TO HONOR the contributions and sacrifices they did for the country, war veterans celebrated National Heroes Day on Monday in Libingan ng mga Bayani, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Present during the event were Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Lieutenant General Victor Ibrado of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Taguig City Mayor Sigfrido Tinga Jr. and members of the diplomatic corps and representatives from the National Historical Institute.

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War veterans and their families also graced the event.

In his speech pertaining to the war veterans, Teodoro said: “They’re fight is not yet over, theirs is still a long long way to go for this country to reward our heroes sacrifices in a fitting manner.”

Teodoro also narrated two stories of our modern aged heroes.

First, are the 23 soldiers in Basilan who flung their selves in forefront during battle because they wanted to protect innocent lives.

And second, is a 5-year-old boy who was awarded by the National Disaster Coordinating Council for he was able to save his two siblings during a fire when his parents were away.

Teodoro further said the military troops in Basilan were working to isolate the remaining Abu Sayyaf core group from the populace.

“Right now there’s an intelligence operation in Basilan. We are also serving the populace with our feeding programs,” Teodoro added. “Critical areas right now are Basilan and Sulu.”

One of the veterans who attended the event was Arnulfo D. Banez, the president of the United States Army Forces in the Philippines-Northern Luzon (USAFP-NL).

He, on behalf of their group, said: “Most of us are volunteers. We are elated because they still remember what we did during the war.”

Mayor Tinga, in his 9th time to attend the celebration of National Heroes Day in Libingan ng mga Bayani, asserted that doing any act of heroism entails greater sacrifices.

“What makes a hero is simple enough; it’s the willingness to do good without the need for a recognition, a thank you or a path at the back. It’s the realization that the good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow and yet you continue to do good,” Tinga said.

To end his speech, the Taguig City mayor uttered: “As we celebrate this day of heroes not only should we look back at their sacrifices, we should look forward to ours.” (Glaiza Jarloc/Sunnex)