Gallery
Some of the persons selected for recommendation as national heroes: [2]
A national hero of the Philippines is a Filipino who has been recognized as a national hero for their role in the history of the Philippines. Loosely, the term may refer to all historical figures recognized as heroes, but the term more strictly refers to those officially designated as such. In 1995 the Philippine National Heroes Committee officially recommended several people for the designation, [1] but this was not acted upon. As of 2023 [update] , no one had ever been officially recognized as a Philippine national hero. [2]
The reformist writer Jose Rizal, today considered as the quintessential national hero, has never been explicitly proclaimed as such by the Philippine government. [2] Besides Jose Rizal, the only other Filipino currently given implied recognition as a national hero is Andrés Bonifacio, based on the Philippine government's policy on national holidays. While other historical figures are commemorated in public municipal or provincial holidays. Only Rizal and Andrés Bonifacio to date are commemorated in full or "regular" national holidays- the only ones, based on this metric. [2] The National Heroes Committee recommended Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat, Juan Luna, Melchora Aquino, and Gabriela Silang to be recognized as national heroes on November 15, 1995. [2] No action was taken on the recommendation.
According to the 1993 Technical Committee, the National Hero shall be: [3]
Three more criteria were added in 1995: [3]
Already admired in his lifetime for his nationalistic writings and activities, Jose Rizal was executed for treason on December 30, 1896, by the Spanish colonial government. His writings had helped inspire the Philippine Revolution against colonial rule. On December 20, 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo, President of the Philippine government, decreed December 30 of every year a day of national mourning in honor of Rizal and other victims of the revolution. Henceforth, December 30 has been celebrated as Rizal Day . [2]
By the start of the 20th century, the Philippines had become a Protectorate of the United States. Rizal was given special attention as a hero by the American Occupational administration because, unlike more radical figures whose ideas could inspire resistance against American rule, he was interpreted to represent peaceful political advocacy. [4] [5] Rizal was selected over the revolutionaries Andres Bonifacio, who was viewed as too radical, and Apolinario Mabini, who was considered unregenerate. [5] In June 1901, Act No. 137 of the Taft Commission reorganized the district of Morong into the Province of Rizal. [2]
On February 23, 1918, the Philippine Legislature issued Act No. 2760 which promoted the creation, maintenance, and improvement of national monuments, particularly the creation of a monument in memory of Andres Bonifacio, leader of the Katipunan secret society which spearheaded the Philippine Revolution. [2]
On February 16, 1921, the Philippine Legislature enacted Act No. 2946, which made November 30 of each year a legal holiday to commemorate the birth of Andres Bonifacio, henceforth called Bonifacio Day . [2]
On October 28, 1931, the Philippine Legislature enacted Act No. 3827, declaring the last Sunday of August of every year as National Heroes Day . [2]
By 1960, Rizal was already held in such esteem that he was referred to as the Philippine national hero, even though no legislation had been passed making it official. That year, historian Teodoro Agoncillo wrote in his History of the Filipino People that the Philippine national hero, unlike those of other countries, was not "the leader of its liberation forces". [6] Agoncillo noted the sentiments of certain quarters calling for Rizal's replacement as the national hero by Andres Bonifacio, since Rizal was interpreted as ultimately a reformist content to be under Spain, not a revolutionary wishing for independence like Emilio Aguinaldo who was elected President of the Revolutionary Government and Generalissimo of the National Liberation Forces. Agoncillo opined that Bonifacio should not replace Rizal as the national hero but be honored alongside him. [6]
Historian Renato Constantino, building upon sentiments noted by Agoncillo, wrote in his 1970 essay Veneration Without Understanding that Rizal was unworthy of his high status since he was a "United States-sponsored hero". [4]
In 1990, historian Ambeth Ocampo stated that Rizal was a "conscious hero", i.e., he had projected himself as a national figure prior to his execution and he was deemed as the national hero by Bonifacio, who even named Rizal as the honorary president of the Katipunan, long before Rizal was given reverence by the American Occupational administrators. [7]
President Fidel V. Ramos formed the National Heroes Committee on March 28, 1993, under Executive Order No. 75, titled "Creating the National Heroes Committee Under the Office of the President". The National Heroes Committee was tasked to study, evaluate and recommend Filipino national heroes to recognize their heroic character and remarkable achievements for the country. [2]
On November 30, 1994 (Bonifacio Day), President Ramos issued Proclamation No. 510 which declared the year 1996 (the centennial of the Philippine Revolution) as the Year of Filipino Heroes. [2]
The National Heroes Committee recommended the following nine individuals to be recognized as national heroes on November 15, 1995: [2]
Their report was submitted to the Department of Education, Culture and Sports on November 22 of that year. However, no action was taken afterwards. It was speculated that any action might cause a number of requests for proclamation or trigger debates that revolve around the controversies about the concerned historical figures. [2]
On July 24, 2007, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo approved Republic Act No. 9256, which declared the Monday nearest August 21 a nationwide special holiday in honor of Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., called Ninoy Aquino Day . August 21 is Aquino's death anniversary. [8] On the same date President Macapagal-Arroyo also approved Republic Act No. 9492, which decreed that National Heroes Day be celebrated on the last Monday of August, Bonifacio Day on the Monday nearest November 30, and Rizal Day on the Monday nearest December 30. [9]
Following the death of President Corazon "Cory" Aquino on August 1, 2009, two resolutions, House Joint Resolution Nos. 41 and 42, have been filed proposing her official recognition as a national hero with her birthdate January 25 as Cory Aquino Day. [10] [11]
Some of the persons selected for recommendation as national heroes: [2]
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who is the youngest president of the Philippines (1899–1901) and became the first president of the Philippines and of an Asian constitutional republic. He led the Philippine forces first against Spain in the Philippine Revolution (1896–1898), then in the Spanish–American War (1898), and finally against the United States during the Philippine–American War (1899–1901).
