National Hero of the Philippines

[1] The reformist writer José Rizal, today considered as the quintessential national hero, has never been explicitly proclaimed as such by the Philippine government.

[1] The National Heroes Committee recommended José Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat, Juan Luna, Melchora Aquino, and Gabriela Silang to be recognized as national heroes on November 15, 1995.

According to the 1995 technical committee National Heroes shall be: Three more criteria were added in 1995:[1] Already admired in his lifetime for his nationalistic writings and activities, José Rizal was executed for treason on December 30, 1896, by the Spanish colonial government.

[1] By 1960, Rizal was already held in such esteem that he was referred to as the Philippine national hero, even though no legislation had been passed making it official.

That year, historian Teodoro Agoncillo wrote in his History of the Filipino People that the Philippine national hero, unlike those of other countries, was not "the leader of its liberation forces".

[4] Agoncillo noted the sentiments of certain quarters calling for Rizal's replacement as the national hero by Andres Bonifacio, since Rizal was interpreted as ultimately a reformist content to be under Spain, not a revolutionary wishing for independence like Emilio Aguinaldo who was elected President of the Revolutionary Government and Generalissimo of the National Liberation Forces.

[4] Historian Renato Constantino, building upon sentiments noted by Agoncillo, wrote in his 1970 essay Veneration Without Understanding that Rizal was unworthy of his high status since he was a "United States-sponsored hero".

It was speculated that any action might cause a number of requests for proclamation or trigger debates that revolve around the controversies about the concerned historical figures.

41 and 42, were filed proposing her official recognition as a national hero with her birth date, January 25, as Cory Aquino Day.