PAANO NGA BA

NATIN MAGSASABI
NA BAYANI ANG
ISANG BAYANI?
HEROISM
Misconception on the Idea of
Heroism
▪ “Mahirap magpakabayani. Ang bayani
ay binabaril sa Luneta”
▪ “ Huwag ka ng magpakabayani,
walang yumayaman dyan.”
▪ Sa panahon ngayon kung iisipin mong
magpakabayani walanng mangyayari
sayo.
Heroism As Youth social
Obligation.
The youth became empowered to
generate new ideas that can change
and improve the society. With this
in mind, the youth can actually
select their new sets of heroes.
Concept of Hero in Filipino Culture and
History
One may notice the limited approach in the
definition of the word “hero” in traditional
western dictionaries. Hero is normally
defined here as an illustrious man, often of
divine descent, or with distinguished valor
or enterprise in danger, and fortitude in
suffering, who is supposed to be exalted
after death.
Old Filipino Concept of Hero

▪ The Filipino concept of hero, on the

other hand, is a much broader concept,
▪ Bayani=Bagani=Mayan=Wani

▪ Hero in early Philippine societies was

just a normal warrior of the
community.
▪ His simple task was based on daily
need of the village. Pangangayaw or
raiding into unallied territory is an
example of this.

▪ According to William Henry Scott,

pangangayaw was done because of
four reasons, namely:
❑ 1) to secure resources, ranging from the
occasional use goods or bounty to human
slaves;
❑ 2) to avenge a personal affront or family
honour;
❑ 3) to fulfil mourning requirements to which
the life of enemies must be sacrificed; and
and lastly
❑ 4) for personal prominence or a mercenary
reward.
❑ It is important to point out that a Bayani
does not work alone-comrades
❑ Bayani is bayan (community / town /
nation).
❑ When pangangayaw is done, the group of
Bayani returns home; thus, fulfilling what
Zeus Salazar said about the bayani as a
person who leaves his/her town and then
returns.
▪ The tattoo, used as the protection of
kaluluwa (soul) of a Bayani,
▪ kampilan (weapon),
▪ his putong (head gear), and other garments
colored red are his iconic physical features.
ANCIENT ERA

ancient document about the early Philippine

societies, defines a Bayani as a person with a
high status and dignity.
ANCIENT PERIOD
Pedro Serrano laktaw, in his dictionary,
elaborates the personality of a Bayani;
1. a person who fears no one (walang-takot),
courageous (matapang),
2. firm (matibay),
3. bold (mapangahas),
4. but quiet (tahimik)and calm (mahinahon).
SPANIARD PERIOD
▪ Nevertheless, changes occurred when the
Spaniards conquered the Philippines. Instead of
living role models,
▪ the Spaniards had introduced the image of
obedience of saints and disciples whom the
Filipinos had to imitate in order to become good
colonials.
▪ Vida Sancti, or the lives of [dead] saints became
the foundation of good qualities of life.
▪ Doctrina Christiana or prayer and doctrine books
became a textbook of faith.
AMERICAN PERIOD
▪ The Americans, on the other hand,
propagated a secular view on heroes.
▪ Hero-worshipping of American soldiers who
died during the Philippine-American War
(then dubbed as Philippine Insurrection) like
Gen. Henry W. Lawton, Col. John M.
Stotsenburg, and Col. Harry Egbert, was
promoted through monuments and annual
commemoration rituals to justify the need for
American tutelage in the Philippines
▪ Filipino heroes also venerated during this
period. Jose Rizal, who was executed by the
Spaniards, became the leading national hero.
Mabini, Luna, and Del Pilar also became
household names.
▪ The problem to the new approach was that it
coincides with the thrust of the Americans to
instill to the minds of Filipinos the American
culture.
Modern Period
❑ The Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) are
considered Bagong Bayani (new heroes).
❑ Their work abroad is said to be a continuation
of the culture of pangangayaw. The word
mamayani, meaning to prevail or triumph, has
become well-known.
❑ The concept of the Filipino Bayani is indeed
embedded in the blueprint of Filipino
well-being.
Criteria for Recognizing
Heroes
A hero is a social construct. Since that is the
nature of the process, recognizing heroes is
always subjective.
To bridge the gap, the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines (NHCP)
released some of the criteria for recognizing
heroes, through their Project Saysay.
▪ 1. the extent of a person’s sacrifice for the
welfare of the country (Teodoro A.
Agoncillo 1965);
▪ 2. the motive and methods employed in the
attainment of the ideal (welfare of the
country) (Teodoro A. Agoncillo 1965);
▪ 3. the moral character of the person
concerned (Teodoro A. Agoncillo 1965);
▪ 4. the influence of the person concerned on
his/her age and or the succeeding age
(Teodoro A. Agoncillo 1965);
▪ 5. those who have a concept of nation and
thereafter aspire and struggle for the nation’s
freedom (Onofre D. Corpuz 1993);
▪ 6. those who define and contribute to a system
of life of freedom and order for a nation
(Onofre D. Corpuz 1993);
▪ 7.those who contribute to the quality of life and
destiny of a nation (Onofre D. Corpuz 1993);
▪ 8. a part of the people’s expression (Alfredo
Lagmay 1995);
▪ 9. person who thinks of the future, especially the
future generations (Alfredo Lagmay 1995);
▪ 10.the choice of a hero involves not only the
recounting of an episode or events in history, but
of the entire process that made this particular
person a hero (Alfredo Lagmay 1995);
Rizal as a Filipino Hero
▪ Jose Rizal as a Filipino hero is state-sponsored
through the Republic Act 1425. American
Sponsored Hero?
▪ His heroism, however, is not a post – World
War II phenomenon.
▪ after Rizal’s death, the first commemoration
was a held on December 30, 1898 when the
President of the First Philippine Republic,
Emilio Aguinaldo, declared in Malolos,
Bulacan, a day of National Mourning.
▪ Then, other provinces also

▪ But this was not the start of the long years

of veneration. It is documented that during
the meetings of the Katipunan, a portrait of
Rizal was hanging in the room where
members were made to believe that Rizal
was an honorary member of the secret
society.
▪ The Americans declared Jose Rizal as the
National Hero of the Philippines. (Why?)
Among the choices they had, three criteria
were used in the selection:
▪ 1) a hero who is not violent and militant,
and if possible preferred peaceful means
like education;
▪ 2) a hero who had no qualms on American
imperialism; and
▪ 3) a hero is already dead.
It is a no-brainer that the Americans
would pick Rizal ahead of others.

In 1901, William H. Taft, President of

the Second Philippine Commission,
had appointed Rizal to embody the
brand of nationalism propagated by the
American colonial government.
(Why?)
▪ However, there are no actual law
during the American Regime that
explicitly declared Rizal the
official hero of the country. Three
steps, instead, were made by the
American colonial government to
promote his heroism, namely:
1) the creation of Rizal Province;
2) the erection of Rizal Monument;
3) the declaration of Rizal Day on December 30
as public holiday. Since then, Rizal’s image
as a hero of the Philippines has become a
viable enterprise for stamp, chart, post-cards
makers and other printed materials.
This was heightened when in 1956, the Rizal
Law was conceived, since books, textbooks
and modules were necessary for educational
purposes.
Today, there are four major national
celebrations with Rizal as an important
subject; June 12 (independence Day),
June 19 (Birth Anniversary), last week
of August (National Heroes Week),
and December 30 (Rizal Day).
ASSESSMENT II
Direction:
Constructs your criteria of Hero/ism and chose the best hero
for you. Defend your answer .
Name of Hero: __________________________
Criteria:
1.
2.
3.
Answer:
________________________________________________
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