National Young Martyrs Day every 20

th
of September proposed
A lawmaker has formally proposed to declare the 20th of every September as
National Young Martyrs ay to commemorate the martyrdom of the youth who offered
their lives for national liberation and social change!
"ep! #erry $! "idon %&arty'$ist( )abataan* filed +ouse ,ill -.// also known as the
Young Martyrs ay Act of 200-( seeking to remember the martyrdom of the youth who(
beyond mere words( took the initiative and made their ultimate sacrifice!
"idon said that commemorating the lives of young martyrs should kindle the
patriotic spirit of young 1ilipinos to work and struggle for social change beyond the
confines of their classrooms and their homes!
23ur nation was founded on the blood of many young 1ilipino martyrs 4 from the
youths that 5oined national hero 6ose "i7al in the &ropaganda Movement( to the brave
youths who fought valiantly in the )atipunan alongside Andres ,onifacio(8 "idon said!
2As we set a date to commemorate the life and times of young martyrs( let us also
remember the guerrillas who persisted in the resistance against the 6apanese invaders(
many of whom were in the prime of their youth(8 "idon said!
1urther( "idon e9plained that September 20 of every year is the date to remember
the martyrdom of the youth because of its historic significance to the national youth
movement during Martial $aw days!
2:t was the date when renowned Martial $aw era youth leader and activist ;dgar
6opson was captured by the military in avao <ity and was shot numerous times until he
died(8 "idon said!
According to "idon( during these turbulent times( many youths 4 like 6opson 4 were
left with no choice but to go underground to continue their campaign against the
dictatorship( choosing to fight in far'flung provinces at a time when military might reigned
supreme!
"idon also e9plained that the actions of the youth may hinder us from recogni7ing
them as heroes( but we should conte9tuali7e their heroism as manifestation of their
youthful response to the call of their time( an era when the nation was confronted by
massive poverty under the tyrannical dictatorship that offered the people few alternatives
to change the society!
NR # 3579B
SEPT. 4, 2014
2$et us remember those youths who( in the years after the lifting of Martial $aw(
continued to fight for the oppressed and the marginali7ed even if it meant early death(8
"idon said!
2At a time when our people continue to suffer socio'economic and political crises(
let our young martyrs from the past to the present serve as an inspiration to always be
ready to make selfless sacrifices whenever necessary(8 "idon said!
=nder the measure( the National Youth <ommission %NY<*( in coordination with
the National =nion of Students of the &hilippines %N=S&* and other national youth
organi7ations( is tasked to plan( fund and e9ecute appropriate programs and activities to
carry out the aim of the commemoration!
#he National Young Martyrs ay shall concurrently be called 2;dgar 6opson ay8
in commemoration of the renowned nationalist student leader who was captured and shot
by the military on September 20( 0>?2!
#he epartment of ;ducation %ep;d* shall promulgate the necessary rules and
regulation in order to designate September 20 as a special day when social studies lectures
in elementary and high schools shall be devoted to the teaching of the lives of young
1ilipino martyrs and the patriotic values that all 1ilipino youth must espouse! %@0* jsc