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| From commons.wikimedia.org |
So there must be around a hundred roads named after Rizal throughout the Philippines. There is a province named after him. His statue is a centerpiece of a park named after him in Manila. He has a holiday in his honor. His works are in the school's curriculum, and there is a "religious" following dedicated to seeing him as a god! Surely this man is something. But why isn't he the Philippines National Hero?
That's right. Jose Rizal isn't our national hero.
To be a national symbol of the country, it needs legislation or a presidential proclamation. Only 5 things made it there: our national flower (Sampaguita), our national tree (Narra), our national animal (Philippine Eagle), our national gem (South Sea Pearl) and our national sport (Arnis). In short, all the other "commonly believed to be national symbols" aren't official.