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On Issue of Greatness


Dr. Jose P. Rizal should always and forever be revered as the Philippines foremost hero.
This conviction is not to jeopardize Andres Bonifacio or any other heroes who, in their own way, nobly contributed their intelligence, talent, resources, energy, time and own self in the service of the fatherland. They are all great but Rizal arises from among them with distinction.
Some people contend that Andres Bonifacio should be the Philippines’ national hero instead of Rizal. They say that Rizal is an American sponsored hero and were chosen mainly because of his peaceful advocacy for reform. They argue that because of this, Rizal would serve the interest of the Americans who want the Philippines to remain their colony. To subscribe to Bonifacio as national hero would be detrimental to the Americans for Bonifacio fought for freedom against Spain by arm struggle and that they fear that the Filipinos would follow the same course against them.
These claims are half-truth and were maliciously spun to serve the cause of the left-wing movements who advocate revolutionary (bloody) means of toppling down the government.
The truth of the matter is, even before the Americans formally recognized Jose Rizal as a hero, the Filipinos of his time already pronounced his distinct and heroic role as the precursor of the Philippines’ fight for independence. Andres Bonifacio extolled his name as the password of the highest grade members of Katipunan. Bonifacio also elected Rizal as the honorary chairman of the KKK (Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan) and ordered that his picture be hung in the meeting hall of the Katipunan’s Supreme Council as well as in other Katipunan headquarters. Thus, the Katipuneros were made aware that Rizal was behind the Katipunan and their planned revolution against the Spanish colonial government.