National Heroes Day (Philippines)
{{Short description|Public holiday in the Philippines}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=March 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox holiday
| holiday_name = National Heroes Day
| type = Secular
| image = 2716Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City 05.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, where officials customarily lay wreaths during National Heroes Day
| official_name = National Heroes Day
| nickname =
| observedby = Philippines
| litcolor =
| longtype = Secular, heritage, governmental
| significance = Commemorates heroes of the country
| begins =
| ends =
| duration = 1 day
| frequency = annual
| scheduling = Same day of the same week
| date =
| week_ordinal = Last
| weekday = Monday
| month = August
| date2011 =
| date2012 =
| date2013 =
| celebrations =
| observances =
| relatedto =
}}
National Heroes Day ({{langx|fil|Pambansang Araw ng mga Bayani}}{{Cite web |date=2021 |title=Araw ng mga Bayani 2021 |url=http://web.nlp.gov.ph/nlp/?q=node/10557 |access-date=October 2, 2022 |publisher=National Library of the Philippines |language=fil}}) is a public holiday in the Philippines celebrated annually on the last Monday of August as a tribute to Filipino Heroes.{{Cite web |title=National Heroes Day of Philippines {{!}} Diversity Atlas |url=https://diversityatlas.io/events/national-heroes-day-of-philippines/ |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=diversityatlas.io |language=en-US}}
History
The holiday traces its roots to the Cry of Pugad Lawin in August 1896, which marked the beginning of the Philippine Revolution.{{Cite web |last=Jose |first=Nica |title=National Heroes Day: The Story Behind Why We Honor Our Revolutionaries Today |url=https://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/culture/106061/national-heroes-day-2023-facts-a5157-20230827 |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=SPOT.PH |language=en}} The date and the location of the cry have been long disputed. From 1911 to 1962, the cry was thought to have emanated from Balintawak (now in modern-day Balingasa, Quezon City) on August 26. In 1963, by recommendation of historian Teodoro Agoncillo, the date was changed to August 23, and the location was changed to Pugad Lawin in Caloocan (now in modern-day Gulod, Novaliches, Quezon City).{{cite web |title=Come August, Remember Balintawak |url=http://www.filipinojournal.com/v2/index.php?pagetype=read&article_num=08062009225054 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711001816/http://www.filipinojournal.com/v2/index.php?pagetype=read&article_num=08062009225054 |archive-date=2011-07-11 |access-date=2009-08-29}} Due to the disputed date, and with the consensus that the cry occurred in late August, the holiday was then set for the last week of August.{{Cite web |last=Tan |first=Nigel |date=2014-08-25 |title=Fast Facts: National Heroes Day |url=https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/67154-fast-facts-national-heroes-day/ |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=RAPPLER |language=en-US}}
The observance of National Heroes Day was already present during the American colonial period. Act No. 3827 by the Philippine Legislature enacted on October 28, 1931, designated every last Sunday of August as National Heroes Day.{{Cite PH act|chamber=Act|number=3827|title=An Act to declare the last Sunday of August of every year as an official holiday to be known as the National Heroes Day|url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1931/10/28/act-no-3827/ |access-date=October 2, 2022|date=October 27, 1931}} However, Bonifacio Day established by virtue of Act No. 2946 of 1921 was also dedicated to anonymous Filipino heroes.{{cite PH act|chamber=Act|number=2946|url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/legislative%2Bissuances/Act%20No.%202946|title=An Act Making the Thirtieth of November of Each Year a Legal Holiday|date=February 15, 1921|accessdate=May 17, 2023}} In practice, National Heroes Day celebrations were observed on the same day as Bonifacio Day. This continued during the Japanese occupation during World War II and some years after the United States granted the Philippines independence in 1946.{{Cite web |title=National Heroes Day |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/featured/national-heroes-day/ |access-date=October 2, 2022 |website=Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines}}
President Elpidio Quirino issued Administrative Order No. 190 in 1952 which reverted National Heroes Day back to the last Sunday of August.{{Cite PH act|chamber=AO|number=190, s. 1952|title= Creating a Committee to take charge of the Celebration of National Heroes day on Sunday, August 31, 1952|url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1952/08/11/administrative-order-no-190-s-1952/ |access-date=May 17, 2023|date=August 11, 1952}} Administrative Code of 1987 of President Corazon Aquino designated the day as a regular holiday.{{Cite PH act|chamber=EO|number=292, s. 1987|title=Instituting the “Administrative Code of 1987”
|url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1987/07/25/executive-order-no-292-s-1987/ |access-date=May 17, 2023|date=July 25, 1987}} The date of the holiday was revised again in 2007, this time to the last Monday of August, via Republic Act No. 9492 which was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.{{Cite PH act|chamber=RA|number=9492|title=An Act Rationalizing the Celebration of National Holidays Amending for the Purpose Section 26, Chapter 7, Book 1 of Executive Order No. 292, as amended, otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987|url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2007/07/24/republic-act-no-9492/ |access-date=May 17, 2023|date=July 24, 2007}}
Commemoration
File:President Rodrigo R. Duterte honors our fallen heroes during the celebration of the National Heroes’ Day.jpg laying wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Monument on National Heroes Day 2016]]
The law itself does not explicitly name any specific individual to be commemorated during National Heroes Day.{{Cite news |last=Dela Peña |first=Kurt |date=August 29, 2022 |title=National Heroes Day: Remembering the lesser-known people who fought for freedom |language=en |work=Philippine Daily Inquirer |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1654941/national-heroes-day-remembering-the-lesser-known-people-who-fought-for-freedom |access-date=October 2, 2022}} Commemorations often include key figures in Philippine history who are regarded as national heroes though it could also include "lesser-known" and "ordinary" Filipinos.{{Cite news |date=August 27, 2017 |title=Who are considered national heroes? |work=ABS-CBN News |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/08/27/17/who-are-considered-national-heroes |access-date=October 2, 2022}} Examples include Overseas Filipino Workers{{Cite news |last=Rocamora |first=Joyce Ann |date=August 27, 2018 |title=OFWs: Modern-day heroes still |agency=Philippine News Agency |url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1046084 |access-date=October 2, 2022}} and frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite news |last=Parrocha |first=Azer |date=August 31, 2020 |title=Front-liners feted as 'modern day heroes' |agency=Philippine News Agency |url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1113897 |access-date=October 2, 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Public holidays in the Philippines}}
{{Symbols of the Philippines}}