Past, present, future: Senators honor heroes from across generations

MANILA, Philippines — With the celebration of National Heroes Day, senators on Monday encouraged Filipinos to honor the bravery and sacrifices made by the country’s heroes both in the past and the present.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said the nation’s long list of dedicated heroes who fought to protect the freedom of the country “reflects not only our reputation for courage, valor and determination amidst adversity but also our inherent nobility as a people.”

“Today, their legacy lives on in the modern-day heroes of our nation: From the soldiers who protect us from our enemies, to the police who maintain order in our society, to the teachers who nurture our youth, to the overseas workers who toil abroad for their families, and to every Filipino who strive day and night to contribute to our society,” he said in a statement.

“Let us pay tribute to all of our nation’s heroes, both past and present, by celebrating their deeds and honoring their memory. Let their example guide us as we confront the challenges of our time and build the Philippines we aspire for ourselves and our nation,” he added.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also paid tribute to the nation’s heroes “whose courageous deeds made it possible for our country to attain its freedom.”

“Those whose names have been forever etched in history books, as well as to the nameless heroes throughout our history who helped build our nation into what it is today,” Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said in a statement.

He also highlighted the sacrifices and contributions of the country’s modern day heroes.

“Nagbibigay-pugay rin tayo sa kadakilaan ng ating mga bagong bayani — kasama na ang ating mga OFW, na siyang nagpapasigla sa ating ekonomiya; at ating at mga guro, na siya namang humuhubog at gumagabay sa ating mga kabataan upang maging mga bayani rin sa hinaharap,” he said.

Meanwhile, for Senator Pia Cayetano, a way to honor the nation’s heroes is to nurture nationalism among the youth.

“Let us honor the great men and women who fought for our nation’s freedom by nurturing future heroes among the ranks of our youth,” she said.

“May this day remind us of the importance of bridging our current generation of young Filipinos  to our rich and proud past, and cultivating in them love of country and service to fellow Filipinos, the same values which our national heroes embraced and stood up for,” she added.

For her part, Senator Grace Poe said she sees every day as an opportunity to “be like our brave and selfless heroes.”

“There are our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) who endure separation from their loved ones to give their families comfortable lives. There are the daily commuters and motorists who brave the traffic to get to work and their destination,” Poe said.

“There are the workers, entrepreneurs and employers who go through the daily grind to make the economy move forward. There are the volunteers and social workers who come to the aid of the often forgotten sectors of our society,” she added.

She then called on Filipinos to “show excellence, perseverance and dedication for our families, for ourselves and for the nation.”

Meanwhile, Senator Richard Gordon underscored the importance of knowing the country’s history.

 “A man who cannot look back on his past cannot look forward to a brighter future. That is why we have to know our history,” he said.

 He then said that Filipinos should be inspired by the achievements and the nationalism displayed by our heroes then.

 “As we honor our heroes today, let their achievements and nationalism serve as an inspiration for everyone of us to carry our individual loads and help steer our country towards progress and development and genuine freedom,” Gordon added. /je