By Azer Parrocha/PNA
MANILA — Malacañang called on Filipinos, particularly the youth, to be inspired by the martyrdom of national hero Jose Rizal in facing challenging and crucial times for the benefit of the country.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this remark as the nation commemorates the 122nd anniversary of Rizal’s martyrdom on Sunday, Dec. 30.
“Jose Rizal’s martyrdom should propel us to rise to the challenge of the times and unchain ourselves from our stupor of indifference and race to the finish line of genuine change and prosperity,” Panelo said in a statement.
Panelo said the youth should also follow Rizal’s footsteps by taking courage and serving a purpose in order to lead a more meaningful life.
“As we commemorate the anniversary of his death, we ask our people, the youth in particular, to take inspiration from Rizal’s life story and emulate the principles that made him the country’s greatest hero, taking a leaf from one of his immortal legacies and a truism that it is a useless life that is not consecrated to a vision and fulfillment of a great ideal,” Panelo said.
“In these challenging and crucial times, we need equally courageous and principled Filipinos, stripped of apathy and selfishness, to become modern-day heroes to sustain our fight for freedom from all the ills of society,” he added.
Panelo, meanwhile, described Rizal’s legacy as “a walking testament to a person’s magnificent and consuming love for his country that sparked a leap for freedom and an assertion of national dignity.”
He pointed out that Rizal’s “ultimate sacrifice” awakened Filipinos from its subjugation to a colonial master for more than thirty decades.
After more than one century since his execution, Panelo emphasized that Rizal’s influence remains relevant today as it was 122 years ago.
In an advisory released by Malacañang, President Rodrigo R. Duterte is scheduled to lead the 122nd commemoration of Rizal’s martyrdom in his hometown in Davao City.
