YESTERDAY (Monday) was National Heroes Day. The celebration reminds the Filipinos to pay homage to all other heroes, known and unknown, who by their personal sacrifice, dedicated their lives for our country’s freedom and development.

For the sake of familiarity, I would like to focus on the three revolutionary models of the period: Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo. Are they heroes? Let us try to find out. Let us go down together and walk in our history memory lanes.

Jose Rizal was educated at Ateneo, University of Santo Tomas and Universidad Central de Madrid. He was a doctor and an intellectual. Historians considered him an “ilustrado” (upper middle). Politically, he was subversive. He was liberal in his ideology.

His zodiac sign is Gemini (June 19). What was his stand on relations with Spain? He favored assimilation (“a seat in the Spanish Cortes, por favor!”). For social change, he favored peaceful and legal reform. He was affiliated with the Propaganda Movement and “La Liga Filipina”. He was a founding member.

“Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo” highlighted his career. His tragic flaw was when he called on the people to lay down their arms (reconciliation). His tragic end: Few days later he was executed for being culpable for the revolution.

Andres Bonifacio was educated by his mother and by hard knocks. He was a worker and an organizer. He belonged to the urbanized “indio” class (lower middle). He was subversive and populist. Sagittarius was his zodiac sign (November 30).

He wanted his country to be separated from Spain (“Kalayaan”). To change society, he espoused for armed struggle to the death. He was the “supremo” of the “Kagalanggalang Kataastaasang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan”. His career was highlighted at the “Cry of Pugad Lawin”.

His tragic flaw was when he asserted leadership despite “burgis” objection to his lowly status (at all cost). He was salvaged by Aguinaldo forces thus lost control of the revolution.

Emilio Aguinaldo was a drop-out. He was a soldier and politician. His family belonged to the “principalia” (middle). Just like Rizal and Bonifacio, he was subversive. Historians considered his category as elitist. His zodiac sign was Aries (March 22).

His stand with Spain colonizing the country: Negotiable (“pueding pag-usapan”). To change society, he engaged in gentleman’s war (guerilla tactics when necessary). He was the “El Presidente” of the “Katipunan” (Magdalo Wing) and the Revolutionary Government.

His career was highlighted when he declared independence on June 12, 1898. His tragic flaw was when he proclaimed independence under the protection of the Mighty and Humane North American nation (accommodation).

He was captured in 1901 and under “Proclamation of Benevolent Assimilation” lost revolution to the United States of America (mightily but not so humanely). Now, you may pick your guy.