Philippines' National Heroes' Day

The City Government of Davao in coordination with several organizations, city government departments, federations and the diplomatic corps jointly commemorated today, August 26, 2019 the National Heroes' Day at the Unknown Soldiers Monument.

(Davao City's Acting Mayor Sebastian Baste Duterte during his speech)

By virtue of Act No. 3827 of 1931, the last Sunday of August was declared a national holiday in the Philippines known as National Heroes' Day. This was done in order to give honor to other heroes who are not remembered with their own legal holidays as Jose Rizal is remembered every 30th of December and Andreas Bonifacio every 30th of November.

The principal proponents of this act were historians and legislators who believed that there is an unjust gap in the national memory because many of the other heroes were forgotten and their contributions to the country were unsung.

August was chosen as the month for celebration based on the seminal events of August 1896 ("Cry of Pugad Lawin" and "Battle of San Juan del Monte"). Legislating a special holiday to recognize and remember heroes, both known and unknown would be an avenue for Filipinos to become enlightened on the richness of their heritage and thus encourage them to become better citizenz and to live noble lives.

Acting Davao City Mayor Bastian Baste Duterte and today's Guest Speaker Datu Rodolfo Mande