Recently, I came across what I thought was a good topic. I was wrong. It started when I got into a conversation about our different heroes of the Philippine Revolution. As I listened to their stories, I thought, “Wow, our heroes come from influential or rich backgrounds.” I thought it would be an interesting to write about. My exact statement was, “Our heroes are rich.”
But I knew I needed to prove my statement was correct. While brainstorming and reading about them, I realized that I was wrong. The hero who showed me wrong was Apolinario Mabini. He came from a poor background, but he became the Brains of the Revolution. Reading about him made me idolize him. Reading about our National Heroes made me appreciate them.
But who are our National Heroes? According to the technical committee of the National Heroes Committee on June 3, 1993, National Heroes are 1) those who have a concept of nation and thereafter aspire and struggle for the nation’s freedom; 2) those who define and contribute to a system or life of freedom and order for a nation; and 3) those who contribute to the quality of life and destiny of a nation. Additional criteria set by the Committee on Nov. 15, 1995 state that (4) a hero is part of the people’s expression; (5) a hero thinks of the future, especially future generations; and (6) the choice of a hero involves not only the recounting of an episode or events in history, but of the entire process that made this particular person a hero. I have to say, do we even understand what this means?
On Nov. 15, 1995, the technical committee selected nine Filipino historical figures to be recommended as National Heroes: Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat, Juan Luna, Melchora Aquino, and Gabriela Silang. But no law has officially declared a Filipino historical figure as national hero.
From reading up on them, I learned a couple of things. Knowing more about our Philippine heroes taught me that I don’t know a lot about them. I thought I learned enough to say things about them. It made me see that we often make generalizations without really knowing the truth. Reading about these heroes made me see that they, too, were human, and they committed mistakes. What made them different, despite their imperfections, was their values and love of country. They wanted the best for their countrymen.
Our heroes showed us what a Filipino can be. I believe this is important. They showed us what has been fought for, and are proof of how outstanding a Filipino can be.
I saw in Mabini that despite coming from a poor family and becoming a paralytic, he rose, learned the law, and helped establish the revolution. He found a way to do what other men could not do.
Aside from him, I also learned to appreciate Rizal. He was unique for his time, and we hardly come across anyone like him. But I think there are a lot more people like him these days; we just don’t recognize about them or talk about them. Imagine how many people are like Rizal, people who could be heroes yet remain unnoticed.
Who are our heroes now? Aside from those declared by law or by a government office, we have recognized some people as everyday heroes. There are those people who work every day in the hope of a better country, and those who work to keep the Philippines afloat. An example would be those who stepped forward during the recent pandemic; our healthcare workers who battled through the COVID-19 pandemic are heroes. But I also saw a hero in those who continued to work to give people what they needed. They are heroes—undeclared, but greatly appreciated.
I am proud to be Filipino, and have always wanted the best for our country. I find myself in my own way trying to help my nation. But in my mind, I could do better. I don’t find myself always exercising love of country. I can feel guilty about it. But I just live my life and hope that someday the things I am doing will have a positive impact on our nation.
