PART 1 REVIEWER FOR RIZAL (WEEK 1-3 PRELIMS)
Property of: Raymond Raph E. Cayabyab, AB International Studies
OTLEY BEYER’S CRITERIA IN CHOOSING THE
NATIONAL HERO
1. Must be a Filipino
2. Must have sense of great love for the
country
3. Must have pacified emotions (no anti-
americans remarks)
4. Must be dead
CANDIDATES FOR NATIONAL HERO
1. Jose Rizal
2. Emilio Jacinto
3. Antonio Luna
4. Lopez Jaena
Personal Note/Understanding of the Lesson:
- Henry Otley Beyer believes that Filipinos
descended from different groups that came
from Southeast Asia in successive waves of
migration. Each group had a distinct culture,
with its own customs and traditions.
*this was from the discussion of civilization
theories in contemp asia subject.
- The criteria was manipulative. The americans
wanted Rizal to be the national hero because
of the following points: (a) he’s already dead
meaning he cannot longer destroy other
criterion. (b) Rizal is not revolutionary in such
sense that he does not resort to bloody means
and if he will be the national hero, Filipinos
will not go into a revolution against the
Americans because it is contradiction to the
ideals of their national hero. (c) His death was
dramatic. For the americans, Aguinaldo too
militant, Bonifacio too radical, Mabini
unregenerate.
- Rizal wanted to be executed facing the firing
squad and the filipinos becase for him, he
doesn’t have anything to be ashamed of but
the Spaniards did not allow it.
ISSUES OF RIZAL BEING A HERO (IN
CONNECTION WITH VENERATION WITHOUT
UNDERSTANDING OF RENATO CONSTANTINO)
1. AMERICAN SPONSORED HERO
It was Governor William Howard Taft wh in 1901
suggested to the Philippine Commission that the
Filipinos be given a national hero. In the
subsequent discussion in which the rival merits of
the revolutionary heroes we considered, the final
choice - now universally acclaimed a wise one -
was Rizal.
2. RIZAL REPUDIATED THE REVOLUTION
His hesitation of Rizal against the revolution was
supported by Dr. Pio Valenzuela’s 1896 account
of the revolution after he was sent by Andres
Bonifacio to Dapitan to seek Rizal’s opinion and
approval in launching an armed rebellion against
the Spanish administration. In September 1896,
Valenzuela before a military court testified that
Rizal was resolutely opposed to the idea of a
premature armed rebellion and used bad
language about it, the same statement was
extracted from him in October 1896, only that he
overturned that it was Bonifacio, not Rizal, who
made use of foul words
However, Valenzuela after two decades reversed
his story by saying that Rizal was not actually
against the revolution but advised the
Katipuneros to wait for the right timing, secure
the needed weapons and get the support of the
rich and scholarly class. Valenzuela recounted
that his 1896 statements were embellished due
to duress and torture and it was made to appear
that in his desire “not to implicate” or “save”
Rizal, testified that the latter was opposed to the
rebellion. This turn of events put historians into a
great confusion, making Rizal’s stand over the
Philippine Revolution, controversial and
debatable, making him both hero and anti-hero.
 PART 1 REVIEWER FOR RIZAL (WEEK 1-3 PRELIMS)
Property of: Raymond Raph E. Cayabyab, AB International Studies
3. NOT A REVOLUTIONARY HERO
Rizal was just being used as a picture of the
revolution because of his works, that inspired
Bonifacio to build the revolution. Rizal is branded
a mere “reformist” and he didn’t want a full-
blown war, but he just wants to reform to Spain
and wants a change.
He was known for his meekness and coolness, but
he never fought on a war. Most of the world
Heroes was elevated as such because of their war
exploits. Rizal never did it. He was using his pen
for criticism about the handling of the Spanish
government in the Philippines. He fought to have
the Philippines a permanent representation in the
Spanish Cortes. That's why when the US accepted
the Philippines as a vassal country, Gen. Taft who
was the Governor general here, appointed Jose
Rizal as the National Hero for the Philippines, to
douse the fighting fervor of the Filipinos who are
fighting for freedom at that time.
4. ECONOMIC STATUS OR RIZAL’S LIMITATION
Rizal comes from a wealthy family and has a
proper Education which makes his Mindset are
unlike to the Indios or the common filipinos. With
these facts, how can he relate to the situations of
the filipinos?
5. RIZAL’S CONCEPT OF NATIONHOOD
He knew the Spaniards made us feel inferior
because we were passive, afraid for our lives,
lacked assertiveness and placed a high premium
on silence and soft-speaking. He tried to bolster
our ego by giving us an identity -- by teaching us
about our tradition and our history. In his studies
he discovered that before the Spaniards came we
had technology, trade, businesses, arts and we
were inventors. We knew how to govern
ourselves. Rizal knew all about our inherent,
latent and inherited talents. Knowing that
intelligence does not equate with color, he
concluded that opportunity is what we lack.
Personal Note/Understanding of the Lesson:
- hesitation of Rizal against the revolution was
supported by Dr. Pio Valenzuela’s 1896
account of the revolution after he was sent by
Andres Bonifacio to Dapitan to seek Rizal’s
opinion and approval in launching an armed
rebellion against the Spanish administration.
- Rizal's writings are replete with suggestions
for our future that not only reflect the acuity
of his mind, but also summon our attention.
He left us his precious wisdom as tools to help
us toward a successful future.
- Renato Constantino is a filipino historian
known for being part of the leftist tradition of
Philippine historiography.
- Constantino, did not disrobe Rizal the merit he
deserves, what he did was a critical evaluation
of Rizal as a product of his time. He pointed
out that even without Rizal, the nationalistic
movement would still advance with another
figure to take his place because it was not Rizal
who shaped the turn of events but otherwise.
Historical forces untied by social
developments impelled and motivated Rizal
to rose up and articulate the people’s
sentiments through his writings. In fact, the
revolution ensued even Rizal disagreed with
it. Finally, Constantino argued that to better
understand the hero, we should also take note
of his weaknesses and learn from them.
- Renato Constantino isn’t convince that Jose
Rizal should be named our National Hero