OBLIQUE OBSERVATIONS

By Atty. Gilberto Lauengco, J.D.

ATTY. GILBERTO LAUENGCO, J.D. is a lawyer, educator, political strategist, government consultant, Lego enthusiast, and the director of CAER Think Tank. He is a Former Vice Chairman of MECO, Special Assistant of NFA and City Administrator among others. His broad experience has molded his unique approach to issues analysis which he calls the oblique observation.

On Monday, Aug. 31, the country will celebrate National Heroes Day. On this day, we will remember all the names that have become permanently etched in our collective memory.

We remember Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini and many other Filipinos who sacrificed a lot for the country. National Heroes Day, however, is not just about the famous heroes. It is also about the other heroes whose names do not appear on any monument or memorial.

There are already many in our past conflicts or disasters who gave their lives who are either remembered only by a few or none at all. In my mother’s family alone, we have an uncle who fought in World War 2 as a guerrilla and was beheaded for his efforts. We have another uncle who survived the infamous Death March only to die because of the illnesses he got from the grueling experience. My late father once told me of his classmate from the Ateneo in the early 50s who, as an ROTC cadet, volunteered to join the Philippine Expeditionary Forces in Korea during the said conflict and was killed in action. There are probably thousands of Filipinos whose sacrifices are on the verge of being forgotten.

In recent events, we have the story of Chris Lorenz Fabian, who, on that tragic day of the shooting at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban, courageously held a classroom door shut to prevent an armed assailant from entering and suffered gunshot wounds. He died saving 30 lives, allowing them time to hide and flee. This Monday is also for all these other heroes.

There are the thousands of government workers and officials who continue to do their job and the right thing despite temptations and bashing. There are the hundreds of thousands of overseas Filipino workers who have left their homes and families to work.

There are the millions of people who, in their everyday life, work hard to provide food on the table. There are the people who simply trudge on despite everything. Their heroism is rarely dramatic. Often, it is simply the decision to keep going.

National Heroes Day is for all the heroes. Perhaps a hero is just someone who chooses to do what is right when doing right is difficult or misunderstood.

This Heroes Day, let us honor not just the ones in history books or the news. Let us look around at the heroes we do not always see.