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Dr. Jose Rizal, born on June 19, 1861, was a nationalist and polymath from the Philippines who is considered a national hero. He dedicated his life to reform and activism with constructive means, using his literary works, writings, research, and philosophy. Rizal was born in Calamba, Laguna, to Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso. He was the seventh of eleven children. He showed intellectual brilliance at a young age, and at 11, he was sent to Manila to study. He attended the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, later earning a bachelor’s degree with highest honors in 1877. Then, he pursued a medical degree at the University of Santo Tomas but left without finishing due to frustrations with the university administration. He continued his medical studies in Madrid, Spain, and concurrently studied literature and philosophy. Rizal’s significant literary works include two novels, “Noli Me Tangere” (Touch Me Not) and “El Filibusterismo” (The Filibuster), that criticized the Spanish friars and exposed the atrocities of the colonial government. His other writings include essays and poems like "To the Young Women of Malolos," reflective of his nationalistic ideals. Rizal returned to the Philippines in 1892, intending to establish the socio-political Liga Filipina. However, his efforts were cut short when he was arrested and subsequently exiled to Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte. In 1896, Rizal’s name was implicated in the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution. He was arrested, court-martialed, and convicted for rebellion, sedition, and conspiracy. He was executed on December 30, 1896 in what is now Rizal Park. His life and works have made a significant impact in shaping the Philippine revolution, and he continues to be commemorated as a national hero. His dedication to the pursuit of freedom, social reform, and intellectual pursuit, as well as his firm yet peaceful stance against Spanish colonial rule, has immortalized him as one of the most influential figures in Philippine history.