When you hear the word “hero,” what comes to mind? A caped crusader flying in to stop criminals? With the introduction of comic books back in the day, you’d often associate the word with talented individuals wearing costumes and cowls. But the glamorized depiction is just what it is: fiction. True heroes don’t need to hide their identities or use super powers to fight and serve the people in their own way.
On August 29, the Philippines celebrates National Heroes Day when all the heroes of the nation are remembered and revered. The past and present have had their share of true heroes, some prominent beacons of hope while others working from behind the scenes.
Many of the past heroes in the Philippines weren’t necessarily warriors. Many of them were well known for their prowess on the battlefield like Gabriela Silang, a female revolutionary, and General Luna, a sharp general with a temper. But there were peaceful figures as well such as Jose Rizal, who poured his patriotism into his written works, and Tandang Sora, who housed and tended to the casualties of war.
Even today, there are heroes all around us, hidden in plain sight. Everyday people like policemen, doctors, army men and teachers do their best in their own ways to help improve the country little by little. Educating the masses, tending to the sick and upholding the law are important deeds today. Now that the Philippines has gained its independence through the sacrifices of the past, it’s up to these heroes to protect and uphold this peace into the future.
Even common persons can be heroes in their own right. By helping others, keeping to the laws and by becoming upstanding and respectable citizens, collectively they become heroes to one another and help build the country. Even if there’s no celebration, we must continue to celebrate the heroic deeds of the past and become the heroes of the future.
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