Adriane B.

Tobias September 22, 2013

PI 10 F-6R Reaction Paper #2
J.P Rizal, the Univocal National Hero
Venerating Jose Rizal for a reason
Veneration with Understanding by Armand J. Malay is an eye opener. It revealed me
the truth about revering Jose Rizal. It also helped me realize the faux information on Prof.
Constantinos Veneration without Understanding. It almost duped me. I was about to believe
on what he had written on his thesis. After I read his work, I started to question Rizals title as
the national hero. The argument that Prof. Constantino had presented was quite convincing and
so I agreed with him. But later on I realized that Rizal really deserves to be venerated since he
had done great things which are very crucial in the Philippine history. Jose Rizals achievements
and noble qualities are the reason why people admire him and consider him as a model. I
venerate Rizal not because he is the said national hero but because he is an undisputable national
hero. Rizals precious works on literacy and Rizal himself are still alive in most hearts of the
Filipino people until today. He showed the genuine heroism. He is incomparable to any other
Filipino heroes and that makes him on top.
Prof. Constantinos senseless criteria of a national hero
Prof. Constantino is one of the detractors of Jose Rizal. He is a duper and a dupe also and
I was close in letting myself to get duped by him. Jose Rizal is definitely not the ideal hero of
Prof. Constantino. Prof. Constantino made a criteria of his own hero. He set up a criterion of
revolutionary leadership as the one that would govern the choice of a national hero. Jose Rizal
did not lead or join the revolution and so Prof. Constantino do not classify Rizal as the national
hero. Moreover, Constantino complained that Rizals becoming the national hero was because of
American sponsorship, and that Rizals patriotic works reflected his ilustrado background. He
also questioned Rizal as national hero because Rizal is a propagandist who chose Spain as his
struggle of arena instead of staying in his country doing such reforms. Rizals pedestal as the
national hero of the Philippines is indeed unquestionable. It is the criteria set by Prof.
Constantino which are doubtful. It was based only on his ignorant opinion. This was justified by
Sir Armando Malay.
Continued veneration of Rizal is not only deserved but understood
It is fact that Jose Rizal did not lead or join the revolution but obviously he was the
reason in the beginning of the revolution. Rizals works on literacy awaken the hearts of the
Filipinos and from that they united to undergone revolution. I agreed to Mr. Malay that Totality
of achievements is a better criterion, and by this criterion, Rizal stands head and shoulders above
all. Mr. Malay has a great argument which contradicts Prof. Constantinos opinion. It was
explained well and I could not disagree from him. He reacted on Prof. Constantinos complain
about Rizals being national hero is an American sponsorship. Mr. Malay opposed it in a factual
way. He said that Jose Rizal was already honored by the Philippine revolutionary government
which is before the arrival of the Americans. All the complains of Prof. Constantino was
explained well in the article.
After reading the Veneration with Understanding, I got a stronger stand in venerating
Jose Rizal. This article has helped me clear the questions regarding Rizal as the national hero.
Starting now, I will not allow myself to be duped by the detractors.