National Heroes Day

[Lee]

Quote

 

National Heroes Day, the last Monday in August, is observed as a regular national holiday. In Tagalog, it is known as “Araw ng mga Bayani.”

National Heroes Day, observed since 1931, commemorates and remembers all Filipino national heroes, particularly those who do not have their own unique anniversaries or commemorations.

Despite its prestigious-sounding title, National Heroes Day commemorates not only famous Filipinos from the past and present, but also nameless Filipinos who have contributed significantly to the cause of freedom, justice, and Philippine nationhood.

What makes someone a national hero?

Although there are no laws that declare a Filipino a national hero, there are factors that determine whether a historical figure meets the criteria.

On March 28, 1993, former President Fidel Ramos established the National Heroes Commission, which is entrusted with recommending national heroes to be acknowledged for their character and services to the country.

The panel was also entrusted with evaluating and developing criteria for determining whether or not a historical figure is a national hero.

The committee created the following criteria:

Heroes are people who have a sense of nation and strive for the country’s liberation.

They define and contribute to a nation’s freedom and order.

Heroes contribute to a nation’s quality of life.

On November 15, 1995, the National Heroes Committee’s Technical Committee established the following additional criteria:

The hero is a part of the national consciousness.

Heroes consider the future, particularly future generations.

The selection of heroes involves the complete process that led to the creation of a hero.

 

https://www.futurelearn.com/info/futurelearn-international/national-heroes-philippines