Dr. Jose Rizal being our national hero is worth remembering not only on his death anniversary but also on the anniversary when he was born. Thus, on June 19, though he is no longer here to celebrate his 150th birth anniversary, it is just right that the country whom he loved so much to die for it will re-live the life of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Genius, the Educator and Patriot that symbolizes the Filipino love of country.
The year 2011 is the nationwide celebration of the 150th birthday of Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines who was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. With the contributions he had given to our country, it is but just right that he be given the rightful accord that he truly deserves.
In the current era as in the past, perhaps we cannot find anymore a Filipino of Jose Rizal’s calibre. By reliving his memory by different sectors, the people especially the youth of today will be able to know him better beyond what is taught at school. Frankly speaking, the lessons about Rizal in our constitutionally mandated Rizal subject in school be it in elementary, high school or college are or were not enough to divulge all of our national heroes empowering traits that makes him the incomparable hero that we have today. It is only through relieving his life and become part of the celebration and having the effort to know him as a person both in his private and public life can we really say that we have at least know him.
There is so much about Dr. Jose Rizal that a Filipino is not aware of. There are still more interesting facts about him that only bonafide historians and even his great grandchildren can share. It is from them that we gathered informations that were otherwise not tackled by our so called history teachers in school. Everything about him is worth knowing, even his flaws in life. It is by knowing him more will we appreciate him as a person because, then, we realize that he is just like you and me in many ways except for his outstanding love of our country. It is his humanity that makes him great, more than his being a hero. One can actually relate to him as a human person.
150 years and still counting. How many years more before we can actually say we already know our national hero well enough? I cannot say for sure.
For example, if it not for his 150th birth anniversary celebration, I wouldn’t know that he wasn’t married to Josephine Bracken at all as claimed by one of his great granddaughter, information that would not have surmised in any other ordinary day. There is lots of other information from historians that we discover, some of which are outrageous and unconventional, some were maybe validated, and some were maybe not.
This is exactly the information that we need especially on the part of the younger generation who cannot relate to him anymore if they only go by the textbooks. Thanks to his 150th birth anniversary celebration, we are able to be watch, read and got information about him in a different angle.
There are many things to learn about him. And yes, this exceptional man whom we look up to as our hero is still very relevant in so many ways after 150 years have passed. In no way will he become irrelevant. He is the epitome of what loving ones country is all about. So long as there are statues of him reminding us of dear history and even when they may have all gone, Dr. Jose Rizal stays in our hearts and minds. His bravery and courage cuts our country above the rest. His writings that got the ire of our arrogant colonizers are true courageous acts that subsequently caused him his life. But even at death, this does not trouble him as marked by his normal blood pressure few hours prior to his execution. Who can forget that? His anecdote that shows his great values as a child became guiding inspiration worth telling from one generation to the next.
Yes, there are still more things we need to learn about Rizal. Whether they’re truth or myths does not make him less of a hero to me and to perhaps to many others.
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