Why did Rizal become the Philippine

National hero?
First of all, we should clarify the meaning of a hero to make it quite simple to understand
how Rizal became a hero. A hero symbolizes goodness. Jose Rizal became the National hero
because he fought for freedom in a silent but powerful way. He expressed his love for the
Philippines through his novels, essays, articles and poems rather than a force of aggression.

He was a very amazing person at his time. He was humble, fighting for reforms through
his writings instead of through a revolution. He used his intelligence, talents and skills in a for
more peaceful way.

Rizal became a National Hero because he passed the criteria during the American period:
1. He must be Filipino.
2. He is already dead.
3. He displayed unconditional love for his country.
4. He advocated peacefully for liberty rather than with violent means.
5. He had died dramatically.

Who Made Rizal Our Foremost National Hero?

BY: ESTEBAN A. DE OCAMPO

Dr. Jose Rizal Mercado y Alonso, or simply Jose Rizal (1861-1896), is the greatest hero &
martyr of our nation. The day of his birth & the day of his execution are fittingly commemorated
by all classes of our people throughout the length & breadth of this country & even by Filipinos &
their friends abroad. His name is a byword in every Filipino home while his picture adorns the
postage stamp & paper money of widest circulation.

As the biographer Rafael Palma said, "The doctrines of Rizal are not for one epoch but for
all epochs. They are as valid today as they were yesterday. This signifies the immortality of Rizal’s
life, works, and genuine character. And as our beloved country’s National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal
will be remembered, forever.

However, there are still some Filipinos who entertain the belief that Rizal is a "made-to-
order" national hero, (one that personifies what we want to see in a person, or in a hero, for this
matter) & that the maker or manufacturer in this case were the Americans, particularly Civil
Governor William Howard Taft.

Jose P. Rizal was sponsored by the Americans during the 1901 Philippine Commission. As
the new colonizers of the Philippine islands, the Americans wanted to have a Filipino who can be
considered as a hero, and a national hero at that. He was among the five choices of heroes ranging
from Marcelo H. Del Pilar to Antonio Luna. The initial winner by a unanimous vote was Marcelo
H. Del Pilar. But with the addition of the fifth criteria for electing the Philippine National Hero,
Jose Rizal was finally chosen due to his dramatic death by firing squad…

And lastly, we repeat the question "Who made Rizal the foremost hero of the Philippines?"

The answer is:

No single person or organization can be held responsible for making Dr. Jose Rizal our
national hero. Rizal himself, his own people, and the foreigners all together contributed to make
him the greatest hero and martyr of his people. This is because; Dr. Jose Rizal didn’t become our
National Hero by way of traditional election. The fruits of his exceptional dedication and
conviction to his life’s purpose are seen in our everyday lives. If he hadn’t, and among other note-
worthy heroes of our history fought for our well-deserved freedom, maybe we’ll still be in the
hands of our unjust captors. His “excellent qualities and merits” made him Our Foremost National
Hero.