Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management

ETHICS/VALUES OF DR. JOSE RIZAL

Dr. Jose Rizal means absolutely everything to the Filipino people who owed the

independence from him. Not only is he the national hero, he is also the icon, the paragon,

the standard, by which every Filipino should measure himself. His contemporaries, most of

which are brilliant men in their own right, attest that Rizal was a man who possessed a

nearly unparalleled vision of parallel times. His flair in exposing the political, social, moral

and traditional ills of his day is reflective of the greater genius that made him such a

legendary figure in his native country. He was a man of many talents; doctor, scientist,

philosopher, painter, sculptor, teacher, and last but not least, writer.

In one of my visits in Dapitan, where Dr. Jose Rizal had spent his exile years, I took my

attention to the Code of Ethics printed in one of the walls. Allegedly, these were the ethical

standards set by Rizal as a baseline of doing what is right for the country.

1. Don’t gamble. 

2. Don’t be a drunkard. 

3. Don’t break the laws. 

4. Don’t be cruel in any way. 

5. Don’t be a rabid partisan.

6. Don’t be merely a fault finding critic.

7. Don’t put yourself in the way of humiliation.

8. Don’t treat anyone with naughtiness or contempt.

9. Don’t condemn anyone without first hearing his side.

10. Don’t abandon the poor man who has right on his side.

11. Don’t fail those without means who show application and ability.

12. Don’t associate with immoral persons or with persons of bad habits.

13. Don’t overlook the value to our country or new machinery and industries.

14. Don’t ever cease working for the prosperity and welfare of our native land.

It is very interesting to note that even his ethical standards were written as a reminder

for all people who love the country that living a quality and valued life is a sign of

patriotism. But aside from the written ones, there are also other subtle values that we can

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learn from the life of our national hero. We must all remember that what Jose Rizal shared

with all the Filipinos was his very life. And as Jesus said, a good shepherd will lay down his

life for his flock. And because he led the fight against the colonizers without even shedding

blood, we have attained our independence and gained our national identity. There are

many values that we can learn from him in terms of education, science, practical

technology, nationalistic values and patriotism. Unfortunately, after years of independence,

some Filipinos do not still value these lessons from our national hero.

With all the values of Rizal, the most important is his value of patriotism. He fought the

colonizers using his pen – thus promoting a bloodless revolution. Dr. Jose Rizal was a

peace-loving man, and in his books, he made all the revolutionary efforts of his characters

fail utterly. He believed that the peaceful way of reform was the way to change the status

quo in the Philippines then. He surmised that there were intelligent and willing listeners in

"Mother Spain," who would be willing to make the necessary changes in the colonial

government so that the Philippines could reach its fullest potential. Dr. Rizal and his allies

fought for the recognition of the Philippines as a province of Spain.

He did have thoughts of eventual independence, but never through violent means. It is

ironic, therefore, that the revolution that started in his lifetime was ascribed by the

Spaniards to him, though he never had a hand in it. Dr. Jose Rizal, the reformist, was

actually executed on the accusation that he was the supreme leader of the revolutionary

movement of his time. The efforts for reform of Dr. Rizal and his compatriots at this time

were already showing signs of failure, prompting leaders from the lower classes to launch

an armed struggle. In the end, we can see the values and ethical belief of Dr. Jose Rizal –

patriotism in a bloodless means.

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ETHICS/VALUES OF ANDRES BONIFACIO

In our history, Andres Bonifacio’s name would always be mentioned and associated

with the formation of the Katipunan, a separatist movement which spearheaded the

Philippine Revolution of 1896.  But unlike Jose Rizal, whose life and undertakings were

fully documented, very few were known on the life of Bonifacio, thanks to the accounts of

his fellow Katipuneros and his wife Gregoria de Jesus that we were at least given an

impression of how was he as a person and as a politically-inclined individual.  This article

gives an insight on the values the Filipinos must imitate from a man who never expected to

be on the spotlight, but out of love for his country, staged actions that changed the course of

Philippine history.

Optimistic Attitude and Strong Sense of Responsibility – Andres Bonifacio was barely

fourteen years old when they were orphaned.  Without any hesitation, he assumed the

responsibility of raising his younger siblings.  In order to meet the daily needs of their

family, he engaged in making and peddling of paper fans and wooden canes.  Despite the

fact that he cannot afford a formal education for himself, it did not prevent him from

seeking knowledge by reading during his free time.  This episode in Bonifacio’s life was not

uncommon, since there were several Filipino children orphaned at young age.  What was

uncommon about him was having the optimistic attitude and strong sense of responsibility

after the death of their parents.  Instead of crying over spilled milk, he rose on his feet and

worked hard to raise his younger brothers and sisters.  This proved that being responsible

cannot be quantified by one’s age; it is a matter of learning how to act, rationalize and

decide correctly despite overwhelming burdens and pressures. Bonifacio had shown high

regard for education and despite his meager status he engaged in reading books written in

Tagalog and Spanish.  Filipinos should realize that event at present, a commendable

reading habit is very important in enriching minds and in making oneself productive and

competent.

