Bacolodnon frontliners are modern-day heroes in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, according to Councilor Renecito Novero.
Novero, who represented Mayor Evelio Leonardia, led Bacolod’s commemoration of the 124th death anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, at the Rizal Park in Rizal Elementary School.
“Like our heroes, it is not easy to expose your body and life to jeopardy. Exposing yourself also means exposing your family; it jeopardizes your community,” Novero said.
He added: “The mayor would like to express his appreciation and gratitude to our frontliners in the midst of this modern-day pandemic. They are the current heroes.”
Novero also said that due appreciation should be given to teachers who had to adapt to new mediums of teaching to deliver quality education to their students amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
First Philippine president Emilio Aguinaldo ordered the commemoration of Rizal Day in 1898. It was celebrated as the national day of mourning for Rizal who was executed in 1896 under the Spanish colonial rule.
It was in February 1902 when Act. No. 345 was passed by the Philippine Commission, officially declaring every December 30 as Rizal Day.
For her part, Gladys Amylaine Sales, schools division superintendent of DepEd-Bacolod, said, “We need to learn from what he (Jose Rizal) has done and what all of our heroes have done in the past. As we face 2021, just like our national heroes, we will not fear the future because we continue to be faithful and to hold on to one another.”
She added: “This time we are more prepared because we are already practicing the minimum safety health protocols.”
As part of the ceremony, flowers were offered for the national hero at the Rizal Park Shrine.
