Whenever Filipinos are asked who their favourite Philippine Hero is, we all assume to hear Dr. Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, and the likes right? But aside from these Famous Filipino Heroes, we should all know that there are Forgotten Heroes who have also fought for the country in their own way. Unfortunately, there may have been some reasons as to why their work had not received enough publicity.
But do not fret! These Forgotten Heroes won’t be Forgotten as we have listed a number of Forgotten Heroes that you probably haven’t heard of:
WHO are these Forgotten Heroes?
- The Nameless Hero of Bangkusay
This forgotten hero is a bit unique, as nobody knows his name. The story of the hero of the Battle of Bangkusay was long assumed to be Rajah Soliman, it is not known how Philippine history books recognized Soliman as the hero of Bangkusay. But they seemed to be merely repeating and passing on what now appears an urban legend or, at least, an unconfirmed information. The first book to have mentioned that Soliman was the hero of Bangkusay appears to be David Barrow’s “History of the Philippines” in 1905.
WHAT WAS HIS “HERO” ACTION?
Historian Ian Christopher Alfonso did an in-depth six-year research about the Battle of Bangkusay. Before, the 1571 Battle of Bangkusay in Tondo was one of the first battles for independence against Spain. Historians long assumed that Rajah Soliman led over 2,000 Moro troops to drive out the unwanted Spanish Conquistadors. These Moro soldiers, hailing from Macabebe, Hagonoy, and other towns in Pampanga, battled it out with the soldiers of Governor-General Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.
But after Alfonso’s research, it turns out that the battle was won by a nameless young Moro leader who sailed to Tondo with a fleet of 40 large boats. He died in the battle with 300 of his men. He published his findings in a book entitled The Nameless Hero in 2016 and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) acknowledged this discovery and placed a historic marker in Pampanga to honor the nameless teenager as the real hero of the Battle of Bangkusay that same year.
MORE FACTS ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN HERO:
- In his book, Alfonso said that this forgotten hero was a nameless young Moro hero, erroneously named as Tarik Soliman, Bankau and Bambalito, among others was the real leader of the Battle of Bangkusay.
- An unnamed Cebuano fisherfolk who found the Koga papers
General Douglas MacArthur and his fellow American soldiers may take credit for liberating the Philippines during World War II, but the real heroes forgotten were the Filipinos who worked alongside them.
For this, an unnamed Cebuano fisherfolk played a major role in the defeat of the Japanese.
The story goes that in the summer of 1944, the Japanese thought they were just one battle away from solidifying their stronghold in the region and driving the American forces out. Admiral Mineichi Koga drafted “Z Plan” (Combined Fleet Secret Operations Order No. 73), a strategy for committing the remaining Japanese forces in a make-or-break battle.The “Z Plan” papers were locked in a briefcase that Koga brought as he flew out of his headquarters in Palau due to advancing American forces. Koga and his chief of staff Admiral Shigery Fukudome’s planes were unfortunately hit by a tropical thunderstorm and while Koga didn’t survive, Fukudome and the papers managed to crash-land between Cebu and Bohol.
WHAT WAS HIS “HERO” ACTION?
The papers floated in the ocean and were gathered by local fisherfolk, who handed it to Lt. James Cushing, who later delivered these tactical papers to Gen. MacArthur, who was staying in Australia that time. This had been decisive in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and the return of Gen. MacArthur in Leyte.
- Gliceria Marella-Villavicencio
Gliceria Marella-Villavicencio born in 1852, and died in 1929 was an ilustrado that supported the Revolutionary movement. She and her husband, Eulalio Villavicencio, helped disseminate several copies of La Solidaridad pamphlets to inspire people.
When the authorities learnt of their involvement in the Revolution, it led to their house being ransacked by the Guardia Civil and also imprisoned Gliceria’s husband for sedition charges. Eventually, Eulalio died but this didn’t stop her from supporting the army and even donated her residence and her ship, Bulusan, to General Emilio Aguinaldo.
WHAT WAS HER “HERO” ACTION:
Gliceria was tempted by the Spaniards to disclose details about the Katipunan in exchange for her husband’s freedom. She refused to give in and said that even though she loves her husband very much, she “would consider it insanity to carry his surname if I should obtain his liberty by betraying him and his cause.”
MORE FACTS ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN HERO:
- Bulusan, the ship donated by Gliceria to the Philippine army, was the first warship of the Revolutionaries. Apart from distributing revolutionary literature, Gliceria and her husband also donated P18,000 to Rizal in 1892 to support the movement.
- For her heroic role in the Revolution, she was given the title Madrina-General de las Fuerzas Revolucionarios (Matriarch-General of the Revolutionary Forces) on June 12, 1898.
