, and to the world at large. Today, the people of the Philippines honor him as their national hero. Early Life: 2n +une 34, 3563, Francisco Rizal 'ercado and Teodora ,lonzo y 7uintos welcomed their seventh child into the world at #alamba, 8aguna. They named the boy +ose Protasio Rizal 'ercado y ,lonso Realonda. The 'ercado family were wealthy farmers who rented land from the 9ominican religious order. 9escendants of a #hinese immigrant named 9omingo 8am/co, they changed their name to 'ercado :market:! under the pressure of anti/#hinese feeling amongst the )panish colonizers. From an early age, +ose Rizal 'ercado showed a precocious intellect. $e learned the alphabet from his mother at ;, and could read and write at age <. Program of Reforms: =oth in his novels and in newspaper editorials, +ose Rizal called for a number of reforms of the )panish colonial system in the Philippines. $e advocated freedom of speech and assembly, e1ual rights before the law for Filipinos, and Filipino priests in place of the often/corrupt )panish churchmen. >n addition, Rizal called for the Philippines to become a province within )pain, with representation in the )panish legislature the #ortes *enerales!. Rizal never called for independence for the Philippines. &onetheless, the colonial government considered him a dangerous radical, and declared him an enemy of the state.