Rizal: A True Hero

De Ocampo, Sheena Mae M. Dr. Martin

I-12

Heroes come in different forms. A man or a woman can be called a ‘hero.’ But what is a hero then? By definition, a hero is a person who is admired for bravery, outstanding achievements, or noble character. They said heroes are just ordinary people living everywhere, and which I agree at. But true heroism is not just an ordinary concept. It is a virtue --a virtue which is lived by. Meaning to say, everyone can be a hero but it takes a true hero to step up and take the action. In contrary to what usual people revered as heroes, the real ones don’t really wear a cape, fly to and fro, jump on buildings or possess supernatural powers. They are not simply what we see on the televisions

Because of that I did not even questioned myself why is he our national hero. After I watched the film, my impression about him changed. I learned that he was not a ‘perfect’ hero, there were snide remarks about him involving in different controversies. One of them was a letter that express his retraction. There is no certainty that this retraction was genuine or not. There were arguments that rose regarding his resistance to the Catholic church. Rizal allegedly fought against the church because it roots the suffering of Filipinos and also because of political reasons. Others, argue on Rizal’s true motives and reasons why he opposed to Spanish regime. Did Rizal fought the Spaniards because he wanted us to achieve freedom? Or he fought them just because he wanted to rule over

Similar to Jose Rizal, he faced off against President Marcos. Known for his fortitude, sheer patriotism and benevolence, he took risks being in opposition of the president which later cost his life due to assassination. He influenced a lot of Filipinos to fight for their rights and revolutionize through a peaceful yet effective way. Another are the OFWs being called the “modern-day heroes.” Leaving the country and their family is the biggest sacrifice they would ever make but it means giving them a better future. However, NOT ALL of them are ‘heroes’ for me. OFWs work not thinking about the country but only their own families. Heroes don’t just sacrifice for their personal or family reasons. They take risks for the common good of