- Panday Pira
Panday Pira, born in 1488 is a native of Luzon province who came to Manila along with his relatives when he was just 20 years old. There, he met a Portuguese blacksmith who helped hone his skills in making weapons, including the crude form of cannons.
WHAT WAS HIS “HERO” ACTION?
The hand-made cannons of Panday Pira were said to be used by Rajah Sulayman to defend Manila from invading Spaniards led by Martin de Goiti. Sadly, the Filipino warriors were defeated and the hand-made cannons were confiscated by the Spaniards for their own use.
MORE FACTS ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN HERO:
- Known in history as the very first Filipino cannon-maker, a street in Tondo was named after Panday Pira in honor of his contributions.
- Gen. Simeón Ola y Arboleda
The next forgotten hero is Simeon Arboleda Ola. He was born in Guinobatan, Albay and was just a Philosophy student at the University of Nueva Caceres when he joined the provincial branch of Katipunan.
Known for his strong, “never say die” personality, Ola led the Filipino soldiers in the battle against the American Forces and recruited more men to join his group including the town prisoners.
He was promoted Captain by General Vito Belarmino and later conferred the rank of Major after leading a successful ambush mission against the Americans.
WHAT WAS HIS “HERO” ACTION?
After his cousin, Jose Arboleda, died in the war, Ola was overwhelmed by sorrow. However, this tragedy didn’t stop him from winning his own battle. Together with his men, Ola attacked the town of Oas, Albay as well as an enemy detachment at Macabugos, Ligao, leaving Americans with no option but to negotiate for Ola’s surrender.
MORE FACTS ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN HERO:
- Simeon Arboleda Ola is known in history as the last Filipino general to surrender to the American Forces. After a negotiation, Ola finally surrendered to Governor Bette and Colonel Bandholtz on September 25, 1903.
- Gen. Jose Ignacio Paua
Gen. Jose Ignacio Paua was born in 1872 and died in 1926. Paua was also known by his Chinese name Hou Yabao, he was only 18 when he and his uncle migrated to the Philippines from Fujian province in China. He later apprenticed as a blacksmith in Binondo where he became known for producing weapons and repairing ammunition.
Paua was introduced to Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo by his friend, Gen. Pantaleon Garcia. As part of the Katipunan, Paua helped set up the official arsenal of the revolutionary group.
Paua also fought the Spanish Forces during the Battle of Binakayan and was subsequently promoted Captain two days later and on September 26, 1898, he became a general.
WHAT WAS HIS “HERO” ACTION?
Paua was able to raise funds for the revolutionary army with the help of his Chinese friends. He also set up the Katipunan arsenal with the efforts of other Chinese blacksmiths. In this place, Paua and his group refilled bullet cartridges, repaired arms, and ammunition as well as produced bamboo cannons for the army.
MORE FACTS ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN HERO:
- Jose Ignacio Paua was the only pure-blooded Chinese general who supported Aguinaldo’s army in their fight against Spanish and American Forces. He is also known for his trademark pigtails, which he later removed after the declaration of Philippine Independence in 1898.
- Paua became a mayor of Manito, Albay after the war and later died of cancer on May 24, 1926. Two monuments–one in Albay and another in Silang, Cavite–were built in his honor.
- Cpt. Jose Cabalfin Calugas
The next forgotten hero is Captain Jose Cabalfin Calugas (1907-1998). He was a native of Leon in Iloilo and was the first Filipino soldier ever to receive the WWII Medal of Honor. He first joined the Philippine Scouts in 1942, and was eventually sent to Camp Perry, New York to enter the 88th Field Artillery Battalion.
WHAT WAS HIS “HERO” ACTION?
On January 6, 1942, Calugas’s unit supported the defensive line of the 26th Cavalry Philippine Scouts. They were behind the Culo River when one gun was put out of commission by the heavy enemy fire.
Mustering all the courage he had, Calugas ran a thousand yards to fix the gun. He then manned the cannon by himself to fire the advancing Japanese soldiers. This heroic act gave Calugas the WWII Medal of Honor, making him the first Filipino to receive such a prestigious award.
MORE FACTS ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN HERO:
- Calugas died in 1999 and the medal was donated to a museum in Texas for safekeeping and display.
- Teresa Magbanua
Teresa Magbanua is one of the many Western Visayan female revolutionaries who deserves to be mentioned in history like Bonifacio, Mabina and Rizal.
Born in 1863 at Pototan, Iloilo, Teresa studied to become a teacher instead of taking home courses which was not typical for women at that time. She also took a postgraduate teaching degree to qualify as a Maestra Titulada Superior at the University of Sto. Tomas. She eventually returned to her hometown in Iloilo where she put her skills to use.
