Despite being honored through nationwide commemoration of their death or birth anniversaries, not one among the country’s revered martyrs in Philippine history, including Jose Rizal, has been officially declared by Congress as national heroes.

And if House Joint Resolution No. 42 were to be adopted by both Houses of Congress, the late President Corazon C. Aquino will be the first hero in the country to be proclaimed by Congress.

In a privilege speech, Camarines Norte Rep. Liwayway Vinzons Chato disclosed that Rizal and eight other martyrs recognized by Filipinos have not been proclaimed by Congress as national heroes.

Also, there remains no congressional proclamation declaring assassinated Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. a national hero although the country observes his death anniversary as a national holiday based on a law approved by President Arroyo.

Vinzons-Chato’s revelation confirmed earlier statements made by Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor who pointed out that there is no need for a congressional imprimatur to acknowledge heroes in the country.

“General Emilio Aguinaldo and (President Ramon Magsaysay) became heroes even without congressional imprimatur. You make a hero because the Filipino people in all generations will consider a hero a hero,” Defensor told reporters during the Usaping Balita News Forum at Serye Café in Quezon City.

Chato filed House Joint Resolution No. 43 to proclaim President Aquino’s husband a national hero. She also sought the adoption of House Joint Resolution 44 proclaiming Rizal and eight other martyrs in the same category with the Bagumbayan martyr as the “premiere national hero.”

Included in the list were Andres Bonifacio, founder of the secret organization Katipunan, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, first president of the country; Apolinario Mabini, dubbed as the “Great Plebeian”; painter Juan Luna; Marcelo H. del Pilar, Ilocano heroine Gabriela Silang; Melchora “Tandang Sora” Aquino and Muslim revolutionary leader Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat.

“I made a surprising discovery that there is no law proclaiming any Filipino historical figure a national hero. Even Jose Rizal, has not been explicitly proclaimed a national hero,” said Chato.

According to Chato the death anniversary of Rizal has been declared by Aguinaldo a national holiday while Republic Act 2946 was passed by Congress to commemorate Bonifacio’s death anniversary as National Heroes Day.

Meanwhile, Agusan del Sur Rep. Rodolfo Plaza, co-author of HJR 42, urged his House colleagues to swiftly adopt the proposal by signing in as co-author the measure seeking to declare Mrs. Aquino a national hero.

“It will take another lifetime, perhaps even more, to have another Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino again, and so before our time is up, on behalf of a grateful people, I urge my colleagues in this chamber to join me in proclaiming Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino as a national hero as contained in House Joint Resolution No. 42,” he said.

He added: “The life and death of Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, while given importance by an admiring nation, can have greater value and significance by internalizing the virtues and the values by which she lived. Only then can the path of heroism be relevant and beneficial to all.”