On the eve of the National Heroes’ Day commemoration, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan urged government officials to follow the example of Filipinos who perform heroic feats every day.
In a statement on Sunday, Pangilinan enumerated some of the daily struggles Filipinos have to overcome, citing the long queues at the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3, the hardships in public transportation, the low income earnings and the ever increasing prices of basic commodities.
“That’s the Filipino. Hardworking. Street-smart. Undaunted. That’s the true hero,” Pangilinan said.
The senator then called on government officials to “follow their examples and fulfill their duties to the people: Fix public transport. Ease the people’s everyday hardship. Create secure jobs that pay sufficient wage. Give hope of a good life here and not abroad. Arrest and jail plunderers. Value people’s hard-earned taxes. Make affordable basic commodities like food, especially rice.”
“Thriving is the country where both ruler and ruled are heroes,” he stressed.
In a separate statement, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III also gave importance to celebrate heroism in its smaller everyday forms.
“The office worker, local entrepreneur, teacher, artist or OFW who toils hard to earn a decent living for one’s family while also assisting others is no less a hero as a soldier who dies for flag and country. Being a diligent student, a dependable parent or a law-abiding citizen requires equal parts nobility of character and determination to achieve either a personal or collective goal, which are no less heroic acts,” he said.
“We should honor heroism every day because the Filipino performs heroic feats, big and small, every day,” he added. /je