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The Sunday Times Magazine


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The making of a Philippine national hero


August 29, 2015 8:24 pm

by LEA MANTO-BELTRAN, SENIOR STAFF WRITER PHOTOS BY RENE DILAN


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November 30 of each year is a legal holiday to commemorate


the birth of Andres Bonifacio

A s the country spends this


long weekend to mark
National Heroes Day
tomorrow, August 31, The
Sunday Times Magazine
decided to look into the
process of how a Filipino
whose love, loyalty, and
allegiance to country is both
admirable and immeasurable
is officially proclaimed a
Philippine icon of the highest
esteem.

Does a heros life story need


to be presented to a particular body? Does thorough research need be done to
authenticate ones valor for country? Does a Filipino need to be martyred to become a
national hero?
With all these questions, The Sunday Times Magazine excitedly began its own research into
the making of a Philippine national hero, only to be met, however, by surprising and
complicated revelations.
No such hero
No law, executive order or proclamation has been enacted or issued officially proclaiming
any Filipino historical figure as a national hero.
This is what the Selection and Proclamation of National Heroes and Laws Honoring Filipino
Historical Figures has stated in the 2002 executive summary report done by the National
Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP). According to Alvin Alcid, chief of research
of Publication and Heralding Division of NHCP, this was submitted to the Reference and
Research Bureau and
Legislative Research Service
of the House of Congress.
Based on this official document, even Dr. Jose Rizal who is taught in school as the Philippine
National Hero, has never actually been conferred this title. Nevertheless, NHCP clarifies that
the position Rizal now holds in the Philippine history is a tribute and honor to a national
hero.
However, the statement
clarified, because of their

Jose Rizal has never been proclaimed a national hero


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significant roles in the process


of nation building and contributions to history, there were laws enacted and proclamations
issued honoring these heroes.
Implied heroes
As early as December 20,
1898, General Emilio
Aguinaldo issued a decree
declaring December 30 of
every year a day of national
mourning in honor of Rizal
and other victims of the
Philippine Revolution.
When William Howard Taft
arrived in the Philippines in
June 1900 and became the
chairman of the 2nd Philippine
Commission, the American
governor general suggested
to name Rizal a national hero.
On June 11, Act No. 137 was
Emilio Aguinaldo, the first Philippine president
formulated which organized
the politico-military district of
Morong into the Province of Rizal, in honor of Rizal, the great hero and martyr.
Another hero given an implied recognition as a national hero is Andres Bonifacio. His birth
date of November 30 was declared a national holiday through Act No. 2946, enacted by the
Philippine Legislature on February 16, 1921.
On February 23, 1918, Act No. 2760 confirmed and ratified all steps taken for the creation,
maintenance and improvement of national monuments, and particularly for the erection of a
monument in memory of Andres Bonifacio

The Manila Times


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Acclaimed heroes
Despite the lack of any official declaration explicitly proclaiming the countrys most famous
freedom fighters and martyrs as national heroes, they remain admired and revered for their
important roles in Philippine history. For according to historians, heroes should not be
legislated; rather, their appreciation is better left to academics. Acclamation for heroes in
their opinion is recognition
enough.
Nevertheless, the Philippine government have made attempts in the past to identify and
officially recognize Filipino
heroes.
On March 28, 1993, President Fidel Ramos issued Executive Order 75 creating the National
Heroes Committee under the
Office of the President.
The committee was tasked to study, evaluate and recommend Filipino national
personages/heroes in due recognition of their sterling character aand remarkable
achievements for the country.
Dr. Onofre Corpuz and Dr. Alfredo Lagmay came up with a six-item criteria for the purpose,
which was adopted by a Technical Committee comprised of Samuel Tan, Marcelino
Foronda, Bernardita Churchill, Serafin Quiason, Ambeth Ocampo (then known as Dom
Ignacio Maria), Prof. Minerva
Gonzales, and Carmen
Guerrero-Nakpil. The criteria
contained the following:
1) Heroes are those who have
a concept of nation and

Marcelo H. del Pilar is the leading propagandist for reforms in


the country

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thereafter aspire and struggle


for the nations freedom.
2.) Heroes are those who
define and contribute to a
system or life of freedom and
order for a nation.
3.) Heroes are those who
contribute to the quality of life
and destiny of a nation.
4.) A hero is part of the
peoples expression.
5.) A hero thinks of the future,
especially the future
generations.
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.
After two years of deliberation,
the National Historical
Commission, comprised of the
Melchora Aquino, the Grand Woman of the Revolution
countrys top historians,
selected nine individuals and recommended their declaration as national heroes.
Shortlisted were Rizal, Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, Marcelo H. del Pilar,
Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat, Juan Luna, Melchora Aquino, and Gabriela Silang.
Heroes in waiting
Unfortunately, the NHC recommendation submitted on November 22, 1995 to then Secretary
Ricardo Gloria of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS, now known
simply as Department of Education) was never acted upon.
NHCPs explanation regarding this pending approval states, This was probably because
[the recommendation] might trigger a flood of requests for proclamations. Another possibility
is that the proclamations can trigger bitter debates involving historical controversies about
the heroes.
The NHCP maintains, however, that the agency is certain of the laws and proclamations
made in honor of all Filipino heroes, collectively celebrated for the first time in the 1931
National Heroes Day. Moreover, the year 1996, the centennial of the Philippine Revolution,
had also been declared the Year of Filipino Heroes, with August 30 of every year
dedicated as National Heroes Day. The date of choice is the commemoration of the Cry of
Pugad Lawin, which signaled the start of Bonifacios Katipunan-led revolution in 1896.

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In 2007, former president Gloria


Macapagal-Arroyo issued
Republic Act 9492, which
mandated that if the date of any
regular or nationwide special
holiday falls on a Wednesday, the
holiday is to be observed on the
Monday of that week. In addition,
if a holiday falls on a Sunday,
then the holiday shall be
observed on the Monday of the
following week. In effect, the
celebration of National Heroes
Day since then has been
assigned to the last or fourth
Monday of August.
With all these facts uncovered,
celebrating National Heroes Day
is still observed by government as
a very important holiday in the
Philippines. For whether legislated
or not, Filipino heroes deserve
the veneration of generations of
Filipinos who enjoy the freedom
they now have. More importantly,
it is in remembering them and
their selfless love for country that
will inspire future Filipino heroes
to rise up.

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