BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR and WENDELL VIGILIA
PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday paid tribute to unnamed heroes of the past and present as he urged Filipinos to become heroes in their own way, contribute to nation building, and avoid pulling each other down.
The President led the commemoration of National Heroes Day, with the theme “Kabayanihan Tungo sa Pagkakaisa at Pag-unlad,” at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City. He offered a wreath at the tomb of unnamed heroes in honor of their courage and sacrifices.
Vice President Sara Duterte reiterated the administration’s call for unity.
“Today, let us honor our National Heroes with a promise that their sacrifices will serve as our light and inspiration as we vow to protect the integrity of our independence and the interest of our nation against those who wish for us to fail, to fall, and to break as a nation.
Patuloy nating mahalin ang Pilipinas (Let’s continue to love the Philippines),” she said in a statement.
National Heroes Day is celebrated every last Monday of August. The Official Gazette said the commemoration of the National Heroes Day “specifies no hero” and the lack of specifics “offers an opportunity to celebrate the bravery of not one, not a few, but all Filipino heroes who have braved death or persecution for home, nation, justice, and freedom.”
Marcos, in his National Heroes Day message, hailed the contributions of the heroes and war veterans who showed courage, compassion, and love of country.
“Inialay nila ang kanilang lakas at kakayahan, hindi para sa papuri o gantimpala, kung hindi upang pagtibayin ang diwa ng pagkakaisa at upang makamit ang ating mga pangarap para sa bayan (They offered their strength and abilities, not for praise or reward but to strengthen unity and to realize dreams for the country),” he said.
Because of the heroes’ sacrifices, he said, the lives of Filipinos became easier.
In return, the President said Filipinos should protect the freedom that they have and pay back the heroes by helping and showing concern for others.
Marcos said people should follow their examples and become instruments of unity and peace instead of pulling each other down and being trapped in personal disputes.
“Umaasa ako na sa halimbawa ng ating mga dakilang bayani, higit nating isasabuhay ang kanilang ipinakitang pag-ibig sa bayan, at ipinagtatanggol at ipinaglalaban nilang panata sa kabutihan (I expect the people to live the examples of our heroes – their love for country, their defense and promotion of what is good and right),” he said.
VETERANS, FARMERS
Marcos promised to take better care of war veterans by building hospitals in the Visayas and Mindanao for them, with the help of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, to ensure that the health needs are addressed.
The President also paid tribute to modern-day heroes like farmers and other agricultural workers who he said continue to work hard amid rising costs of food and farm inputs. He said if it were not for them, there would be no food on the table.
Marcos also recognized those in the trade and business sector who helped keep the country’s economy afloat during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, by giving regular compensation of their employees despite financial difficulties, and continuing to help it the economy recover.
He also highlighted the contributions of Filipinos working overseas, teachers, health workers and other frontliners like the police, military, barangay officials, and ecological warriors.
“Habang ang makabagong panahon ay nagbibigay sa atin ng mga pagbabagong kailangang harapin, tiyak na malalampasan natin ang kahit na anong pagsubok kung magiging bayani tayo sa ating sariling mga pamamaraan (While the present comes with many challenges, we can surpass them if we too become heroes in our own way),” he said.
“Gamitin natin ang ating kakayahan upang panibaguhin ang ating kapaligiran para sa higit na ikabubuti ng lahat (Let us use our abilities to change and improve our surroundings for the good of all),” he added.
PATRIOTISM
Duterte said National Heroes’ Day reminds Filipinos that their “history as a nation is marked by the blood of our forebears who selflessly offered their lives for the liberation of the Philippines and the Filipino people.”
The Vice President rallied the people to “also look at the future of our country and its unrelenting longing for the same profound sense of patriotism from us” and urged Filipinos not to “squander the lessons of the past and instead use them to awaken all the greatest heroes inside the hearts of every Filipino, especially the youth.”
“The blood of our National Heroes is the same blood of bravery, selflessness, and love of country and fellowmen that continues to flow across the nation today – now permeating into the minds and hearts of many Filipinos who have committed to the cause of rebuilding the nation from the rubble caused by disunity, hatred, misunderstanding, and acts of hostilities perpetuated by anti-people, anti-government, and local terror groups that hostaged the progress of the country for a long time,” Duterte said.
At the House, Speaker Martin Romualdez urged Filipinos to display their sense of patriotism by supporting nation-building as the country recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The blood of our heroes flows in all of our veins. We are all capable of extraordinary courage in rising up to the challenges of these extraordinary times. Our heroes set aside their personal benefit for the good of the country,” Romualdez said.
“Patriotism comes in many forms. Each and every one of us can serve our country in our own personal capacity, like our health front-liners during the height of the pandemic, our law enforcers who kept us safe, or the delivery rider who took care of our needs. We are all heroes-in-waiting, given the right motivation,” the Speaker said.
Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez had filed House Bill 1461 or the Mindanao Heroes Declaration Act to honor the heroic participation of Moros against Spanish colonizers.
“The Moros may not have taken part in the actual combat during the revolution, but their unwavering resistance to Spanish domination is enough contribution to the cause of freedom. Their resistance and offensive operations undermined the Spanish plan to subjugate the archipelago,” he said.
Rodriguez’ bill also mandates the National Historical Commission to conduct a full-blown research on the life and the activities of 12 revolutionaries for them to be declared national heroes.
They are Gen. Nicolas Capistrano, a “Colonel Velez,” Capt. Vicente Roa, Simeon Ledesma, Rufino Delosa, a “Capitan Daligdig,” Simon Gonzales, Wenceslao Gonzalez, Gen. Vicente Alvarez, Datu Uta, Datu Ali, and Amai Pakpak.
“These heroic wars waged by our Muslim brothers sapped and diminished the military strength and divided the attention of the Spanish authorities. The Muslim resistance led the strengthening of the Katipunan because without the military campaign in Mindanao, there would have been more than enough Spanish forces in Manila to check the Katipunan,” Rodriguez said in the bill.
In Pasig City, the local government unit and the Pasig City Museum launched “Pasig Memorya,” an online archive that contains the city’s old photos along with their stories.
Mayor Vico Sotto said that the project encourages Pasigueños to upload and share their memories of the city to build a history from the perspective of its people.
“Crowd-sourcing can really be an effective way of gathering information and research. We want to make sure we treasure our culture and heritage,” Sotto said.
Sotto said the archive is part of the city’s cultural mapping project and was made in partnership with the United Nations Development Program and the non-profit organization Grupo Kalinangan.
Sotto, Vice Mayor Robert “Dodot” Jaworski Jr, and other local government officials and the local police also led the celebration of National Heroes Day at the Plaza Rizal. — With Christian Oineza
