THE RIGHTFUL ONES

Throughout the years, history of the Philippines has greatly shifted to different
scopes because of people having extensive research regarding it. From the topic of who
should be recognized as the first president of the Philippines to who should be
considered as the national hero, these controversial topics have made different
speculations to many Filipinos. With it, I believe that Andres Bonifacio should be
recognized as the First President of the Philippines and still, Jose Rizal as the National
Hero.
It is right and just to acknowledge Andres Bonifacio as the First President of the
Philippines because he’s not the only who founded a revolutionary movement, but he
founded the revolutionary government of the Philippines which made a great turnout to
all Filipinos up until today. Numerous letters and appointment papers, collected by
Epifanio de los Santos, have proved that long before it has Bonifacio’s signature and
title in it indicating as the President of the Philippines. Being the one who has the goal to
unite the country and win its independence against the Spaniards deserves to be
acknowledged as the First President of the Philippines.
As for the National Hero, Jose Rizal should still be considered for it because he
fought for freedom in the most silent yet in a very powerful way. Only with his works and
remarkable attitude on gaining freedom, it became influential to all Filipinos to fight back
and resist. He proved that no blood should be shed in order to claim freedom from the
Spaniards and dedicated his whole life for the freedom of Filipinos without hesitation.
On balance, Bonifacio and Rizal should hold the titles that they truly deserve
because of all the sacrifices they made for the Filipinos. Yes, a hard-to-swallow pill of
truth, yet for me, they are the rightful ones.