This article presents a timeline of Philippine political history focused on governmental transitions of the Philippine archipelago, major polities, invasion attempts, and insurgency movements from the pre-Hispanic period to the present. The information presented here is highly summarized, and more complete information can be found in more detailed articles linked below.
The Katipunan, officially the Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan and abbreviated as the KKK, was a revolutionary organization founded in 1892 by a group of Filipino nationalists Deodato Arellano, Andrés Bonifacio, Valentin Diaz, Ladislao Diwa, José Dizon, and Teodoro Plata. Its primary objective was achieving independence from the Spanish Empire through an armed revolution. It was formed as a secret society before its eventual discovery by Spanish authorities in August 1896. This discovery led to the start of the Philippine Revolution.
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino revolutionary leader. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine Revolution", and considered one of the national heroes of the Philippines.
Apolinario Mabini y Maranan was a Filipino revolutionary leader, educator, lawyer, and statesman who served first as a legal and constitutional adviser to the Revolutionary Government, and then as the first Prime Minister of the Philippines upon the establishment of the First Philippine Republic. He is regarded as the "utak ng himagsikan" or "brain of the revolution" and is also considered as a national hero in the Philippines. Mabini's work and thoughts on the government shaped the Philippines' fight for independence over the next century.
The Philippine Revolution was a war of independence waged by the revolutionary organization Katipunan against the Spanish Empire from 1896 to 1898. It was the culmination of the 333-year colonial rule of Spain to the archipelago. The Philippines were among the last colonies of the Spanish Empire, which saw a massive decline particularly in the 1890s. Cuba rebelled in 1895, and the empire soon fought against the United States in a war that they lost. In June 1898, Philippine revolutionaries declared independence. However, this was not recognized by Spain, which sold the islands to the United States in the Treaty of Paris.
Rizal Day is a Philippine national holiday commemorating life and works of José Rizal, a national hero of the Philippines. It is celebrated every December 30, the anniversary of Rizal's 1896 execution at Bagumbayan in Manila.
Miguel Malvar y Carpio was a Filipino general who served during the Philippine Revolution and, subsequently, during the Philippine–American War. He assumed command of the Philippine revolutionary forces during the latter, following the capture of resistance leader Emilio Aguinaldo by the Americans in 1901. According to some, he could have been listed as one of the presidents of the Philippines. However, is not recognized as such by the Philippine government.
The Philippine Declaration of Independence was proclaimed by Filipino revolutionary forces general Emilio Aguinaldo on June 12, 1898, in Cavite el Viejo, Philippines. It asserted the sovereignty and independence of the Philippine islands from the 300 years of colonial rule from Spain.
Independence Day is a national holiday in the Philippines observed annually on June 12, commemorating the declaration of Philippine independence from Spain in 1898. Since 1978, it has been the country's National Day.
The Division of City Schools – Manila, or simply the DCS-Manila, is a division under the supervision of the Department of Education. It also refers to the three-tier public education system in Manila, Philippines.
Pío del Pilar was a Filipino revolutionary general. He was one of the lead figures in the Philippine Revolution, and fought major battles in Manila and Cavite.
Anastacio Tanchanco Caedo was a Filipino sculptor. His style of sculpture was classical realist in the tradition of his mentor, Guillermo Tolentino.
The Cry of Pugad Lawin was the beginning of the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish Empire.
The national symbols of the Philippines consist of symbols that represent Philippine traditions and ideals and convey the principles of sovereignty and national solidarity of the Filipino people. Some of these symbols namely the national flag, the Great Seal, the coat of arms and the national motto are stated in the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, which is also known as Republic Act 8491. In the Constitution of the Philippines, the Filipino language is stated as the national language of the Philippines. Aside from those stated symbols in the Constitution and in Republic Act 8491, there are only six official national symbols of the Philippines enacted through law, namely sampaguita as national flower, narra as national tree, the Philippine eagle as national bird, Philippine pearl as national gem, arnis as national martial art and sport and the Filipino Sign Language as the national sign language. Thus, there is a total of twelve official national symbols passed through Philippine laws.
Emilio Jacinto y Dizon was a Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution. He was one of the highest-ranking officers in the Philippine Revolution and was one of the highest-ranking officers of the revolutionary society Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan, or simply and more popularly called Katipunan, being a member of its Supreme Council. He was elected Secretary of State for the Haring Bayang Katagalugan, a revolutionary government established during the outbreak of hostilities. He is popularly known in Philippine history textbooks as the Brains of the Katipunan while some contend he should be rightfully recognized as the "Brains of the Revolution". Jacinto was present in the so-called Cry of Pugad Lawin with Andrés Bonifacio, the Supremo of the Katipunan, and others of its members which signaled the start of the Revolution against the Spanish colonial government in the islands.
The Pilipino Series banknotes is the name used to refer to Philippine banknotes and coins issued by the Central Bank of the Philippines from 1969 to 1973, during the term of President Ferdinand Marcos. It was succeeded by the Ang Bagong Lipunan Series of banknotes, to which it shared a similar design. The lowest denomination of the series is 1-piso and the highest is 100-piso.
1896 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in the year 1896.
This is the timeline of the Philippine Revolution—the uprising that gave birth to Asia's first republic. The roots of the revolution trace back to the Cavite mutiny and subsequent execution of Gomburza in 1872, and ended with the declaration of independence from Spain in 1898.
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