WHAT WAS HER “HERO” ACTION?
When her two younger brothers enlisted in the revolutionary army, she also volunteered. She was a known marksman who was even better than her uncle who was a general. Despite initial protests from her family such as her husband, she was eventually given command of a bolo battalion where she became known as Nay Isa. She was the only woman to command combat troops in Visayas during the revolution.
MORE FACTS ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN HERO:
- Magbanua was dubbed as the “Visayan Joan of Arc”
- Magbanua was credited as the only woman to lead troops in the Visayan area during the Revolution. Shortly thereafter, Magbanua shifted to fighting American colonial forces during the Philippine–American War.
- She was in her 80s during the Japanese Occupation, yet she continued to support guerilla activities by giving her material possessions and financing the movement.
- Mariano Ponce
Mariano Ponce (1863 –1918), was a Filipino physician, writer and active member of the Propaganda Movement. In Spain, he was among the founders of La Solidaridad and Asociación Hispano-Filipino along with Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar who is more publicized as a hero than Ponce. Only a few know his contribution to Philippine History. Among his significant works was Efemerides Filipinas, a column on historical events in the Philippines.
WHAT WAS HIS “HERO” ACTION?
As Secretary of the Propaganda movement, he also headed the Literary Section of the Asociacion Hispano-Filipina, a society of Liberal Spaniards and Filipinos. He wrote regularly for La Solidaridad on topics such as history, politics, sociology, and travel. He used the pen names Naning, Kalipulako, and Tigbalang.
MORE FACTS ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN HERO:
- In 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo chose him to represent the First Philippine Republic. Ponce was tasked to draft a framework of the revolutionary government. In 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo selected him as a representative of the First Republic to Japan.
- He was briefly imprisoned in Barcelona in 1896 for suspicions of connections with the Katipunan-led uprisings. After the war, Emilio Aguinaldo named him the diplomatic representative to Japan, where he met his wife, Okiyo Udanwara.
- He is known for his book Ang Wika at Lahi, published in 1917, where he talked about the importance of the national language.
- Gen. Macario Sakay
Macario Sakay(1870 – 1907) was born on Tabora St in Tondo Manila like Bonifacio and Jacinto who were also born and bred in the Tondo district. Hardly knowing his father, Sakay was given the surname of his mother. Known for his long hair and rugged looks, Macario Sakay spent his youth as a barber, tailor, and stage actor for Moro-Moro plays and eventually joined the Katipunan in 1894.
WHAT WAS HIS “HERO” ACTION?
His profession as an actor served as a good cover for the Katipunan. He visited different towns supposedly to perform, but he was secretly recruiting people for the movement.
Sakay fought alongside Bonifacio in the battles of Montalban, Marikina, and San Mateo. He became active again during the Philippine-American war where he used guerilla tactics to fight the American soldiers. He kept to the mountains and grew his hair long to remind him and his troops how long they stayed to fight. The Americans branded him and his comrades as bandits and troublemakers.
MORE FACTS ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN HERO:
- He dropped off the radar during Emilio Aguinaldo’s revolutionary government though there are records of him establishing his own to continue Bonifacio’s legacy.
- Sakay and his men were deceived by American sympathizer Dr. Dominador Gomez into surrendering in exchange for amnesty. Sakay was eventually given an unfair and much-publicized trial and hanged. In his last moments, he clarified that he wasn’t a bandit, but a revolutionary fighting for freedom. His last words were, “Farewell! Long live Filipinas!”
- Kumander Liwayway
Remedios Gomez-Paraiso born in 1919 and died in 2014 is also known as Kumander Liwayway or Commander of Dawn. She is the daughter of Basilio Gomez, the mayor of Anao, a provincial town in Pampanga, Philippines. This forgotten hero was a beauty queen and was interested in making dresses and perfume, and often participated in local beauty pageants.
WHAT WAS HER “HERO” ACTION?
When the Japanese invaded the country and killed her father, she vowed to avenge his death and consequently joined the Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon (Hukbalahap). She eventually became one of the highest-ranking commanders, known for leading the Huks to battle while wearing a bright red lipstick.
The 2009 book Kumander Liwayway mentioned that the Huks were first surprised to see their commander so made up, her hair neatly combed, as if she was going to a social function. “One of the things I am fighting for in the Huk movement is the right to be myself,” Paraiso explained to her men. She even challenged those who questioned her femininity to a duel, always proving to them in the end that her appearance had nothing to do with her skills.
