The

Philippine National
Heroes
Jose Rizal was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna,
Philippines as Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Y Alonso Realonda.

He was a writer, known for El filibusterismo (1962), Sisa (1951) and

Noli me tangere (1930). He died on December 30, 1896 in
Bagumbayan [now Luneta], Manila, Philippines.
JOSE RIZAL 1861-1896
(Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda)

Rizal was a national hero who exposed the corruptions and wrongdoings
of the Spanish colonial government through his writings. He founded the
progressive organization “La Liga Filipina,” which was considered a
threat by the Spanish authorities and ultimately led to his arrest.
Tributes and trivia: The Rizal Monument now stands near the place
where Rizal was fallen at the Luneta in Bagumbayan, known to all as
Rizal Park. The Taft Commission of June 1901 further approved Act 137
renaming the District of Morong into the Province of Rizal. Today, the
wide acceptance of Rizal as the country’s national heroes is evidenced by
the countless towns, streets, and numerous parks in the Philippines
named in his honor. Moreover, Rizal’s literary works continue to be
immortalized through cinematic depiction and plays.
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (November 30, 1863 – May 10, 1897)
was a Filipino revolutionary leader and the president of the Tagalog
Republic. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine
Revolution".[3][4] He was one of the founders and later Supremo
(Supreme Leader) of the Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-galangang
Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or more commonly known as the
"Katipunan", a movement which sought the independence of the
Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine
Revolution. He was also one of the Filipino historical figures to be
recommended as a national hero of the Philippines
Andres Bonifacio (1863-1897):
Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, a secret society which
spearheaded the uprising against the oppressive Spanish rule. It was
the groundwork for the first Philippine Republic. He faced a trial for
acts inimical to the existence of the new government, and was
sentenced to death by a military tribunal.

Tributes and trivia:

Besides Rizal, the only other hero given an implied recognition as
a national hero is Bonifacio whose date of birth on November 30 had
officially been proclaimed as a national holiday. Monuments of
Bonificio, like Rizal, are common across the nation; and again, like
his compatriot, this inspiring hero’s life has been immortalized on
film and television, such as 2014’s Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo
(starring Robin Padilla), 2013’s TV series Katipunan and 2014’s
Ilustrado (both starring Sid Lucero).
Emilio Aguinaldo was born on March 22, 1869, in Kawit, Cavite,
Philippines.
Nicknamed Miong, Aguinaldo was the seventh of eight children. His
parents were of Chinese and Tagalog descent. His father, Carlos, died
when Aguinaldo was just nine years old. Widowed, his mother,
Trinidad, sent him to attend public school in Manila.

Having had to cut his studies short at the Colegio de San Juan de

Letran due to a cholera outbreak, Aguinaldo returned home to Kawit,
where he developed a growing awareness of Filipino frustration with
Spanish colonial rule.
While serving as the head of barter in Manila, he joined the Pilar
Lodge chapter of the Freemasonry in 1895. The Freemasonry was a
government- and church-banned resistance group. It was through his
role as municipal captain of this fraternity that Aguinaldo met Andres
Bonifacio, a key figure in the fight to overthrow Spanish rule.
Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964):

Aguinaldo is a revolutionary, politician, and military leader who is

officially recognized as the First President of the Philippines. After the
Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941, he cooperated with the new
forces, and appealed on radio for American and Filipino soldiers to
surrender in Bataan. He was arrested as a collaborator upon the return of
the Americans but was later freed on general amnesty.

Tributes and trivia:

In 1931, an American Pre-Code documentary titled Around the World
in 80 Minutes with Douglas Fairbanks, showed host Fairbanks in an
interview with former Philippine president Emilio Aguinaldo.
Aguinaldo has also been portrayed in various films centered on the
revolution, with such actors as Mon Confiado in Heneral Luna, and
Jericho Ejercito and E.R. Ejercito in El Presidente highlighting his
controversial life.
Born in the town of Badoc, Ilocos Norte in the northern Philippines, Juan
N. Luna was the third among the seven children of Joaquín Luna de San
Pedro y Posadas and Laureana Novicio y Ancheta. In 1861, the Luna
family moved to Manila and he went to Ateneo Municipal de Manila
where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree. He excelled in painting
and drawing, and was influenced by his brother, Manuel N. Luna, who,
according to Filipino patriot José Rizal, was a better painter than Juan
himself.
Luna enrolled at Escuela Nautica de Manila (now
Philippine Merchant Marine Academy) and became a sailor. He took
drawing lessons under the illustrious painting teacher Lorenzo Guerrero
of Ermita, Manila. He also enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts (
Academia de Dibujo y Pintura) in Manila where he was influenced and
taught how to draw by the Spanish artist Agustin Saez. However, Luna's
vigorous brush strokes displeased his teacher and Luna was discharged
from the academy. However, Guerrero was impressed by his skill and
urged Luna to travel to Madrid to further pursue his work.
Juan Luna (1857-1899):
Luna was a painter, sculptor and a political activist of the
Philippine Revolution during the late 19th century. He is also
considered a master Philippine artist for paintings, which often
depicted his his sentiments for country.

