Hopefully everyone enjoyed the long weekend, made possible by National Heroes Day, which is the public holiday we celebrate as a tribute to Filipino Heroes. This catch-all hero holiday is our way of honoring all of the country’s heroes, including the anonymous, lesser known, and “ordinary” ones.
In recent celebrations, Overseas Filipino Workers and frontliners during the COVID-19 pandemic were among those hailed as heroes, and deservedly so.
The thing about opportunities for heroism is that history has always proven it to be infinite, because on the flip side, evil and even just misfortune is also always everywhere.
Everyday heroes can be found everywhere, from those of us who somehow make the heroic choice when put in situations like saving a stranger from being run over by a wayward vehicle, or reacting quickly when seeing a child about to drown. These moments, when people are not given the time to think about the dangers of what they are about to do, yet they are willing to put life and limb at risk to save a stranger, are enough to make them heroes by definition, and yesterday’s holiday was an opportunity for us to honor these sort of people, as the world could certainly do better with more of them.
There are also heroes that inspire us by being beacons of excellence, the most recent and prominent one being Alex Eala, whose performance at the US Open was nothing short of heroic when she rallied from being down 5-1 of the third set to take down world No. 14 Clara Tauson of Denmark, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11). Her doing that on National Heroes Day is a wonderful coincidence and reminder of how Pinoy heroism can come from anywhere.
Aside from the instant heroes in our midst, there are also the deliberate heroes who dedicate their lives to a cause that will benefit the greater good. In a world where global warming and climate change are wreaking havoc, yet everyone else seems to be apathetic towards it, thinking that it is either not their problem, or that the problem is too big for them to face alone so why bother, those who have taken it upon themselves to try to fight back in any way they can are also heroes. One hallmark of being a hero is that they are the ones willing to do what most of us can’t be bothered with.
Other heroes have to think long and hard about what they are doing, because in many cases, choosing to turn away and do nothing is much easier, especially those who try to expose and fight corruption, especially in this country where joining the ranks of the corrupt is more profitable than taking a stand against it.
With so many who are either involved in or are witness to corruption that could expose it, the potential for heroism is there. However, unlike saving a drowning child or the planet, these potential heroes that our country has been looking for often have to think long and hard before choosing to be a hero, a villain, or a nobody that is ultimately an enabler.
These heroes, who can come from the ranks of government or private contractors and are witness to corruption, can’t just jump into action and actually have a lot to think about because in their case, being a hero is no joke. They know they are going up against ultra-rich and mega-powerful entities, knowing that there is no guarantee of any support from the authorities, which can be fickle-minded when it comes to which social ill or personality it is going after at any given time.
Knowing what they are up against, these potential and often reluctant heroes don’t even have any super powers that they can count on, making their acts of heroism even more improbable and impressive.
Yesterday’s holiday hopefully hardens the resolve of these potential heroes that our country desperately needs right now, as we deal with the impacts of the gross and rampant corruption, not just with flood control projects, but if you come to think of it, in almost every project our government undertakes. Hopefully, our government officials who are possibly willing to join the fight against corruption can go beyond lip service and actually work to provide the missing super powers that our heroes need.
Whistle blowers need adequate protection. Investigators and auditors need to be backed up with the awesome resources of the government, instead of being hamstrung by politics and rules designed to protect the corrupt. Law enforcers have to be able to track down and take down their targets, and the judicial system is equipped with the tools necessary to deliver swift justice. In the fight against corruption, heroism will need to be a massive group effort.
Maybe that is why we will continue to need a National Heroes Day. Because after everything that our historical heroes have won for us, there is still so much work left to be done as we continue to build this nation.*