MORE FACTS ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN HERO:
- Some historians believed that women guerillas like Kumander Liwayway were merely “forest wives” or wives of men who joined the Huk, but surviving members corrected this, saying that about 10% of guerillas who fought against the Japanese were actually women.
- Josefa Llanes Escoda
This forgotten hero is seen in the Philippine 1000 peso bill, but her story is not often heard of.
Escoda founded the Girl Scouts of the Philippines and is considered as the country’s “Florence Nightingale.” Josefa actually took her Girl Scout training in the U.S., under the sponsorship of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. She also obtained a master’s degree in Social Work in 1925 from Columbia University, through a Red Cross Scholarship.
WHAT WAS HER “HERO” ACTION?
When the war broke out, Josefa or Pepa, as she was fondly called by friends, quickly organized a group of women who rendered emergency services to war casualties. She and husband Antonio Escoda, a journalist, also gave food to Filipino and American soldiers who were fighting in the front lines.
For some time, the Japanese allowed her to go about her usual activities and Pepa was careful not to get caught while passing messages from prisoners of war and their loved ones. However, in June 1944, Antonio was caught in Mindoro and placed in Fort Santiago. Pepa soon followed. For months, they endured torture and interrogations by the Japanese. Their family was only allowed to send them food and necessities once. A nun from Maryknoll school, who was imprisoned with Pepa, recounted later that these necessities were even given away by Pepa to other prisoners whom she felt were suffering more.
She and her husband were executed by the Japanese around January 1945, a few days before the liberation of Manila.
MORE FACTS ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN HERO:
- A street and a building have been named after her and a monument has been dedicated to her memory. A road in Ilocos Norte is also named after her, and was depicted on the current 1000-peso bill as one of three Filipinos martyred by the Japanese Armed Forces.
- The Girl Scouts of the Philippines pay homage to Josefa Llanes Escoda every September 20 by celebrating her birth anniversary with activities that create further awareness of her martyrdom and contribution to youth development.
- On September 20, 2018, a Google Doodle was created to commemorate her 120th birthday.
- Captain Conrado Yap and the members of the 10th Battalion Combat Team of the Battle of Yultong/Yuldong
Unheard of, the Philippines played a role in the Korean War in 1950 as the Philippines’ only armored battalion, the 10th Battalion Combat Team (Motorized) landed on the coast of Korea.
Just four years into independence after World War II, the country saw it a great honor to fight for democracy in another country. The battalion members were between 18 and 54. The battalion was tasked to hunt down North Korean guerillas. They also won at the Battle of Yuldong in April 1951, where 900 Filipinos successfully held off the attack from around 40,000 Chinese.
WHAT WAS HIS “HERO” ACTION?
Captain Conrado Yap was spotted saving a wounded man that caused him to be exposed in enemy fire. This gallant act of heroism inspired his men to keep on fighting. The Captain was killed in action and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by the American Government.
- Senator Jose Diokno
Jose Diokno (1922-1987) also known as “Ka Pepe” is the son of Nationalist Ramon Diokno. Jose graduated summa cum laude and he is also known to be the only person who topped both the Philippine Bar Exam and the board exam for Certified Public Accountants. He was appointed as Secretary of Justice by President Diosdado Macapagal.
WHAT WAS HIS “HERO” ACTION?
During his time as Secretary of Justice, he investigated an American businessman for tax evasion. Then President Macapagal wanted to absolve this businessman in exchange for deportation but when Diokno refused, he was asked to resign.He ran as Senator for the Nacionalista Party and won. In the early 1970s, however, he started to disagree with the policies of then president Ferdinand Marcos, especially with the suspension of writ of habeas corpus, and resigned from the party. He took the fight to the streets, instead. When Martial Law was declared, Jose was arrested and detained for two years. Upon his release he set up a Free Legal Assistance Group for victims of Martial Law. This has been the first and biggest association of human rights lawyers in the country.
After the People Power Revolution, he became the founding chairman of the Presidential Committee on Human Rights but after the Mendiola Massacre, he resigned from his post due to deep disgust with how the military killed the 15 farmers who were protesting peacefully.
MORE FACTS ABOUT THIS FORGOTTEN HERO:
- In 2004, Dioknno was posthumously given the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Supremo which is the Philippines’ highest honor.
- Regarded as the “Father of Human Rights Advocacy in the Philippines”
These Forgotten Heroes may be “forgotten” but all of them did something for the freedom of this generation. They deserve to be seen and heard, and also credited for their good deeds.
Just lik them, every Filipino can make an impact, may it be worth the publicity or not, we should all try to be a “hero”. As some people say, “we only live once”, try to make a change and live your life to the fullest!
