Every 19 June, the Philippines celebrates the birth of Dr. Jose Rizal — the national hero whose intellect, courage, and sacrifice helped light the fire of Philippine revolution.

Born in 1861, Rizal was a writer, doctor, and reformist who chose his pen over the sword. Through his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, he exposed the cruelty and corruption of Spanish colonial rule. Though he was executed in 1896, Rizal’s ideas lived on, inspiring Filipinos to fight for freedom.

Just a week before Rizal’s 164th birthday this year, the country marked the 126th anniversary of its declaration of independence from Spain on 12 June. While these two events are often celebrated separately, they are deeply linked. Rizal did not live to see Independence Day, but he helped plant the seeds that made it possible.

Had he been alive today, he would have reminded Filipinos that true independence is not just about breaking free from foreign rule — it is about building a just, educated, and united nation.

Rizal would have expected more than fireworks and flag-waving. For him, commemorating Independence Day should be a time of national introspection. Are we living up to the ideals of liberty and dignity? Have we truly set ourselves free from ignorance, corruption and inequality?

As a strong advocate of education, Rizal would have wanted Filipinos to celebrate independence by strengthening their minds and nurturing critical thinking.

“The youth is the hope of the nation,” he wrote — but only if that youth is armed with knowledge, not disinformation; with purpose, not apathy.

He would also challenge today’s leaders and citizens alike to live with integrity. Rizal believed in peaceful reform, reasoned debate and moral courage. He would have spoken out against abuses of power, and called on Filipinos to hold public servants accountable — just as he criticized the friars and officials of his time.

Independence Day, in Rizal’s eyes, would not be just a break from work or a colorful pageantry. It would be a solemn promise — to continue building a nation that is free not only in law, but also in truth, in justice, and in spirit.

To remember Rizal on 19 June is to reflect on what it means to be a Filipino — and to prove, every 12 June and beyond, that we are worthy of the freedom he helped win.