Jose Rizal can serve as a reasonable model and motivation for each Filipino. On the off chance that one is searching for somebody to impersonate, Rizal is an entirely practical decision. He showed adaptability while continuing a solid feeling of ethical uprightness. What's more, asa Filipino, he esteemed patriotism, enthusiasm, and dignity.

 

Bayani vs. Hero

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines ‘hero’ as “a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability; an illustration warrior; a person admired for achievements and noble qualities; one who shows great courage.”
The Filipino counterpart Bayani has a similar meaning but with some contextual distinctions.

Vicassan’s dictionary (1978), gives the following:
hero, patriot (“taong makabayan”), cooperative endeavor, mutual aid, a person who volunteers or offers free service or labor to a cooperative endeavor, to prevail, to be victorious, to prevail (“mamayani”), a leading man in a play (often referred to as the “bida”—from the Spanish word for life, “vida”—who is contrasted with the villain or “kontrabida” from the Spanish “contra vida,” against life). These words help us better understand the word for the lifesaver, the inflatable rubber tube, or “salbabida” from the Spanish “Salva Vida” to save a life.

UP Diksyunaryong Filipino (2001) gives three meanings for 'bayani':

a person of extraordinary courage and ability;

a person considered to possess extraordinary talents or someone who did something noble (“dakila”);

a leading man in a play (Ocampo,2016) The reference adds that heroes (mga bayani) in the context of mythology refer to those who had the qualities of the gods, extraordinary strengths, bravery, and ability.

Ambeth Ocampo - history professor, sees it significant that bayani comes to a few words under bayan, which is also defined as the space between here and the sky.

Nolasco (1997), further emphasized in his essay, PinagmulanngSalitangBayani: The term bayani had an Austronesian origin and was brought to our country. This term refers to warriors who led in defending their communities against invaders andany form of danger. Derivatives include bajani, majani, bagani, bahani.

The Changing Forms and Definitions of Bayani and Kababayan
When tied down on the definitions given by ancient dictionaries, Mga bayani may truly (and significantly) allude to those who contributed to the birth of a country.

Modern-day bayani- refers to someone who contributes to a nation in a global world.
One case in point is our Abroad Filipino Worker's (OFWs) – Filipino, who are working in outside countries.

OFWs are frequently alluded to as mga "BagongBayani."

Working overseas may be a way of taking dangers (pakikipagsapalaran) for them as it entails sacrifice and likely dangers, such as loneliness, anxieties, trauma, fatigue, culture shock, and even exploitation.

OFWs also play a vital role in the progress of the Philippines' economic condition.

By transmitting their cash back to the nation, they help the administration pull up the nation's monetary status with the general dollar hold.

The cash they send gives the truly necessary hard money, sparing the nation from defaulting on an outside obligation commitment.

OFWs also help stabilize the Philippine peso concerning the peso-dollar exchange and contribute to the country's GNP growth. OFW is, thus, called "Bagong Bayani" (Modern-day Heroes),and the Philippines celebrates December as the month of Overseas Filipino Workers. It only goes to show that our concept of kabayanihan and bayani do shift and evolve. The online article, "Ang Salitang Bayani sa Pilipinas," explains its etymology:

Ang salitang “bayani" ay isang Austronesian na salita na dinala ng ating mga katutubo sa atin bayan. Ang mga bayani ay ang mga mandirigma kung saan sila ay naununa sa pagtatanggol ng pamayanan laban sa mga kinahaharap na mga kaaway at mga panganib.

Dr. Zeus A. Salazar (Filipino history specialist and Pantayong Pananaw defender) – offers a both another sense ofthe term bayani and accepts that mga bayani are distinctive from "heroes."

"The summary of all of these differences could be distilled from the individualism and preoccupation of the heroes with his own "persona," as compared with bayani, who belongs to his group and focused and distinctly on advancing the interest of the group. ...The action of the bayani is based on the character of bayan, wherein humility and being equal with others are valued more." (Salazar 1997, 3-4)

Who Made Rizal Our Foremost Bayani?

Esteban A. De Ocampo's article "Who Made Rizal Our Foremost National Hero,"

Has become well-known in defending Jose Rizal's being the Philippines' foremost hero.