Tributes and trivia:

Luna’s most revered artwork, “The Spolarium” is held in prominent
display at the National Museum. Of his sought after masterpieces, “¿A
Do…Va la Nave?” sold for P46.8 million at a Makati auction.
In film, the brilliant Luna had been portrayed by Bryan Benedict in
Ilustrado; and Allan Paule Heneral Luna.
Marcelo Hilario del Pilar y Gatmaitan was born on August 30, 1850, in Cupang
(now Barangay San Nicolás), Bulacán, Bulacan. He was baptized "Marcelo" on
September 4, 1850. "Hilario" was the original paternal surname of the family.
The surname of Marcelo's paternal grandmother, "Del Pilar", was added to
comply with the naming reforms of Governor-General Narciso Clavería in 1849.
Del Pilar's parents belonged to the principalía (upper class). The family owned
rice and sugarcane farms, fish ponds, and an animal powered mill. His father,
Julián Hilario del Pilar, was a well known Tagalog speaker in their town. He was
also a well known poet and writer. Don Julián served as a "three-time"
gobernadorcillo (municipal mayor) of his pueblo (town) and later held the
position of oficial de mesa (government clerk) of the alcalde mayor (provincial
governor). Blasa Gatmaitán, del Pilar's mother, was a descendant of the noble
Gatmaitáns. She was known as "Doña Blasica"
The ninth of ten children, del Pilar's siblings were: Toribio (priest, deported to
the Mariana Islands in 1872), Fernando (father of Gregorio del Pilar), Andrea,
Dorotea, Estanislao, Juan, Hilaria (married to Deodato Arellano), Valentín, and
María. The share of the inheritance of each child was very small and del Pilar
renounced his share in favor of his siblings.
Marcelo del Pilar (1850-1896):
Del Pilar was a Philippine revolutionary propagandist and satirist. He
tried to marshal the nationalist sentiment of the Filipino ilustrados or
bourgeoisie, against Spanish imperialism. He founded the newspaper
Diariong Tagalog to propagate democratic liberal ideas among farmers
and peasants.
Tributes and trivia:
For his 150 essays and 66 editorials, mostly published in La
Solidaridad and various anti-friar pamphlets, del Pilar has long been
regarded as the “Father of Philippine Journalism.”
As such Samahang Plaridel, an organization of veteran journalists and
communicators, was founded in October 2003 to honor his ideals. The
group further promotes cooperation and understanding among Filipino
journalists in service of the nation.
In the 1998 film, José Rizal, del Pilar was portrayed by actor Dennis
Marasigan.
Melchora Aquino de Ramos (6 January 1812 – 19 February 1919)
was a Filipina revolutionary who became known as "Tandang Sora"
("Elder Sora") because of her age during the Philippine Revolution.
She was known as the "Grand Woman of the Revolution" and the
"Mother of Balintawak" for her contributions.
Melchora Aquino (1812-1919):
One of two females among the nine historical figures for
recommendation as heroes, Aquino operated a store, which became a
refuge for sick and wounded revolutionaries. She fed and provided
medical attention to the revolutionaries, while encouraging them with
motherly advice in pursuing their battles, and offering prayers.
Secret meetings of the Katipuneros were also held in her home, thus
earning Aquino the titles “Woman of Revolution”, “Mother of
Balintawak”, “Mother of the Philippine Revolution”, and more
famously “Tandang Sora.”
Tributes and trivia:
As a token of gratitude, a district and road expanse in Quezon City
had been named after Tandang Sora. She was also commemorated in the
five-centavo coin, which existed from 1967 to 1992; and is considered
the very first Filipina to be featured on Philippine peso banknote, in this
case, a 100-peso bill from the English Series (1951 to 1966).
Apolinario Mabini y Maranan (July 23, 1864 – May 13, 1903) was a
Filipino revolutionary leader, educator, lawyer, and statesman who
served first as a legal and constitutional adviser to the
Revolutionary Government, and then as the first
Prime Minister of the Philippines upon the establishment of the
First Philippine Republic. He is regarded as the "utak ng himagsikan"
or "brain of the revolution".
Two of his works, El Verdadero Decalogo (The True Decalogue, June
24, 1898), and Programa Constitucional dela Republica Filipina (The
Constitutional Program of the Philippine Republic, 1898) became
instrumental in the drafting of what would eventually be known as the
Malolos Constitution.
Apolinario Mabini (1864-1903):
Mabini was the “brains” of the revolution. He served first as a legal
and constitutional adviser to the Revolutionary Government, and then
as the first Prime Minister of the Philippines upon the establishment of
the First Philippine Republic. Mabini performed all his revolutionary
and governmental activities despite having lost the use of both his legs
to polio shortly before the Philippine Revolution of 1896.
Tributes and trivia:
There are two shrines devoted to Mabini: The house where he died
is located on the grounds of the Polytechnic University of the
Philippines (PUP) in Santa Mesa, Manila; while his hometown in
Talaga, Tanauan City has long been the site of his burial.
In films, he has been portrayed by Ronnie Quizon in the 2012’s El
Presidente, and by Epi Quizon in the 2015’s Heneral Luna.
Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat (1581–1671):
Kudarat was a Sultan of Maguindanao in the Philippines. He
successfully opposed the Spaniards who attempted to conquer his land
during his reign. He was also a hindrance to the Christianization of the
island of Mindanao much like the other Muslim rulers of the southern
Philippine Archipelago.
Kudarat was a direct descendant of Shariff Kabungsuwan, a Malay-
Arab missionary who brought Islam to the Philippines between the
13th and 14th century.

