Who chose Rizal to be our country’s national hero?
It was not us, the Filipino people, who were first to choose him to be our National
Hero. But our colonizers, the Americans during their time in our country, specifically
American Governor William Howard Taft.
Governor Taft recommended Rizal to the Philippine Commission to declare a
national hero for the Filipinos. Rizal did not want a bloody revolution during his time.
So, they wanted him to be a great example to the Filipinos so that the people will not
revolt against them.
Why Jose Rizal is the National Hero?
Jose Rizal became our national hero. After all, he fought for our freedom from
colonizers in a silent but powerful way because he did not want our country
controlled by another country. He was open-minded, intelligent, and hardworking.
He expressed his love for our country through his novels, essays, and articles rather
than arms or aggression. Through his writings, he exposed the corruption and
wrongdoings of government officials, especially the Spanish friars.