Essentially, it denies the claim Rizal is a made-to-order national hero manufactured by theAmerican chiefly by then civil governor William Howard Taft.

Rizal said to have taken an "admirable part" in the Propaganda Campaign (1882-1896), and his Noli Me Tangere (Berlin 1887) was supposed to be far superior and more significant than published by Pedro Paterno, Marcelo Del Pilar, Graciano Lopez, and Antonio Luna.

Cong. Henry Allen Cooper of Wisconsin (in 1902) delivered a eulogy of Rizal and even recited the hero's last poem at the U.S House of Representatives to justify Filipinos' capacity for self-government.

Utilizing the moment cited meaning of “hero" – De Ocampo claims that no Filipino has yet been born and can be equal to Rizal as an individual recognized. De Ocampo employs as legitimization the depiction by Rafael Palma and Dr. Straight to point C. Laubach (an American biographer of Rizal) of Rizal's respectable self-denial, courage, ethical boldness. Tying down on the third cited definition of "legend" – De Ocampo proposes that Rizal could be a man honored after passing by open adore, since ofthe remarkable benefit to humankind.

Other nationalities who recognized Rizal as the leading Filipino of his time were F. Blumentritt, Napoleon M. Kheil, Dr.Rheinhold Rost, and Vicente Barrantes.

Prof Blumentrit – told Dr. Maximo Viola in May 1887 that Rizal was the best consequence of the Philippines. He's heading off to the world,resembled the nearness of another cornet, whose unique magnificence appears eachother century.

Napeleon Kheil of Prague, Austria – wrote to Rizal and said “admiro envdnovirepresentate de España colonial”.

Dr. Rost – recognized Malayologist and Laborious of the India Office of London called Rizal “unaperlahambre."

Don Vincente Barrantes – had to admit that Rizal was the first among Filipino.

(https://www.scribd.com/document/488659832/PART-5-LECTURE-pdf)

 

Jose Rizal as our national symbol

Rizal as a National Symbol Symbols express thoughts that are represented by things. Those things are conventionally associated with meanings that made them called to be symbols. There are 2 types of symbols: either officially or traditionally. National symbols represent and distinguish a certain country from other country. It also somehow unites its people and provoke some sense of nationalism.

The National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) of the Philippines defined that national symbols represent the country’s traditions and ideals that also convey the principles of the Philippine sovereignty (self-governing state) and national solidarity (unity). According to NCCA, official national symbols ofcthe Philippines are the following: Philippine national flag, Lupang Hinirang, sampaguita, narra, Philippine eagle, Philippine pearl and arnis. However, there is also a list of our country’s unofficial but traditional national symbols: anahaw, mango, carabao or tamaraw, bahay kubo, bangus, tinikling or cariñosa and adobo or sinigang.

Dr. Jose Rizal is the country’s well-known national hero but none the less belongs to the unofficial national symbol category. However, this does not make him less of a symbol of the Philippines. Rizal’s name elicits the name of our country internationally. The monuments built by people in countries where he had been and his books in foreign libraries bear the name of the Philippines.

According to Dr. Esteban De Ocampo, no other Filipino Hero can surpass Rizal. He said that his birthdate and day of his execution are constantly commemorated by the Filipino people. Rizal’s name is a by word and his picture are evident in the postage stamps and the one-peso coin. Numerous towns, barriosand streets were named after him as wells as educational institutions, societies and trade names. Some people were even named “Rizal” or “Rizalina” by their parents because of their adoration to Jose Rizal. He also emphasized that Rizal as the Filipino writer whose teachings and noble thoughts are frequently invoked and quoted by authors and public speakers on most occasion and it is because according to Rafael Palma, the doctrines of Rizal are not for one epoch but for all epochs and they are today as they are valid yesterday.

Values Highlighted by Rizal’s Life

The following are the values of Rizal as a National symbol:

1. Nationalism
Nationalism desires to attain freedom and politicalindependence especially by a country under foreign power. Jose Rizal’s life works, and writings radiates this value.

2. Patriotism
Patriotism denotes proud devotion and loyalty to one’s nation.

3. Faith in God
When Rizal was studying in Madrid, Spain, Rizalthrough his letters assured his mother of his faith in God.

