Marcos honors Rizal’s vision of nationhood

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. honors our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal on Saturday, December 30, 2023. (Photo from the Presidential Communications Office)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday urged Filipinos to emulate Jose Rizal’s genuine love for the country “as we fully realize the Philippines that he and his contemporaries fought hard for.”

In his Rizal Day message, the president said Filipinos should “keep emulating the timeless values we can learn from his life and works.”

“More than a century after his demise and heroism, his influence continues to be felt in a world that is still afflicted by greed, oppression, and injustice in various forms,” Marcos said.

Rizal’s martyrdom, he pointed out consolidated the independence movement, which “gave rise to the birth of our nation.”

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He then urged Filipinos to let the genuine love for the country that Rizal lived out and later died for “propel us to have a deep and personal sense of ownership for our land and our future.”

On Saturday morning, the president, together with first lady Liza Araneta Marcos and their three sons, led the commemoration of the 127th anniversary of the martyrdom of Rizal at Rizal Park, where the country’s acknowledged national hero is entombed.

Vice President Sara Duterte also released a statement honoring Rizal, lauding the 19th-century hero’s “relentless pursuit” of education and enlightenment that shaped his role in Philippine history.

“Let us honor his memory by nurturing our own hunger for knowledge and becoming the leaders who will carry our nation forward,” said Duterte, the concurrent education secretary.

‘Live by Rizal’s ideals’

Duterte, whose father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, initiated the brutal drug war that led to thousands of deaths condemned locally and abroad, pointed out Rizal’s commitment to justice, which she said “resonate(s) deeply with us.”

“It reminds us that our duty is to uphold these values and work tirelessly for the rights and dignity of those who are marginalized and underrepresented,” she said.

In his own Rizal Day message, Speaker Martin Romualdez said Filipinos should “embrace” the spirit of Rizal in their everyday lives by emulating his courage and wisdom in building a country that fulfills the national hero’s dreams and aspirations.

He said Rizal was not just a historical figure and hero, but a “visionary whose deep insights and steadfast dedication to freedom laid the cornerstone of our national identity.”

The Speaker urged the public to “renew” the commitment to the values that Rizal stood for: “patriotism, bravery, and an unwavering love for the Filipino people.”

“He was a symbol of hope and the epitome of what it means to love one’s country. His bravery in opposing colonial tyranny and his profound affection for the Philippines remain as vital inspirations to us all,” Romualdez said.

He also stressed the need to “live by Rizal’s ideals” especially “in an era where our sovereignty and national identity face new challenges.”