“All of us can be heroes, one way or another,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday as the nation marked National Heroes’ Day.
“We unleash the hero in us when we act genuinely for the good of another, impelled by the causes and motives greater, more noble than mere personal interest or vain glory,” he added.
In his message, President Marcos also urged Filipinos to honor the efforts of today’s unsung heroes in shaping the country, even as they remember the nation’s forebears’ sacrifice and courage in attaining freedom.
“In the multitude of activities and responsibilities that fill our daily lives, we tend to forget the many heroes and heroines responsible for all the liberties we enjoy today. While we do dedicate time each year to commemorate the notable names that fill our history books, it is just as crucial to remember the lives and deeds of the many lesser-known and unnamed Filipinos who played pivotal roles in shaping our nation,” President Marcos said.
The Chief Executive emphasized that being a hero comes in different shapes and forms, from the country’s well-known luminaries to regular Filipino citizens.
“On this year’s National Heroes Day. I enjoin every Filipino across the globe to celebrate with a renewed understanding and sense of pride for the fortitude that is naturally abundant in our hearts as a people,” Mr. Marcos said.
“As we recognize our forebears whose uncelebrated legacies our society is built on, let us also realize our own power to become heroes for our families and communities. May this consciousness then ignite us to be dedicated in our agenda of creating a new Philippines that is strong, prosperous, resilient, and secure for present and future generations,” he added.
In a separate speech at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, the President also said that the public should not take heroism for granted as failing in duty would put the country’s heroes’ sacrifice and efforts in vain.
“We shall not take their heroism for granted. We will not spare ourselves of the moral duty to perpetuate the ideals that they have fought for, and to rectify the unsafe, inequitable, or exceptionally difficult conditions that necessitated their selfless deeds. Failing in our duty, their sacrifices would have been all in vain,” the President said.
The President led the wreath-laying ceremony in the Libingan ng mga Bayani to honor the contributions of the nation’s heroes.
He added that the public should “unleash the hero in us” to genuinely act for the good of others.
Mr. Marcos also stressed the need to acknowledge and celebrate heroic tales of Filipinos, whether they are in the country or outside in the rest of the world.
He concluded that small or large heroic acts would go a long way in making the country a better place.
Speaker Martin G. Romualdez on Monday joined the nation in celebrating National Heroes Day.
“Today, we remember the bravery, courage and patriotism of our heroes who fought for our independence, liberty, democracy, sovereignty, our country, our people. To them, we owe our freedom,” Romualdez said.
“We pay tribute to our national leaders, our soldiers, our policemen, our teachers, our government personnel, our local officials, and our barangay officers, for their heroism in safeguarding our nation, keeping the peace and delivering vital public services,” Romualdez said after joining the President at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
He said on National Heroes Day, the nation also recognizes the sacrifices of laborers, especially overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who are oftentimes called “modern day heroes,” for working tirelessly for their families and for contributing immensely to the economy.
Romualdez pointed out that along with workers, “we salute our employers, our entrepreneurs – big, small, medium, micro – who serve as drivers of economic growth.”
“We acknowledge as well the arduous daily toil of our farmers and fisherfolk in support of their loved ones and country’s food requirements. They, too, are our heroes,” he added.
“We salute every Filipino who does his share in building our nation. Most of all, we honor our women who tend to our families and households. They are our greatest heroes,” he said.