4. Love of Fellowmen
Rizal’s thought on love for our fellowmen is biblical and timeless.

5. Love of Parents
Rizal’s love for his parents is great and very admirable.

6. Devotion to Truth
Rizal’s persevering search for truth in serving his country was a motivating virtue.

7. Purity and Idealism
Rizal was guided by his ideals and he wasextraordinary in the purity of his thoughts.

8. Noble Thought and Conduct
Rizal’s works and writing promoted good conduct, clean conscience, and upright thinking.

9. Charity
All his sacrifices for his country were charitable acts forhis fellowmen.

10. Dedication to Duty
Dedication was one of Rizal’s virtues; he dedicated his whole life in securing freedom for his country.

11. Moral Courage
The moral courage that Rizal had signified is worthimitating by our present leaders.

12. Willpower
This strong determination of Rizal, allowed him to express his ideas and wills through calmness and peace.

13. Integrity
This refers to the quality of being honest and havingstrong moral principles.

14. Sincerity
Rizal’s sincerity is manifested in his acceptance that whatever he possessed he owed them to God who hadplanned a duty he had to carry out.

15. Self-Denial
The self-denial of Rizal involved self-sacrifice and altruism.

16. Perseverance
This value let him show his strength in meeting andenduring pain, adversity, and peril.

17. Discipline and Self-Control
Rizal used reason to determine his actions regardlessof his desires. In fact, he deprived himself of many unsound pleasures.

18. Initiative
The ability to asses and initiate things independently.

19. Prudence
This is care, caution, and good judgment, as well as wisdom in looking ahead.

20. Chivalry, Courtesy, and Politeness
Rizal was an ideal gentleman, one of the qualities ofbeing a chivalry. In addition, he was always ready to help the weak or women.

21. Frugality
He also showed the quality of being economical withmoney and any other resources; in simple way, thriftiness.

22. Love for Justice
Rizal found his joy in being just and in fighting for justice.

Criteria for National National Heroes: Executive Order No. 75,1993

On March 28, 1993, >President Fidel V. Ramos issued Executive Order No. 75 creating the National Heroes Committee under the office of the President “to study and recommend the proclamation of National Heroes”. After series of thorough discussions, the commission came up with the new criteria comprising 10 points or standards (Galang, 2012):

1. The extent of a person’s sacrifices for the welfare of the country;
2. The motive and methods employed in the attainment of their deal: (Was his ideal purely for the welfare of the country and without any taint of self-interested motives? Most of all, the method of attainment should be morally valid.)
3. The moral character of the person concerned; (The person should not have any immorality issue that affected his ideal).
4. The influence of the person concerned on his age/generation and/or the succeeding one;
5. Heroes are those who have a concept of nation and thereafter aspire and struggle for the nation’s freedom; (They must have desired the country’s freedom in any situation especially when there’s a threat of invasion in any form).
6. Heroes are those who define and contribute to a system of life of freedom and order for a nation; (For instance, someone who helps in the orderliness and betterment of the country).
7. Heroes are those who contribute to the quality of life and destiny of a nation;
8. A hero is part of the people’s expression; (The citizen must have recognized and acknowledged the person as a hero.)
9. A hero thinks of the future, especially the future generations;(His concern for the future generations must be seen in his decisions and ideals.)
10. The choice of a hero involves not only the recounting of an episode or events in history but also the entire process thatmade his particular person a hero.

RECOMMENDED FIGURES AS NATIONAL HEROES (Galang,2012):
1. Jose Rizal
2. Andres Bonifacio
3. Emilio Aguinaldo
4. Apolinario Mabini
5. Marcelo H. del Pilar
6. Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat
7. Juan Luna
8. Melchora Aquino
9. Gabriela Silang

However, no law, executive order, or proclamation has been officially enacted or issued proclaiming any Filipino hystorical figures a national figure. But, in spite of the absence of any official declaration openly proclaiming them as national heroes, “they remain admired and revered for their roles in Philippine history. Heroes, according to historians, should not be legislated. Their appreciation should be better left to academics. Acclamation for heroes, they felt, would be recognition enough” (2015).

(https://www.scribd.com/document/434230963/Jose-Rizal-and-the-Philippine-Nationalism)