Lozano, Alona

Rizal as an American-Sponsored Hero

It is an undeniable fact that Rizal has the qualities of greatness in him. History itself
cannot negate his patriotism. Rizal was indeed a martyr to oppression, obscurantism,
and bigotry. Nevertheless, his formal nomination as the national hero of the country was
favored by the Americans. In addition, his superiority among other Philippine herpes
was the result of an American-sponsorship. This was presented in two (2) forms: the
encouragement of a Rizal cult, and the act of vilifying other heroes.
In the year 1901, Governor William Howard Taft released a statement suggesting that
the Philippine Commission must give the Filipinos a national hero. During the Free
Press held on December 26, 1946, William said that, ‘In the subsequent discussion in
which the rival merits of the revolutionary heroes were considered, the final choice –
now universally acclaimed as a wise one – was Rizal’.
Moreover, Theodore Friend, in his book, “Between Two Empires”, stated that William
Taft, among with other American colonial officials, favored Rizal as a model hero over
other contestants which were Aguinaldo, Bonifacio, and Mabini. The Philippine
Commission implemented the decision to sponsor Rizal with the passage of the
following acts: (1) Act No. 137 wherein it classified the politico-military district of Morong
and referred to it as the province of Rizal, (2) Act No. 242 sanctioned a public
subscription for the construction of a monument in honor or Rizal at the Luneta, and (3)
Act No. 346 wherein it set aside the anniversary of his death as the day of observance.
An example of an early American aid was tackled in a book written by Governor W.
Cameron Forbes, “The Philippine Islands. It discussed the reason for which the
American administration favored Rizal and provided assistance in his recognition as the
national hero of the Philippine people. This becomes clear in the appraisal of Forbes:
Rizal had never been involved in advocation independence, nor did her advocate armed
resistance to the government. He prompted reform by publicity, public education, and
appealed to the conscience of the public. The American attitude towards Rizal is
influenced by their perspective of a public image. They had favored a hero who would
not oppose to the grain of American colonial policy wherein those heroes that
advocated for independence were not taken into consideration, thus the designation of
Rizal as the national hero.