Hero of Our Past | Filipinosunited

Who's Our Ideal National Hero? Please Comment!!!

Since Jose Rizal has been titled the Philippines National Hero, our tendency is to forget all of the other Filipinos or Filipino citizens who have lived that contributed to our country. I am here to proudly say that there is another citizen who is worthy of our recognition. This man's name is ...

JAIME LACHICA SIN

Jaime Sin is definitely another choice of an Ideal National Hero. His contributions to the Philippine community is numerous and very important. What do you think would have happened if Jaime Sin did not participate in the People Power Revolution and bring Corazon Aquino to power? What would happen if he wasn't around? Sharing some of Rizal's characteristics like publishing his works and fighting for what he thought was right, Jaime Sin wasn't just a Cardinal, he is one of the Philippines most beloved. Dying on June 21, 2005 due to kidney failure, his work and love for the Philippines will always be cherished and remembered. He truly is, another ideal national hero.

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Jaime Lachica Sin, also known as Jaime Cardinal Sin, was born on August 31, 1928 in New Washington, Aklan, Philippines in a family of many siblings, him being one of the youngest. His father, Sin Puat Co (Juan), settled in the Philippines and became Chinese prosperous business man while his mother, Maxima Lachica was from Aklan. Jaime Sin started his early missionary career in Jaro, Iloilo where he enrolled in the Jaro Archdiocesan Seminary of St. Vincent Ferrer. Hewas ordained priest on April 3, 1954. He served as a priest of the Diocese of Capiz from 1957 to 1967.He then received a bachelor's degree in education from I.C.C. (Immaculate Concepcion College) in 1959. In 1974, he became the metropolitan archbishop of Jaro in 1972, and archbishop of Manila. Then, on May 26, 1976, He was pronounced cardinal by the Pope.

Although he has many accolades to be proud of, his greatest contribution to the Philippine Society would be his many efforts in the People Power Revolution in 1986. Even from the beginning of the 1970s to the 1980s, he became very vocal and violent regarding the violence and cheating during the Philippine Elections. This involvement in politics rose when President Marcos called for a quick election of president and vice president to help him legitimize his regime. Due to these sudden change of events, Jaime Sin supported one candidate, Corazon Aquino, to run for the position of President against Marcos. Along side the minister of National Defense, Juan Ponce Enrile, and deputy chief of staff Fidel Ramos, fought against the government led by Marcos. They did this by having a rebellion consisting of 300 military officers. To place the icing on top of the cake, Fidel Ramos requested Jaime Sin's help in organizing civilians to protect the military officers. Jaime Sin did this through radio and all people, Catholic and Non-Catholics, heeded the call for help. Now, with the support, government tanks and weapons were helpless against the rebellion. Through the people's prayers, protests and peaceful faces, Marcos was forced to flee out of the country, and Corazon Aquino was appointed President of the Philippines.

After his contribution to the People Power Revolution, he maintained a high profile in the political side of the government. In 1992, he issued a pastoral letter which identified the undesirable traits of a candidate to become Philippine President. Then, in 1995, he publicly went against President Fidel Ramos and criticized his Christian Democratic coalition government. Fidel Ramos was known by this point a "Marcos clone". He led massive rallies to protest in different government policies. He did many more after the People Power Revolution and didn't fail to fight for what he believed in.

Like Rizal, Jaime Sin also had some published works. Some of these would be "The Revolution of Love" (1972),"The Church Above Political Systems" (1973), "A Song of Salvation" (1974), "Unity in Diversity" (1975), "The Future of Catholicism in Asia" (1978), "Christian Basis of Human Rights" (1978), "Separation, Not Isolation" (1978) and "Slaughter of Innocents" (1979). He even did a speech called, "El Papel que Desempeña la Hispanidad en la Formacion Moral de la Juventud" (The Role of Hispanism in the Moral Formaation of the Youth) which emphasized how the past, present and future help and complement each other.