Dr. Jose Rizal

There were and still are many men and women who inspired nations but one stood out in the Philippines. When the Spaniards rule over the Philippines for so many years, there were still many people who sacrificed their lives just to fight for their freedom. One of them is Dr. Jose Rizal.

José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda is the real full name of Dr. Jose Rizal. He was born in the town of Calamba, Laguna on the 19th day of June 1861. He was the second son and the seventh among the eleven children of Fancisco Mercado and Teodora Alonzo.

With his mother as his first teacher, he began his early education at home and continued in Binan, Laguna. He entered a Jesuit-run Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1872 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree. He enrolled and studied medicine at the University of Santo Tomas but had to stop when he felt that the Filipino students were being discriminated by their Dominican tutors. So, Dr. Jose Rizal did something about it.

Dr. Jose Rizal used his brain to inspire a nation but ultimately it led to his demise. He took graduate in Paris, France & Heidelberg, Germany. He also studied painting, sculpture, he learned to read and write at least 10 languages.

Rizal was a prolific writer and was anti-violence. He rather fight for his pen not for his might. Rizal's two books were "NOLI ME TANGERE" and "EL FILIBUSTERISMO". Noli Me Tangere means "Touch Me Not" and El Filibusterismo means "The Rebel". This is a small book written by Dr. Jose Rizal. This book exposed the Spaniards for what they were doing in the Philippines.

Dr. Jose Rizal is a national hero who inspired a nation to rebel. He was an intelligent person who helped his nation with his smarts.

I'm very proud that Dr. Jose Rizal is a Filipino.