Amazingly Me

Today the entire Philippines and all the Filipinos all over the world are celebrating the 150th birthday celebration of our National hero Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda or simply Dr. Jose Rizal. He was born June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna.

Today's celebration of our national hero's natal day is not like the ones we had before, this ones bigger the president even made the day after his birthday, June 20, 2011, a holiday. Aside from that the government and some private sectors have teamed up to prepare activities and programs in relation to today's commemoration. The Luneta or Rizal park was prepared. School's like the Ateneo de Manila where Rizal used to go to has an exhibit of some of Rizal's memorabilia. While the Jose Rizal University did a banquet wherein they prepared food that were Jose Rizal's favorite. They also made sure that the people who will attend the banquet will dress up as to how the people during Rizal's time dresses up. Characters from his novels like Sisa, Maria Clara, Padre Damaso and even Rizal himself was present in the said banquet. 

For me as A Filipino it makes me happy to see how our countrymen gives that much significance to the one person who showed us how to fight for our freedom without raising any arms. He helped sparked the revolution by awakening the inner patriotism by his writing. I just hope that beyond the festivities we will be able to see the real essence of the celebration. To value and take care of that freedom that Rizal and all the hero's during, before and after his time fought for so bravely.