Tributes and trivia:

The province of Sultan Kudarat is named after this brave Filipino,
together with the Municipality of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, where
his descendants of datus and rulers remain to be political leaders.
 
María Josefa Gabriela Cariño de Silang (19 March 1731 – 20
September 1763) was a Filipina revolutionary leader best known as the
first female leader of an Ilocano movement for independence from
Spain.[1] She took over the reins of her husband Diego Silang's
revolutionary movement after his assassination in 1763, leading the
Ilocano rebel movement for four months before she was captured and
executed by the colonial government of the Spanish East Indies.
Gabriela Silang (1731-1763):
Silang was a revolutionary best known as the first female leader of a
Filipino movement in the fight for independence from Spain. She took
over the reins of her husband Diego Silang’s revolutionary movement
following his assassination in 1763. During this time, she led the
Ilocano rebel movement until she was captured and executed by the
colonial government of the Spanish East Indies.
Tributes and trivia:
The organization and party list Gabriela Women’s Party, which advocates
women’s rights and issues, was founded in April 1984 in Silang’s honor. A
statue of this female hero on horseback was further commissioned and erected
by the Zóbel de Ayala family at the corner of Ayala and Makati Avenues.
The Tangadan Welcome Tunnel in Abra is also the site of the Gabriela
Silang Memorial Park with a monument to the brave Filipina.
The report recommending these nine historical figures as national heroes was
likewise submitted to the Department of Education, Culture and Sports on
November 22, 1995. However, no action was taken by the government agency
afterward based on speculations that an official proclamation by law of
national heroes might trigger debates on historical controversies surrounding a
number of them.

Nevertheless, despite the lack of any official declaration explicitly

proclaiming the nine patriots as national heroes, they remain admired and
revered for their pivotal roles in Philippine history.
Julian Felipe
- is the composer of the Philippine national anthem Lupang
Hinirang. He was born in Cavite City, Cavite on January 28, 1861. A
dedicated music teacher and composer, he was appointed by Emilio
Aguinaldo as Director of the National Band of the First Philippine
Republic. He died in Manila on October 2, 1944.
José Palma y Velásquez (3 June 1876 – 12 February 1903) was a
Filipino poet and soldier. He was on the staff of La Independencia at
the time he wrote Filipinas, a patriotic poem in Spanish. It was
published for the first time in the issue of the first anniversary of La
Independencia on 3 September 1899. The poem fit the instrumental
tune Marcha Nacional Filipina by Julián Felipe, and it has since been
the basis for every translation of the Philippine National Anthem.
Francisco Balagtas y de la Cruz (April 2, 1788 – February 20, 1862),
commonly known as Francisco Balagtas and also as Francisco
Baltazar, was a prominent Filipino poet during the Spanish colonial
period of the Philippines. He is widely considered one of the greatest
Filipino literary laureates for his impact on Filipino literature. The
famous epic Florante at Laura is regarded as his defining work.
The surname "Baltazar", sometimes misconstrued as a pen name, was a
legal surname Balagtas adopted after the 1849 edict of Governor-
General Narciso Claveria y Zaldua, which mandated that the native
population adopt standard Spanish surnames instead of native ones. His
surname is also sometimes given as "Balagtas Baltazar" when instead
he used one or the other but not both at the same time.
His mentor was José de la Cruz, otherwise known as Joseng Sisiw.