I wonder how many Filipinos recall why today is a holiday. Seriously, I think everyone is so hyped over the long weekend to mark the New Year celebrations they've forgotten the reason why the 30th of December is declared a National holiday.
On the morning of December 30th, 1896, Jose Protacio Mercado Rizal y Alonzo Realonda was roused from his sleep at around six or seven in the morning in his chapel cell at Fort Santiago. With hands tied behind his back a funeral cortege accompanied him on a long agonizing walk to Bagumbayan where his execution took place.
Immediately after, his remains were brought to an undisclosed area (later to be found as Paco Park). At that time, Paco Park was an independent structure often used for Sunday corridas and then later became the gravesite of Chinese who have passed on but have not been baptized into Catholicism. Rizal was interred with "heathens" owing to the fact that he had espoused Freemasonry. He was also ordered to recant and go back into the fold. Noone can be certain if he did in fact turn away from the brotherhood.
Anyway, his role is incidental in the drive for nationhood. Whether or not he was anti-revolution, he was the central figure with which all other events unfolding towards the revolution against Spain was anchored. His writings exposed Spanish tyranny, incited a rebellious spirit among indios, gave rise to the fight against oppression and changed the course of a nation's history.
After 150 years, Rizal remains the first Filipino. His life and works served as cinder that sparked the country's conflagration to be free. Now, I ask... with the way our country is faring... Have we forgotten his sacrifices?
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