On the occasion of National Heroes Day, Pinoy kids who were born and raised here in the UAE take pride and give credit to heroes at their own home – their moms and dads who work tirelessly not only nurture them, but also give support to the extended families that they have back in the Philippines.
Johann Emmanuel DJ. Arbasto, a nine-year-old, said that his parents taught him the importance of valuing not only their material possessions, but more so the immaterial values of love, empathy, and fear of God.
“My Mommy and Daddy are my heroes. They taught me how to value things small or big and that in every thing I do, I should do it for a good purpose that will help other people and that I should always consider how others feel. They also taught me how to pray to thank God for the blessings that we’ve received and to ask for help. To my mommy and daddy, I promise to be a better kid, obeying and learning from you. I love you mommy and daddy,” said Johann.
For his part, eight-year-old Jeoff Leance Masujer said that he always admired how his parents sacrificed their time away from home to grow their family here in the UAE.
“My parents choose to work abroad to provide better assistance to the family despite feeling sad about it. Even though, they are very tired from work they always make sure to give and spend quality time together and give me and my sister a good life here in the UAE. For me, sacrifice is a heroic act, so it more than enough for them to be called a Modern-Day heroes. To my Mom and Dad, thank you for everything, I know that sometimes we are facing difficulties, but you both keep on going! That’s why I love you both,” said Jeoff.
Apart from acknowledging the efforts of her parents, 16-year-old Pretty Xandie Jhil Miña said that it’s also important to recognize the valiance of heroes who have sacrificed their life and liberty so that this generation could enjoy the freedom that the Philippines has today.
“As a Filipino raised in the UAE, I am less exposed to my own country’s history. Honestly speaking, I have a limited scope of knowledge when it comes to Filipino heroes due to the fact that it’s affected by my surroundings as the environment in the UAE differs from the Philippines. However, as I’m studying in a Filipino school, I become more introduced to learning about the history of my country as it’s included in the topics I must master. With this being said, it became an opportunity for me to acquire more knowledge about the national heroes of the Philippines,” said Pretty.
She takes inspiration from the country’s national hero, Jose Rizal, whose works continue to inspire the youth and the Filipinos as a whole.
“One notable hero that I’ve learned about is the well-respected Jose Rizal. I can quite relate to him regarding the dedication he puts into his work. I’ve learned about how he played an important role in fighting for the independence of the Philippines, and boosting the literate aspect of the Filipinos through his works like Florante at Laura, Noli Me Tangere, etc., which I am thankful to have learned in my Filipino classes. To conclude, it is indeed significant for the youth of today to put the effort into remembering the history of our country whether they live in other countries because these heroes played a big role in shaping our nation in the present and it exhibits our pride of being a Filipino,” said Pretty.
