THE commemoration of National Heroes Day is to be held every last Sunday of August of each year by virtue of Republic Act (RA) 3827 passed by the Philippine Legislature in 1931. Since then, the day of remembrance honoring the acts of valor, patriotism and selflessness of offering one's life as a supreme sacrifice in the quest for freedom and independence by the heroes of the Philippine Revolution has been held every November 30. The day coincides with the birth of Gat Andres Bonifacio — Father of the Katipunan. The practice of commemorating the occasion was disrupted by the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1942.

In March 1942, then-President Jose P. Laurel declared November 30 as National Heroes Day under Executive Order 20. As a sign of protest, according to the Philippine Gazette, President Manuel L. Quezon (yes, the country had "two presidents" at the time) led a ceremony at Mount Samat in Bataan on Nov. 30, 1943. Then in 1952, then-President Elpidio Quirino, through Administrative Order 190, reverted the commemoration of the event to the last Sunday of August. Finally, in July 2007, National Heroes Day was moved to every last Monday of August by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo when she signed RA 9492.

Soldiers’ graves at the Libingan ng mga Bayani
Soldiers’ graves at the Libingan ng mga Bayani

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