In his Rizal Day message on December 30, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged Filipinos to follow Jose Rizal's lessons on integrity and accountability. Vice President Sara Duterte, meanwhile, highlighted the fight for freedom from abuse, disunity, and evil. These statements emphasized Rizal's principles amid challenges in leadership.
On December 30, 2025, Rizal Day commemorated the 1896 execution of national hero Jose Rizal by Spanish colonial authorities, an event that fueled the Philippine revolution. In separate messages, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted Rizal's life as a guide during demands for integrity from leaders. 'Today, as Filipinos demand integrity and accountability from its leaders, we look up to his life to provide us with guidance and strength,' he said.
Marcos urged Filipinos to embody Rizal's values, including respect for truth, pursuit of just reform, and courage to speak and act rightly. He called for placing 'country over personal interests' and specifically appealed to the youth to blend patriotism with responsible citizenship, linking it to his administration's 'Bagong Pilipinas' vision.
Vice President Sara Duterte framed Rizal's legacy as a broader fight for freedom beyond colonialism. 'The true lesson of Rizal is clear,' she said in Filipino. 'Freedom is not only liberation from foreign powers, but also the liberation of our minds and hearts from abuse, disunity and evil.' She encouraged standing for truth and justice while warning against the fading of wisdom and unity.
Rizal Day underscores the revolution's foundations, with his works mandated for study under Republic Act 1425, passed in 1956. These messages reflect Rizal's enduring relevance in contemporary Philippines.