Value for Work and Virtue of Not Wasting Time – While working as clerk for Fleming

and Company, Bonifacio also worked as poster-maker to augment his income.  In the early

phase of 1896, he shifted to another English company known as Fressels Company where

he worked as an agent.  If Filipino workers would maintain the dignity of their works just

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like Bonifacio, both private and public services will definitely be delivered efficiently and

effectively.  If  workers are more time-oriented and hard-working, the development and

progress of the Philippines will not be impossible, for time is not wasted merely for

standing, gossiping and image-building but more on directing services and fulfillment of

duties for the betterment of  the society.

Social Responsiveness – Just like any other Indio of his time, Bonifacio felt the social

malaise as a result of oppressive Spanish colonial administration.   To make fellow Filipinos

aware of the real condition of the country, he sold revolutionary leaflets near the University

of Santo Tomas.  He also joined the La Liga Filipina when it was founded by Jose Rizal on 3

July 1892. Unfortunately, the Liga Filipina died down after the imprisonment of Rizal in

Dapitan.  Bonifacio founded the Katipunan on 7 July 1892 in an aim to gain independence

from Spain.  Through the said act, Bonifacio actively responded to the call of the time to

make a change. 

  Patriotism and Love for his native language – When the Kalayaan, the official organ of

the Katipunan, essays written by Bonifacio such as “Ang Dapat Mabatid ng mga

Tagalog” and “Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa” were included.  Bonifacio encouraged the use of

the vernacular in the association and opted to write in Tagalog, to show patriotism and love

for his native language.

Humility – Though most of his detractors portrayed Bonifacio as arrogant, this can

be belied by anecdotes involving him and Emilio Jacinto.  Initially, Bonifacio wrote the

Decalogue that embodied the teachings of the Katipunan.  But soon after, Jacinto came up

with his Mga Aral ng Katipunan to which, Bonifacio found to be superior to his own.  Thus,

he promptly withdrew the Decalogue and ordered the adaptation of Jacinto’s work.  Such

was the humility of a man.

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ETHICS/VALUES OF SEN. BENIGNO AQUINO JR.

Former senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino Jr. was a talented individual. He was also

driven and passionate about his beliefs, and was one of those few people who actually

translated those beliefs into action. At 17, he was the youngest war correspondent to cover

the Korean War for the Manila Times. This adventurous feat moved President Elpidio

Quirino to award Ninoy the Philippine Legion of Honor when he was only 18, one of the

youngest recipients of that highly prestigious award. At 21, he negotiated Hukbalahap rebel

leader Luis Taruc’s unconditional surrender to the administration of President Ramon

Magsaysay.  At 22, he became mayor of Concepcion, Tarlac.

His accomplishments don’t end there. At 27, he was the youngest vice governor of

Tarlac, and governor at 29. At 34, he became the country’s youngest elected senator.

During his political service, he remained in opposition to many of the Marcos regime’s

policies and as a consequence was thrown in jail, where he spent over seven years as a

political prisoner. That bitter experience did not quench his indomitable spirit, as he

continued to conduct opposition activities from his prison cell, even running for

assemblyman in 1978.

Even during his illness and stay in the United States for medical reasons, he gave

speeches and lectures at various venues there, bringing world attention to the plight of the

Philippines.

Sadly, his career was cut short by an assassin’s bullet. Afterwards, everything else

was history. But even with the short period of time when he was at service, we can emulate

many values and ethical standards on his life.

First is how he valued his family. He never disregarded the importance of family. He

molded them according to what is right and just. Maybe that is the reason why most of his

family members now live in humility and public service.

Second, he valued the love of country so much. Maybe all of us remember his famous

words that are now part of our bank notes: Filipinos are worth dying for. His willingness to

take a stand for what he believed is one of his values that should be inculcated in every

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Filipino. If everyone would fight the good fight, our country would be that much closer to

the ideal that we all aspire to.

And lastly, he willingly surrendered his love for the freedom of his countrymen. Not

all people have this stand. But for Ninoy, the true test of patriotism is your ability to take a

stand for the good of your community.

Ninoy is now considered as a modern-day hero. With the sacrifice of his life, we

were able to free from the chain of authoritarian regime. There are many values and ethical

lessons that we can learn from him; however, these values will be useless if we will not live

by it. The challenge them will be our own internalization of these values and living a life the

way Ninoy had it – not by sacrificing our life – but living a life according to his treasured

values.

THE CORONA IMPEACHMENT: ETHICS AND VALUES

Impeachment is a process provided by the Constitution to remove Presidents and

Chief Justices. When an impeachment happens, there is disruption, the kind that triggers

dramatic and unexpected change. I am happy that the situation is bringing us towards

drastic change. Nothing less can reverse the endemic corruption and massive poverty

afflicting the Philippines.

The impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona is a welcome development. It

affirms that co-equal heads can both be vulnerable to impeachment. Even the bid to

impeach P-Noy by a lawyer known to be a Marcos loyalist can remind us that there are

crucial unresolved issues concerning that dictatorship and the effort to extract justice for

its victims. Corona is seen as a puppet of Gloria Arroyo just as Lozano is to the Marcoses. It

is good to see where lines are drawn, where Filipinos can choose to be with or against.

Even more welcome is the first show of support by judges and court employees for

Corona. We have paid so much attention to the corruption in the executive and the

Legislative over the decades that the corruption in the Judiciary has been put in the back

burner. Yet, the view of many Filipinos, if not most, is that the justice system, meaning

judges and justices, including the Supreme Court, are themselves badly tainted.

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Change can now be focused on the Judiciary as well. That makes all three branches

truly co-equal when change can target all of them – especially on the issue of corruption or

its promotion and protection. I can remember from my boyhood the accusations and

allegations against presidents and senators and congressmen. Well, today offers an opening

for change that is rare.

Constitutions do not determine what is right and wrong, human conscience does.

Laws cater to what people believe is right and deter what people believe is wrong.

Constitutions spring from the aspirations of citizens for security, for justice, for a bright

future. What is constitutional cannot veer away from the common good as expressed by the

people themselves.

The weakness of the Constitution of the Philippines, all versions of it, is that the

majorities of Filipinos have never read it, were not party to its formation, and cannot

possibly understand the letter of its provisions. The strength of a democracy, however, is

not in its Constitution. It is in the value system that is most acceptable or inspiring to the

people if such is reflected in the Constitution.

More than laws, it is values that are most relevant to members of a society. It is

values that determine daily behavior, and values that dictate collective standards.  From

these values are formed the ethics of work, the ethics of business, the ethics of professions.

What is beautiful about impeachment is that it is a political process as much, or even

more, as it is a legal one as well. Being political gives Filipinos a chance to participate. If it

were just legal, how can citizens get involved? I remember that an impeachment trail was

going on and affected Filipinos so much that they took to the streets when they thought

that numbers would be more important than what was true, what was fair. Impeachment

can lead to people power if it is abused.

Corona can be removed if the impeachment process finds enough senators voting

that way. But so can P-Noy.  Estrada was impeached by a Congress where he had the

majority in support of him.  People power is the ultimate arbiter, not the Supreme Court. In

the cases of Marcos and Estrada, the Supreme Court was not the source of change, just a

bystander to it. Its greatest participation was its Chief Justice swearing in the new

president.

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The impeachment of Corona will focus on his character, on his integrity, on his

subservience to Gloria Arroyo. In his fighting speech, Corona claimed P-Noy wanted to

appoint his own Chief Justice “na hawak niya sa liig.” He did not mention that the

opposition to his appointment was based on law governing midnight appointments. Trying

to justify why a law can be subverted to accommodate his appointment is more difficult

than to accuse P-Noy of being partisan. Corona will have to do better because that glaring

accommodation will be a central public focus.

It will do Corona good to prepare to justify the Supreme Court’s decision to protect

one of their own who was accused of plagiarism and could not find a valid reason for such

dishonesty except to claim he meant no malice. Who is more dishonest, the thief or the

court which declares him innocent of theft because he meant no malice?

And Corona will have to contend with the distrust of Filipinos for Gloria Arroyo

whom he is being accused of protecting more than the Constitution. Gloria Arroyo is not

just unpopular; she is suspected or judged to be a liar, a thief and a cheat.  This judgment

has been reflected in surveys over several years and could possibly be the strongest reason

why Filipinos voted for a candidate who, in their eyes, will not lie, will not steal, will not

cheat.

On the other hand, P-Noy must run to the people, to his “boss,” and not depend at all

on the superior numbers of the Liberal Party and its allies in Congress. If P-Noy is

anchoring his move against Corona on his crusade against corruption, the people will

support him. But if he is seen as simply using politicians against a Chief Justice, he will lose

the high ground and it will devolve simply to numbers more than nobility.

There is no Constitutional crisis, only a moral and ethical one. Impeachment is a

purging process, and there is so much need for it. Most nations became one and strong

because they went through and survived great conflict.

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References:

Lim, D. (2011, June). Rizal’s significance revisited: A Review of “Si Rizal: Nobelista”. The Blog of Innocence: Silence Voice Points. Retrieved May 17, 2012, from http://paulgeniusboy.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-and-reflections-jose-rizal.html

Montelibano, J. (2011, Dec. 15). Impeachment is a Purging Process. The Philippine Inquirer Online. Retrieved May 18, 2012, from http://opinion.inquirer.net/19203/impeachment-is-a-purging-process

Nash, J. (1999). Impeachment, Partisanism, and Subversion: A Moral Postscript and Prescript [Electronic Version]. Christian Ethics Today, 32, 2-4.

Pugay, C. (n.d.) Values we must learn from Andres Bonifacio. Retrieved May 15, 2012 from http://www.nhcp.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=3

Rojas, J. (2010, Nov. 28). Remembering Ninoy, our modern-day hero. Business Mirror. Retrieved May 17, 2012, from http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/opinion/4306-remembering-ninoy-our-modern-day-hero

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