Briones urges teachers to include local heroes in history lessons

Marthy John Lubiano

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Briones urges teachers to include local heroes in history lessons
In a speech in Lapu-Lapu City, the education secretary says Visayans also fought for Philippine independence

CEBU, Philippines – Education Secretary Leonor Briones urged teachers to include local heroes in their history lessons, pointing out that Visayas also played a role in fighting for Philippine independence from colonizers. 

“Wa man pud magsugod lamang sa mga walo ka probinsya nga naa sa atong bandila, nga rays sa sun,” Briones said during the celebration of the 121st Independence Day at the Mactan Liberty Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City on Wednesday, June 12. (It didn’t only start in the 8 provinces that are in our flag’s 8 sun rays.)

Briones was referring to Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Tarlac, and Batangas – all in Luzon.

“Kita’ng mga bisoy, kita’ng mga bisdak, wala nato kalimoti, wala nato kalimti nga kita apil pud ta sa rebolosyon. Apil pud ta sa war of independence. Apil pud ta sa pagsukol sa mga banyagang nasod nga gustong musakop kanato,” Briones said. 

(The Visayan people should not forget that we are also part of the revolution. We are also part of the war for independence. We also took part in the fight against the foreign countries that wanted to colonize us.) 

Briones represented President Rodrigo Duterte in the event organized by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP). 

Briones said that history was taught differently when she was 9 years old: “Ang gitudlo sa amo, syempre, ang bayani, si Magellan, unya ang kontrabida, si Lapu Lapu, oo, kay ningsukol man siya.” (What was taught to us was that Magellan was the hero and Lapu-Lapu was the antagonist. Yes, because he resisted.) 

The education secretary is herself a Bisaya. She was born in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, and studied at Silliman University in college. 

“Hinaot unta nga ato kini’ng ibatbat sa atong mga estudyante, sa ato’ng mga anak, ug sa ato’ng mga apo,” Briones said. (I hope that we will tell these stories to our students, our children, and our grandchildren.) – Rappler.com

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