MANILA, Philippines – National Heroes Day commemorates the valiant Filipinos who fought for Philippine freedom, honoring all Philippine national heroes, specifically those who do not have their own national holidays. It's also a commemoration of the Cry of Pugadlawin on August 23, 1986, which signaled the official start of the Filipino insurrection against Spanish colonial rule.
More than 120 years after, it's through these heroes' efforts that we now enjoy a measure of freedom – such as that seen on Twitter where people can voice out their thoughts without the threat of being executed, not physically at least.
On the social network, Filipino netizens allowed their #NationalHeroesDay thoughts to flow. Many offered their salute, some offered inspiring tweets, and a few injected some humor into the matter. Below, we've collected some of these, along with our own effort to highlight heroic Filipino women you might not have heard of.
Internet personality Mikey Bustos performed a rap tribute:
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Happy Philippine National Heroes Day! Whoever your hero is, never forget what they did! Mabuhay! <a href="https://t.co/CNAGkCvaaj">https://t.co/CNAGkCvaaj</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a></p>— Mikey Bustos (@MikeyBustos) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeyBustos/status/770210983746740224">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}
@manilabookworm posted the music video for "Saludo" by Filipino hip-hop artist Quest:
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In honor of all the heroes of old and modern times, kami ay saludo!<a href="https://t.co/EeyfYH1aMz">https://t.co/EeyfYH1aMz</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a></p>— Nina (@manilabookworm) <a href="https://twitter.com/manilabookworm/status/770209070775095297">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}
@MillennialOfMNL kicked off an "If Filipinos were in high school" thread:
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"> "If Filipino heroes were in highschool" thread </p>— Gabriela Silang-Leav (@MillennialOfMNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/MillennialOfMNL/status/770160573900218368">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}
A few examples:
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="tl" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/MillennialOfMNL">@MillennialOfMNL</a> <br><br>Jose Rizal<br>- late magpasa ng test paper kasi mahaba pangalan<br>- expert sa Tinder<br>- smol friend™ <a href="https://t.co/bM8RGdA1ut">pic.twitter.com/bM8RGdA1ut</a></p>— Gabriela Silang-Leav (@MillennialOfMNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/MillennialOfMNL/status/770160934291509249">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="tl" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/MillennialOfMNL">@MillennialOfMNL</a><br><br>Andres Bonifacio<br><br>- laging beastmode<br>- hindi tumutumba sa inuman<br>- nang-aaway ng teacher <a href="https://t.co/j7mIq7bsuz">pic.twitter.com/j7mIq7bsuz</a></p>— Gabriela Silang-Leav (@MillennialOfMNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/MillennialOfMNL/status/770162341044326400">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="tl" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/MillennialOfMNL">@MillennialOfMNL</a> <br><br>Apolinario Mabini<br><br>- brains of the examination™<br>- nagpapakopya lang pag nasa mood<br>- nerd <a href="https://t.co/kvBxcWF1Cl">pic.twitter.com/kvBxcWF1Cl</a></p>— Gabriela Silang-Leav (@MillennialOfMNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/MillennialOfMNL/status/770163999107272704">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Messages of gratitude popped up here and there:
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">before today ends, i salute all the heroes out there! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a> </p>— ㅤtrisha (@marielleolarte) <a href="https://twitter.com/marielleolarte/status/770205368815198209">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Happy <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a>!!! </p>— Jimmy Alapag (@JAlapag3) <a href="https://twitter.com/JAlapag3/status/770085189867466752">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thank you to all of our heroes; in the past and present, who sacrificed their lives to secure the freedom we enjoy today. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a></p>— Gem Bandiola (@gemmedgem) <a href="https://twitter.com/gemmedgem/status/770204106787004417">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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What's a hero or who should be a hero? Some attempted to answer those questions:
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." <br><br>Happy <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/pQpro66F7G">pic.twitter.com/pQpro66F7G</a></p>— Lakasdiwa EHS (@LakasdiwaEHS) <a href="https://twitter.com/LakasdiwaEHS/status/770109177935036417">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Heroes are those who make this country a better place for our children. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MotivationMonday?src=hash">#MotivationMonday</a> <a href="https://t.co/ka4jpkl3PM">pic.twitter.com/ka4jpkl3PM</a></p>— WFP Philippines (@WFP_Philippines) <a href="https://twitter.com/WFP_Philippines/status/770075746878558208">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">To be a man is one thing, and to be a hero is another.<br>Happy <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a></p>— NINA (@ninanuguid) <a href="https://twitter.com/ninanuguid/status/770180215871971328">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We need to make heroes of the ordinary people. We need to make heroes of ourselves. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/2Wv2AF1s9m">pic.twitter.com/2Wv2AF1s9m</a></p>— Tricia Robredo (@jpgrobredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/jpgrobredo/status/770097279789371393">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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These were 3 of the heroines we featured in our "10 Female Philippine Heroes You Should Know About" series:
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Learn more about Misamis Occidental's Josefa Capistrano here: <a href="https://t.co/08KQ9agqqx">https://t.co/08KQ9agqqx</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/R6TQKmqVBR">pic.twitter.com/R6TQKmqVBR</a></p>— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/rapplerdotcom/status/770126781080805376">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Learn more about Batangas' Gliceria Marella Villavicencio here: <a href="https://t.co/08KQ9ay1i5">https://t.co/08KQ9ay1i5</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/hHzBq6p53h">pic.twitter.com/hHzBq6p53h</a></p>— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/rapplerdotcom/status/770113817862819840">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Learn more about Lanao del Sur's Princess Tarhata Lucman here: <a href="https://t.co/08KQ9ay1i5">https://t.co/08KQ9ay1i5</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/zFl7qlhRHs">pic.twitter.com/zFl7qlhRHs</a></p>— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/rapplerdotcom/status/770108793560535040">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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And here's an example of a more recent kind of hero:
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cheers to our bayanis from the Phil. Navy patrolling the West Phil. Sea! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bayani?src=hash">#bayani</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nationalheroesday?src=hash">#nationalheroesday</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/proudlyFilipino?src=hash">#proudlyFilipino</a> <a href="https://t.co/PuoIVLyjZS">pic.twitter.com/PuoIVLyjZS</a></p>— Bayani Brew (@bayanibrew) <a href="https://twitter.com/bayanibrew/status/769905383729090560">August 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Does this anthropomorphic insect count?
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Happy <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalHeroesDay?src=hash">#NationalHeroesDay</a>!! <a href="https://t.co/X80UBHmte8">pic.twitter.com/X80UBHmte8</a></p>— Gabriela Silang-Leav (@MillennialOfMNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/MillennialOfMNL/status/770202726017880064">August 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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For more #NationalHeroesDay tweets, click here. – Rappler.com