National Heroes Day is more than just a long weekend — it’s another excuse to enjoy a holiday while honoring the people who shaped our history. While we often remember them through textbooks, monuments, and holidays, our heroes were more than just names and dates.

But beyond what you memorized in history class, our heroes had quirks, stories, and little-known details that make them even more fascinating. Here are eight lesser-known Philippine national heroes trivia you probably didn’t know.

1. Jose Rizal was conversant in 22 languages

We all know Rizal was brilliant, but did you know he was a polyglot? From Spanish and French to German, Japanese, and even Arabic, Rizal’s mastery of languages helped him connect with scholars, reformists, and allies abroad.

2. Andres Bonifacio worked as a warehouse clerk

Before leading the Katipunan, Bonifacio supported his siblings by working as a bodeguero (warehouse clerk) and selling canes and paper fans. His humble beginnings didn’t stop him (and may have even fueled his rise) to become the “Father of the Philippine Revolution.”

3. Marcelo H. del Pilar used the pen name “Plaridel” for satire

Now regarded as the “Father of Philippine journalism”, Marcelo H. del Pilar used the pen name Plaridel (among many other pseudonyms) to publish witty essays and biting satire against Spanish authorities in the pages of La Solidaridad. This is why many places in the country bear the name “Plaridel” — including Plaridel Hall (the College of Mass Communication) in UP Diliman.

4. Gregorio del Pilar was known as a fashionable dresser

Dubbed the “Boy General,” Del Pilar was admired not only for his bravery but also for his style. Accounts say that when Americans came across his fallen body after the Battle of Tirad Pass, they were “astonished by his youthful elegance and flamboyant khaki uniform.” He may have been young, but he left a heroic and stylish impression.

5. Apolinario Mabini was a chess enthusiast

Known as the “Sublime Paralytic,” Apolinario Mabini was paralyzed by polio at age 30 but remained one of the sharpest minds of the Revolution. Aside from drafting laws and serving as the first Prime Minister, he was also an avid chess player, often challenging fellow intellectuals. He would also metaphorically move “pieces” in politics.

6. Emilio Aguinaldo lived to witness WWII and beyond

Emilio Aguinaldo, the country’s first president, lived until 1964. He was 94. He not only witnessed the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War but also lived through World War II, the Japanese occupation, and even Diosdado Macapagal’s presidency. Outliving most of his contemporaries, Aguinaldo became the longest-lived revolutionary leader, offering a rare living link between the nation’s independence struggles and its modern history.

7. Miguel Malvar was the last general to surrender to the Americans

Miguel Malvar, a general from Batangas, holds the distinction of being the last Filipino general to surrender to the Americans in 1902. After Aguinaldo was captured in 1901, Malvar assumed command of the revolutionary forces and led fierce resistance against the U.S. occupation. Some historians argue that if his leadership had been formally recognized, Malvar could have been considered the second president of the Philippines.

8. Juan Luna killed his wife and mother-in-law

Juan Luna, the celebrated painter of the Spoliarium, had a dark side. In 1892, Luna shot and killed his wife, Paz Pardo de Tavera, and her mother in a fit of jealousy. Though he was acquitted on grounds of temporary insanity, this lesser-known fact casts a shadow on one of the country’s most renowned artists.

National Heroes Day is the perfect time to remember that our heroes were more than just names in textbooks. Do you know other trivia or stories about them? Drop them in the comments below!