Forgotten And Unsung Heroes Of The Philippine History
The Philippines has been through a lot of wars and battles. We won but before that, we have lost countless times. One of the most important historical events in our country is Independence Day on June 12. We celebrate and commemorate the struggles of our ancestors who fought for our freedom. However, this time we will turn our focus to the heroes who are not familiar to many. History was only passed down through lesser-known books. These heroes get hardly recognition because most of them fought their battles in their respective provinces.
The Unsung Heroes
Trinidad Tecson
Trinidad Tecson, popularly known as the Mother of Biak-na-Bato. She became the first Filipina to take part in Sanduguan or sacred blood compact. In 1895, she joined the Katipunan women’s chapter at the age of 47. She is one of the few women who actually fought side-by-side with the men for the country’s freedom from the Spanish colonizers. She also lead a group of Filipino women who helped injured Filipino soldiers.
Mariano Trias
The first de facto Vice President of the Philippines, Mariano Trias. He is known for leading the attacks against the Spanish forces in Laguna and the first uprising in Cavite. In August 1896 before the revolution began, Trias joined the Katipunan and became an active propagandist in Silang and Kawit. During the Revolutionary Government, Mariano Trias also served as the Minister of War.
Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio
Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio also known as Aling Eriang had many generous contributions to the Philippine revolution. One of her most significant contributions to the revolution was donating the ship Bulusan. SS Bulusan served as the first warship of the Filipinos. It carried food supplies, and ammunition, and transported Filipino soldiers to the Visayas. Even after the end of the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines, Aling Eriang continued supporting and aiding the revolutionaries.
Pascual Poblete
Pascual H. Poblete was a writer and feminist who translated Dr. Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere into Tagalog language. Appointed member of the pacification campaign in Nueva Vizcaya by Spanish Governor-General Fernando Primo de Rivera. Poblete later incurred the wrath of the Spanish authorities. He was separated from the government as a “dangerous man”, and then finally held incomunicado. He wrote a play titled Amor Patria (love for country) and was seated as an editor of El Resumen which he used to question the atrocities during the Spanish regime.
Teresa Magbanua
Teresa Magbanua is feisty and full of wit. She was a school teacher and a military leader who led the Filipino revolutionists in the Visayas area. Magbanua is the only woman to lead troops in the Visayan area during the revolution. She is also one of the few Filipinos to have participated in all three resistance movements: the Philippine Revolution, the Philippine–American War, and World War II. Teresa’s efforts and bravery earned her the nickname Visayan Joan of Arc.
Never Forget Our History
As we commemorate our Independence Day let us also remember why we are celebrating it in the first place. Many people have fought for our freedom we know most of them yet there’s a chance that some of them didn’t get into the history books. The price for our freedom is the lives that our ancestors sacrifice. We must treasure it as they did.
No hero is greater than the other.
