Dr. Jose Rizal is named the Philippines’ national hero.

By creating 2 of his greatest master pieces

in the form of novels, the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, Rizal was able to awaken the Filipinos

to fight back against the Spanish oppressors. “I die without seeing dawn's light shining on my country...

You, who will see it, welcome it for me...don't forget those who fell during the nighttime.” This is one of

Dr. Jose Rizal’s quotes in his novel, Noli me Tangere. He proclaims that he did not see the dawn of light

shining on his country, and that he is leaving it to the next generation to see that daylight he talks of and

remember those who fell during the nighttime. In other words, for Rizal, the Spanish rule was like a

nighttime, it was a dark time wherein many were abused. Rizal’s idea of daylight in this quote is a free

Philippines. Today, we live in a free Philippines were Filipinos can rule for their own country. There were

many other untold heroes who fought for this freedom, and Rizal asks to remember those people, who

fell during the nighttime. Another quote from Rizal from his writing is: “Walang mang-aalipin kung

walang paaalipin”. This is in fact true in my own opinion, because those who are willing to give up their

freedom does not deserve it. I think this mentality existed in the minds of our heroes in the past,

especially those who fought in the revolution using deadly methods. Rizal used to think that the Filipinos

are able to rule and govern the country themselves. This idea is own of his focal points on some articles

he did when he was still a member of the La Solidaridad. A group of capable and intelligent Filipinos

once wrote about the Filipinos’ abilities in effort to make the Spanish understand that the Filipinos can

be given a greater amount of freedom and less restrictions. Another quote from Jose Rizal coming from

Noli Me Tangere is: “It is not the criminals who arouse the hatred of others, but the men who are

honest.” As we examine our lives now, there are lesser and lesser brave hearted people who will expose

the truth. Today, there are a lot of people that will give up the truth in exchange for money or

something they want. In my own opinion, if the truth carries the nation’s fate, one should not put his

own desires before it. As one of Rizal’s famous quotes go, “Ang kabataan ay ang pag-asa ng bayan”. It is

up to the youth today, the next generations, to help keep this peace and freedom going, there are many
disturbances that are trying to keep this peace and freedom away from us again, a prime example is

China’s invasive actions in the West Philippine sea, which the Duterte administration ignores and

tolerates. Actions like these should not be ignored especially by the youth. As Rizal also stated “The

example could encourage others who only fear to start.” We should start by assessing ourselves, and

know what we can do for our country. Rizal’s death was not a failure, but it was a victory that led to

Philippine independence.
Quote references:

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/407434-noli-me-t-ngere