Umali, Sofia Marie E.

BSHM IV

Activity 2

Different Perspective about Rizal

The major argument of the article Veneration "without" Understanding by Renato Constantino is

about “It is relevant to have a National Hero?” instead of having Rizal as our National Hero

because there are also heroes in our history that faced difficulties during their times like

Apolinario Mabini, Andres Bonifacio, Gabriela Silang and many more. Each one has a vital role

in our history, and these heroes did everything they could for the development of our country.

They did whatever they felt would be beneficial to all people at the time, and they were

successful in their own right. When no one else could, they did it with bravery. If that's the case,

what difference does it really make if we only award the greatest honor to one individual when

thousands of people cooperated to create the idea of a nation?

From Rizal's revolutionary ideals, racial ambitions, concept of liberty, and struggle for Filipino

independence, the article offers some in examination of how we may learn from Rizal's limits

and apply them to our own growth. Aside from that, Constantino encourages his readers to also

be critically of our history and the people who contributed to it. Rizal is the symbol of the duty

that we, the younger generations, have to continue what he, Bonifacio, and the heroes before

them began. They gave their lives for the sake of our country and future generations. They've
shaped us in every manner possible. The future now rests entirely in our hands, and how

effectively we utilize both their advantages and flaws.

When we immediately think of “WHO IS RIZAL?” or just ask random people in the street, we

instantly thought of the guy who gave his life to set us free, the extraordinary human being, the

Filipino Christ, or the best of all time, whom most of us want to be. This is society's deformed

mindset, which is the outcome of false beliefs taught in secondary and even university education

in the Philippines. Rizal, on the other hand, is more than what we currently know about him. We

forget that Rizal was a human being just like us. He committed errors and has imperfections of

his own. Some think that Constantino was looking to create attention to Bonifacio. However, I

do not believe he was. He was just attempting to demonstrate how limited our understanding of

Rizal is, and how this ignorance might be applied to current issues such as rejecting colonialism,

attaining nationalism, and striving for freedom. To put it lightly, Constantino was just stating that

society needs change with time and that we do not have to rely solely on Rizal's national

aspirations. We should learn from the mistakes of great heroes in history, just as we admired

their accomplishments.

According to Veneration with Understanding by Armando Malay, The primary complaint of

Rizal's critics is that because he did not lead the 1896 Revolution . In fact, he rejected and

disowned it, he could not be considered a true national hero of the Philippines. But despite the

fact of calling Rizal as a false hero, If the Filipino people continue to admire him, it's pointless to

try to remove him from his image as a national hero. Malay stated that the country’s adoration

and respect to Rizal also people around the world is not only deserve, but also understandable.
Renato Constantino’s belief, Rizal’s becoming the national hero was the result of American

sponsorship. Being a National Hero is always been revolutionary hero and Rizal did not lead the

1896 Revolution that is why the chances of becoming a national hero are little to none. Armando

Malay did not agree from Constantino’s statement, Constantino could only name seven

revolutionary heroes who, in his perspective, had become national heroes out of 125 nations [on

the United Nations roster]. Clearly, seven people out of a total of 125 constitute a very small

minority.

As a student of this modern generation, I would agree to Armando Malay’s statement of

becoming a hero, “A man will become a hero, or a national hero, not just because he leads a

revolution, but because his accomplishments and good characteristics are respected, and he is

held up as a model or ideal.”. In this generation, Everyone can call as a hero, not just because

you’ve risk your life, it is a matter of helping people. Like Malay’s example, A scientist who

discovered many vaccines that can cure or prevent sickness. And right now we are in the middle

of pandemic, many people became hero, A nurse and doctor that helps all the infected people,

An employer who choose not to fire his/her employees, And also many ordinary people

conducting a community panty for those less fortunate. One thing I know about, It doesn’t matter

if you brutally fight for something you can be a hero, As long as you help in many terms brutally

or at peace, huge or small, You are a Hero.