f Filipinos were more like Rizal, the Philippines would probably be one of the most advanced and developed countries on Earth. To honor the 125th anniversary of his martyrdom, we point out a few things that made him special, and why the country needs more Filipinos like him today.

First and foremost, Rizal was a scientist. According to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), "rarely highlighted in discussions about his life was Rizal's inclination toward the natural sciences, engineering, medical science, and agriculture." The newly unveiled statue of Rizal in DOST's Bicutan complex depicts "the national hero as a medical scientist, engineer/surveyor, agriculturist and naturalist-environmentalist," as the article by Jane Bautista of the Daily Inquirer points out.

If Filipinos of today were more like Rizal, we would probably be developing our own COVID-19 vaccines and exporting them to other countries. Instead, we have it the other way around.

Rizal treated foreigners as equals. He saw himself neither above them nor beneath them. He traveled the world and relished its diversity. He made it a point to learn Spanish, English, French, German, Portuguese, Greek, Dutch, Italian, and Japanese--just some of the foreign languages he was fluent in.

If Filipinos of today were more like Rizal, we would be more involved in global issues and in shaping global policies. Instead many of us still see ourselves as insignificant players on the global stage (during the height of the Scarborough Shoal incident, a UP professor suggested that Filipinos should steer clear of any Chinese and American confrontation because we were just "ants" while they were "elephants," and like ants, we would be squashed underfoot if hostilities broke out). It's unfortunate that a professor from that distinguished university thought so lowly of herself and her fellow "kabayans."

In 1877, Rizal noted that "there are no tyrants where there are no slaves." In that statement is Rizal's clarion call to the Filipino youth to follow his lead and arm themselves with all the knowledge and education they can attain. Tyrants easily manipulate the uneducated. They keep the masses enslaved by withholding knowledge. They know a smart, well-educated populace will never allow itself to be enslaved. And as Rizal pointed out 144 years ago, without slaves, there can be no tyrants.

Published 12/31/2021