RIZAL: WHAT MADE HIM A HERO?

"What matters death if one dies for what one loves, for native land and cherished ones?" A hero may be easy to spell but it is never easy to become. Heroes are people who have gained enormous identity among others. They are role models, well-respected, nationalistic and have contributed to society causing national unity resulting to something really big like freedom. Between the different faces of heroes we know who stands out among the rest? Is it Rizal or is Bonifacio of better identity? Would it be Aguinaldo or Mabini? If there is a need to place someone as national hero then who should we pick between those huge names?

It is always said in many cultures that the pen is mightier than the sword, the blood of academic scholars are better than that blood of warriors, wars are not won in the battlefield, it’s pure politics.

The name Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio are some of the well-known personalities that have been mentioned in the annals of Philippine history. The exemplary deeds that they had done for our country; in order to achieve freedom from the hands of the Spanish colonizers is worth to be remembered specially by the present generation. Indeed, their heroism is well done.

Apparently, there are some students, faculty, leftist, writers, critics and even we perhaps questioned the credibility of Rizal when he got the title of being our “Philippine National Hero” why not Bonifacio which results to the existence of pro-Bonifacio and anti-Rizal or pro-Rizal and anti-Bonifacio. The comparison of these two personalities and made endless debate of who should be our national hero is much discussed in the environment of academe.
Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio opted for different courses of action. Rizal fought against the friars with the use of his pen. Bonifacio advocated for revolution. According to author Renato