national heroes

Character EducationSubmitted By: Agape Aenghelle Joy R. Yoshikawa

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Andres Bonifacio (1863-1897) was born to Santiago Bonifacio and Catalina de Castro, a Spanish mestiza in Tondo, manila on November 30, 1863. He started his early education in the school of Guillermo Osmeña of Cebu. He reached only primary school. At the age of 14, his father and mother died, forcing him to quit his studies and to look after his younger brothers and sisters. As a means of support, he had them help him make wooden canes and paper fans, which he sold in the streets.

Having learned how to read and write, he became a clerk messenger of Fleming and Company, a business firm dealing with rattan, tar, and other articles of trade. Because of his industry he was promoted as agent. But his earning were still not sufficient to support the orphans. He moved to Fressell and Company as an agent. He showed determination and industry in his job. He supplemented his education through further reading and self-study. He wrote poetry and even became a stage actor in moro-moro. He later became a mason and a sworn enemy of Spanish authorities.

He became a member of La Liga Filipina, an organization founded by Jose Rizal upon his return from Europe. But when Rizal was deported to Dapitan making the Liga practically dead as an organization, he quickly organized the Kataastaasang Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan.This organization spread rapidly in 1894 in many parts of the Philippines. He felt that he was about ready to lead a successful revolt in May 1896. However, before he could act, the Katipunan was discovered by the authorities. More than 1,000 Katipuneros assembled with him at Pugad Lawin, Caloocan, on August 23, 1896 and tore theircedulas. Since the time the Katipunan was discovered, they evaded arrest, won uncertain victories and incurred severe defeats. This prompted the Magdiwang faction to invite Bonifacio to Cavite to settle their differences and remain united.

An assembly was called at Tejeros, Cavite. Bonifacio presided the conference to establish the Republic of the Philippines. In the election, Emilio Aguinaldo was elected President, Mariano Trias, Vice-President and Bonifacio as Secretary of the Interior. Daniel Tirona questioned Bonifacio's qualifications, and Bonifacio was offended. Evoking his authority as the supreme head of


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the Katipunan, he declared the proceedings void. Bonifacio moved to Naic, Cavite and started to form his own government and army. Meantime, the advancing troops of Spanish General Camilo de Polavia threatened to capture Cavite. Aguinaldo ordered Gen Pio del Pilar and Noriel who were being given new higher positions to leave the Bonifacio camp and go back to their duties.

Bonifacio with his family and men left Naic for Indang. On his return from Montalban, Aguinaldo sent men to arrest him, but Bonifacio resisted arrest and was wounded. He faced a trial for acts inimical to the existence of the new government and was given the death sentence by a military tribunal. Aguinaldo's men executed him in the mountains of Maragondon, Cavite on May 10, 1897.

Melcora Aquino de Ramos was a Filipina revolutionary. She was born on January 6, 1812 in Caloocan. She was the daughter of a peasant couple, Juan and Valentina Aquino. She never attended school, but was seemingly literate at a young age and

talented as a singer. She performed at the Mass for her church as well as at local events.

Melchora Aquino married Fulgencio Ramos, a village chief and had six children. When their youngest child was seven years old, Ramos died, leaving young Melchora as a single parent.


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Melchora Aquino was known for her heroic contributions in the history of the Philippines revolution. The revolution broke out in 1896. She was 84 years at that time. Most of the wounded and sick Filipino revolutionaries sought refuge in her store. She not only gave them medical attention, but also encouraged the revolutionaries with prayers and motherly advice. Many revolutionaries also held secret meetings at her home. She earned the name “Mother of Katipunan (revolution)” and was also known as “Tandang Sora”, where “Tandang” meant old.

The Spaniards learnt about her activities and she was interrogated for the whereabouts of revolutionaries, especially, Andres Bonifacio. She was adamant and refused to provide any information to the Spanish. She was arrested and deported to the Mariana Islands.

In 1898, the United States took control of the Philippines and Aquino and other political exiles returned to Philippines. She died on March 2, 1919, at the age of 107. Today, her remains lie in Himlayang Pilipino Memorial Park in Quezon City. As a token of Filipino gratitude, Melchora Aquino's image is depicted on a 100-peso bill of the English series of banknotes. A Quezon City road and district were named after her.


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Gregorio Del Pilar Known as Boy General, Gregorio del Pilar y Sempio was one of the youngest generals in the history of Philippine Revolutionary Forces during the revolution and Philippine-American War. Gregorio del Pilar was born on November 14, 1875 to Felipa Sempio and Fernando H. del Pilar. He was the nephew of the popular propagandist Marcelo H. del Pilar and Toribio H. del Pilar. At the age of 20 in 1896, Del Pilar received his bachelor’s degree from the Ateneo de Manila University.

The Philippine revolution against Spanish rule broke out in the same year in August under the leadership of Andres Bonifacio. Young Gregorio bravely joined the insurgency and characterized himself as the field commander while fighting the Spanish garrisons.

