Senator Imee Marcos took a different course on the celebration of the National Heroes’ Day by reiterating that the country has no ‘official hero’.
“The reality is that, officially, we have no heroes,” Marcos said in a statement.
The newbie senator and daughter of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos said that the government hasn’t proclaimed national heroes.
“Little do most Filipinos know that ever since the Philippines gained independence, the government has never officially proclaimed who our national heroes really are, even if it has been taught as early as grade school that the likes of Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio are among them,” she said.
Marcos added that the Philippine National Heroes’ Committee recommended several historical figures to be designated as national heroes- Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat, Juan Luna, Melchora Aquino, and Gabriela Silang.
The regional issues and disputes however were not resolved by the commission.
“However, the issue deteriorated into a debate involving regional interests that never was resolved,” Marcos said.
The senator said that even Jose Rizal was not proclaimed as the country’s national hero.
A 2014 bill was filed at the House of Representatives but did not push through.
“What we only have are implied heroes, despite having official dates for their commemoration,” she explained.
