QUEZON CITY, Dec. 30 – Welcoming the New Year comes with resolutions to improve oneself. In this season of renewal, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ismael ‘Mike’ D. Sueno exhorts the Filipino people to take motivation from the life story and writings of National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal. “With the might of his ideas and writings, Rizal awakened and moved our ancestors towards reclaiming Filipino freedom and dignity. Aside from political thought, his extensive studies cover medicine, language, arts and so on. Rizal is a magnificent Filipino and I believe that modern day Filipinos can take much inspiration from him,” said Sueno. This year’s theme for the 120th martyrdom anniversary of the National Hero is “Rizal: Bayaning Global,
“With the might of his ideas and writings, Rizal awakened and moved our ancestors towards reclaiming Filipino freedom and dignity. Aside from political thought, his extensive studies cover medicine, language, arts and so on. Rizal is a magnificent Filipino and I believe that modern day Filipinos can take much inspiration from him,” said Sueno. This year’s theme for the 120th martyrdom anniversary of the National Hero is “Rizal: Bayaning Global,
This year’s theme for the 120th martyrdom anniversary of the National Hero is “Rizal: Bayaning Global, Aydol ni Juan”, according to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) which is spearheading the national government’s commemorative program at the Rizal National Monument, Rizal Park, Manila on December 30, 2016 at 7:00 a.m. “Rizal Day is a day of appreciating Rizal as a hero, an icon and a perfect example
“Rizal Day is a day of appreciating Rizal as a hero, an icon and a perfect example on how to be a Filipino,” said Sueno in his memorandum circular to all local chief executives (LCEs) — provincial governors, city and municipal mayors, and punong barangays.
He enjoined LCEs to conduct simple but meaningful activities such as flag-raising and wreath-laying rites, display of Philippine flag in the offices of local government units (LGUs), civic parade and other related activities in their respective localities in line with the Rizal Day commemoration on Friday.
Learn from visionary Rizal
Meanwhile, Sueno urged the Filipino youth and citizenry to take time to read about Rizal while on a holiday on Friday for the Rizal Day.
“The values he espoused are still relevant up to our time such as citizen participation and participatory governance,” Sueno said.
Back in 1887, Rizal wrote about the lack of civic virtues among Filipinos. Juan Crisostomo Magsalin Ibarra, the main actor in his novel Noli Me Tangere, said, “I can concede that the government has no knowledge of the people, but I believe the people know less of the government. There are useless officials, evil, if you like, but there are also good ones, and these are not able to accomplish anything because they encounter an inert mass, the population that takes little part in matters that concern them.”
Sueno also noted that President Rodrigo R. Duterte believes that Rizal and other heroes of the Philippine Revolution advocated for a federal form of Philippine government.
In Rizal’s classic perceptive essay, Filipinas Dentro De Cien Anos (The Philippines a Century Hence) published in La Solidaridad in 1889 to 1890, Rizal predicted that the Philippines “[once liberated] will adopt probably a federal republic.” Historians surmise that Rizal’s foretelling is influenced by his federalist mentor, Francesc Pi y Margall who was the short-lived President of the First Spanish Republic in 1873.
About a 127 years after Rizal’s prophetic writing, the Philippine government is now seriously proposing shifting the form of government to federalism, with the DILG being tasked by President Duterte to undertake nationwide information and campaign on federalism in partnership with various alliances and with LGUs, civil society, grassroots and faith-based organizations.
“Rizal is a visionary, prolific Filipino yet he is just as human as we are. He was able to hone his potentials through perseverance and diligence. Any Filipino can also be a global Pinoy and be worth emulating by Juans and Juanas,” said Sueno.(DILG)