During Monday’s celebration of National Heroes’ Day, President Rodrigo Duterte paid tribute to various groups of Filipinos “who continue to make sacrifices for the welfare of their families and the advancement of our communities.”
In honoring unnamed heroes, for instance, he lay a wreath at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The President also cited the troops who defended Marawi City in last year’s siege by Islamist militants, and police officers who have been working on the campaign against criminality and illegal drugs.
He likewise recognized educators and overseas workers for their sacrifices and contributions.
These everyday heroes, the President said, emulate the valor and selfless ways of the country’s heroes “as we effect lasting change across the nation and create a legacy upon which future generations can build.”
We believe a broader group deserves recognition as well—workers from all sectors across the country, who go into the daily battle of eking out a living for themselves and their families while surviving in difficult conditions.
These workers make ends meet in an environment of soaring prices and even the most basic of commodities, rice, does not come as easily anymore.
Those in urban areas also have to grapple on a daily basis with the sorry state of traffic and public transportation. Those in the rural areas—agricultural workers, specifically—find there is little incentive for the next generation to continue their profession.
The labor situation in the Philippines remains far from ideal, with labor-only contracting remaining a pervasive practice despite strong public clamor to correct it.
We also cite public officials who toil hard and resist the temptations of riches and fame every day, contrary to the practices of their more prominent co-servants.
Indeed there is so much quiet valor going around. Sadly we are distracted by other noise that we fail to notice that heroism is not about grand one-time gestures and claims to greatness, but about constant, consistent perseverance against different kinds of odds.