During the Spanish American war, General Emilio Aguinaldo established the first Philippine republic government and without any hesitance, appointed del Pilar section leader of the revolutionary forces in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan. Del Pilar was quick on laying a siege on the Spanish forces in the Bulacan province. He fought bravely with the rifles purchased in Hong Kong. The Spaniards surrendered to the brave Gregorio Del Pilar. Later, he brought his men to Caloocan, Manila, to support the other troops battling against the Spanish forces.

On February 1899, The Philippine American War broke out. On April 23, 1899, in the first phase of the battle of Quinga, del Pilar led his troops and won a short battle against Major Franklin Bell. His forces also killed the highly honored Colonel M. Stotsenburg and repelled the cavalry charge.

On December 2, 1889, del Pilar, with his 60 Filipino revolutionaries, fought the battle of Tirad Pass. He was killed in the battle after sustaining a bullet to the neck.


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Gen. Antonio Luna

Born on October 28, 1866 in Manila.

Killed on June 5, 1899 in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija.

Made a Mason in Spain and among those who revived Lodge Solidaridad No. 53 in Madrid.

Assisted Dr. Pardo de Tavera and Dr. Ariston V. Bautista in founding a “Triangulo” in Paris under the auspices of Logia Solidaridad. -Commissioned with Serrano Laktaw to secretly organize Masonic Lodges in the Philippines to strengthen the Propaganda Movement.

Bachelor of Arts, highest honor, 1883, Ateneo de Manila.

Doctor of Pharmacy, 1890, Central University of Madrid.

A gifted writer, he worked with Rizal Del Pilar, Lopez Jaena and Mariano Ponce in the Propaganda Movement for Reforms.

Arrested in the Philippines in 1896 as rebel, and together with his brother Juan Luna, he was banished to Spain.

He returned to his country after studying military science and tactics in Belgium, and was appointed by General Aguinaldo as over-all Commander of the Filipino forces at the outbreak of the Filipino- American War.

A sharp-shooter and master swordsman, he personally led the Filipino forces in the battles against the Americans.


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A fiercely dedicated patriot, he was acclaimed the foremost military strategist during the Filipino- American War.

Emilio Jacinto – (December 15, 1875 to April 16, 1899)Better Known: Brain of the Katipunan Emilio was born in Trozo, Manila on December 15, 1875. When his father, Mariano Jacinto died, his mother Josefa Dizon, a midwife, had to work harder to support his studies. Later, he was forced to live with his uncle, Don Jose Dizon, who enrolled him at the San Juan de Letran College. Then he transferred to the University of Santo Tomas to take up Law. His studies however, were interrupted when he joined the katipunan at the start of the Philippine Revolution in 1896. His sad experiences with his Spanish classmates, his sensitivity to the flight of his people, and his readings about the Spanish injustices led him to do so against the wishes of his mother and his uncle. He was only 19 years old, but became one of the ablest leaders of the Katipunan. To Bonifacio, he was an adviser, a secretary, and a fiscal. He edited the Ang Kalayaan, the newspaper of the Katipunan which informed the people

of the aims and activities of the association. He wrote the Kartilla, the primer of the Katipunan which contained its rules and regulations. He supervised the manufacture of gunpowder. Thus, he was called the “Brain of the Katipunan.”

Jacinto was also a poet. His greatest poem was “A La Patria,” inspired by Rizal’s “Ultimo Adios.” It was signed “Dimas-Ilaw,” Jacinto’s pen name.

In one of the battles in Majayjay, Laguna, Emilio Jacinto was wounded critically; he died on April 16, 1899 at the age of 24.


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Dr. José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896), was a Filipino polymath, nationalist and the most prominent advocate for reforms in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is considered a national hero of the Philippines, and the anniversary of Rizal's death is commemorated as a Philippine holiday called Rizal Day. Rizal's 1896 military trial and execution made him a martyr of the Philippine Revolution.

The seventh of eleven children born to a wealthy family in the town of Calamba, Laguna, Rizal

attended the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, earning a Bachelor of Arts. He enrolled in Medicine and Philosophy and Letters at the University of Santo Tomas and then traveled alone to Madrid, Spain, where he continued his studies at the Universidad Central de Madrid, earning the degree of Licentiate in Medicine. He attended the University of Paris and earned a second doctorate at the University of Heidelberg. Rizal was a polyglot conversant in at least ten languages. He was a prolific poet, essayist, diarist, correspondent, and novelist whose most famous works were his two novels, Noli me Tangere and El filibusterismo.These are social commentaries on the Philippines that formed the nucleus of literature that inspired dissent among peaceful reformists and spurred the militancy of armed revolutionaries against the Spanish colonial authorities.

As a political figure, Jose Rizal was the founder of La Liga Filipina, a civic organization that subsequently gave birth to the Katipunan[8] led by Andrés Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo. He was a proponent of institutional reforms by peaceful means rather than by violent revolution. The general consensus among Rizal scholars, however, attributed his martyred death as the catalyst that precipitated the Philippine Revolution.

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