Albay town youth leaders educate kids on lives of heroes

LEGAZPI CITY – Members of the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Daraga Chapter portrayed traditional and modern heroes to honor their dedication, work, and love for the country as part of the celebration of National Heroes' Day on Saturday.

Dubbed "Buhay na Bayani" (Living Heroes), the event featured six JCI Daraga members dressed as traditional heroes, while six guests dressed as modern-day heroes who shared to elementary school pupils their experiences of committing their lives to the service of humanity.

More than 35 grade school learners from Daraga North Central School attended the activity of the worldwide youth leadership organization.

Among the traditional heroes portrayed were Dr. Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Remedios Paraiso and Teresa Magbanua, while the modern-day heroes who shared their experiences were a nurse, police officer, fireman, lawyer, educator and news reporter.

JCI Senate leader and former Daraga Chapter president, lawyer Jeanette Uy, said the initiative aims to inspire more learners to never forget the sacrifices of traditional heroes.

"The inspiration for this project started when a high school student didn't know why Apolinario Mabini was sitting. Since then, we've been conducting this project in various barangays in Daraga to provide awareness among schoolchildren, particularly in Grade 3 and Grade 4, to remind them who are the heroes that we can read about in our books and who are those modern-day heroes," Uy said.

She said JCI Daraga conducts the activity annually on Labor Day, Independence Day and National Heroes' Day.

Herald Neo, a Grade 4 pupil, said he learned more about heroes and enjoyed the activity.

"I'm happy. I've learned more from the lives of our heroes. In modern-day heroes, I like the lawyer. She does a lot that helps to maintain justice and she helps to bring peace to the people," she said in the vernacular. (PNA)