Marcos honors farmers, teachers, healthcare workers on National Heroes' Day
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. honored farmers, workers, teachers, healthcare workers, civil servants, and citizens as the country's "unsung heroes" on National Heroes' Day.
“Today, we pay tribute to the countless unsung heroes whose contributions are no less significant in building and pushing our nation forward," Marcos said in his message on Aug. 26.
He highlighted the efforts of the "farmers who till our land, the wage earners who propel our economy, the teachers who shape the minds of our youth, the healthcare workers who save lives, the civil servants who respond to the needs of the public, and the everyday citizens who carry out simple acts of kindness to others."
“In honoring our heroes, we affirm as our own the values, virtues, and ideals they stood for,” he added.
The president also remembered "the brave souls who have come before us," saying it is "through the freedom that they have fought for that we enjoy the liberties we have today, making it our solemn duty to ensure that their sacrifices are firmly etched in the hearts and minds of all Filipinos."
“Our heroes' stories of courage, resilience, and patriotism bear even greater significance now that we are on the journey to becoming a truly revitalized and united nation,” he said.
He cited the heroism of Lapu-Lapu, Andres Bonifacio and the Katipuneros, Jose Rizal, Apolinario Mabini, and Emilio Jacinto, saying they and "many others whose names resound through the ages" remind Filipinos of the "need to relentlessly strive and fight for a better future."
Marcos led a National Heroes' Day ceremony at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig.
National Heroes' Day is a regular holiday observed last Monday of August. It marks the anniversary of the Cry of Pugad Lawin, the beginning of the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896.