Independence Day may have passed, but it’s never too late to honor the ones who made our freedom possible—especially the ones who barely had the time to live out their twenties.
While many of us today are still figuring things out in our early adult years—switching careers, saving for a condo, maybe booking a long-overdue solo trip—these young Filipinos in history were already changing the course of a nation. They risked their lives not because they had all the answers, but because they had the courage to believe in something bigger than themselves.
It’s easy to view historical figures as old and distant—names in textbooks, far removed from who we are now. But as historian and educator Xiao Chua reminds us, “People should remember that at that time, life expectancy was shorter because of the many diseases one could acquire, although modern science has changed that. Still, these heroes were very young, but were forced by circumstances to mature to fight for their country.”
This year, 2025, marks the 150th birth anniversaries of three of those young revolutionaries: Gregorio del Pilar, Emilio Jacinto, and Gregoria de Jesus. Their legacies, built on both action and ideas, remind us that youthful idealism wasn’t just present in our fight for independence—it was the driving force behind it. This is why 2025 has officially been designated as the Year of the Youth in Philippine History.
So yes, we’re looking back—but this time, with sharper vision and deeper gratitude. Here are just some of the young Filipinos who didn’t just dream of change. They made it happen.
Emilio Jacinto
Age: 22
Poet. Political philosopher. General. At just 22, Jacinto was appointed by Bonifacio as the general of the Katipunan’s army. He wrote the Kartilya ng Katipunan, a moral and political guide that helped define the values of the revolution.
Gregorio del Pilar
Age: 20-24
General of the Philippine Revolutionary Army at 20, he died holding the line at Tirad Pass at only 24. He is remembered not just because he was young, but because he chose sacrifice when retreat was easier.
Gregoria de Jesus
Age: 22
Co-founder of the Katipunan’s women’s chapter and the “Lakambini of the Katipunan.” She smuggled secret documents, organized resistance efforts, and stood beside Bonifacio in the thick of it. She protected a revolution in silence and in strength.
Manuel Tinio
Age: 20
The youngest general in Philippine history and Commanding General of the Revolutionary Forces in Northern Luzon. He demonstrated that leadership has no minimum age requirement.
Emilio Aguinaldo
Age: 29
Before he turned 30, Aguinaldo had already been elected president of the First Philippine Republic. He led the nation’s first bid for independence.
Andres Bonifacio
Age: 29
Founder and Supremo of the Katipunan. He organized the masses, initiated the revolt, and fought for independence from Spain.
Remedios Paraiso Gomez (Kumander Liwayway)
Age: Early 20s
A Hukbalahap guerrilla during WWII, she never went into battle without her red lipstick. Her presence challenged the image of women in war, proving that bravery and femininity can coexist.
Josefa Llanes Escoda
Age: Mid-20s during her early activism
Founder of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines and resistance worker during the Japanese occupation, Escoda secretly smuggled aid to POWs until she was captured and executed—steadfast until the end.
The Hunters ROTC
Ages: Teens to early 20s
During the Second World War, a group of underage cadets formed the Hunters ROTC—a guerrilla force dismissed by some as “boy scouts.” Yet, they successfully resisted the Japanese and contributed to the liberation of the Philippines. “Their victories paved the way to our liberation from Japanese occupation,” Chua explains.
Martial Law Martyrs
Ages: Teens to late 20s
Liliosa Hilao. Edgar Jopson. Lorena Barros. Ditto Sarmiento. Enrique Voltaire Garcia. “These are just a few of the brave young people who resisted the Marcos dictatorship. Many were tortured, disappeared, or killed—but their martyrdom helped lead to the People Power Revolution,” Chua says.
Jose Rizal
Age: 25-26 (when Noli Me Tangere was published)
He used his pen to expose injustice and awaken a nation. His novels exposed the cruelty of Spanish rule and opened Filipinos’ eyes to injustice—all before he turned 30. Revolution doesn’t always start with weapons. Sometimes it starts with words.
So what is it about the youth that keeps moving history forward? “Young people tend to have more idealism, passion, and energy,” Chua reflects. “They can be more bold and daring!”
It’s a trait Jose Rizal saw long before anyone else. “Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.” We repeat the quote every year—but does it still hold meaning?
“If it is to be believed that the results of the 2025 senatorial polls were due to the vote of the young people, then there is hope,” Chua answers. “There is no choice but to hope. It is the Filipino youth who will eventually take our reins—no other people can. That is why we should do our best to guide them, and show them examples of love of country, and let history and its lessons be their beacon.”
Independence Day may have passed, but the spirit it honors lives on—especially in the stories of the young. History reminds us that youth is not a prelude to greatness; it is often the very stage where it happens. And if the past is any indication, the future will be shaped, once again, by the bold, the passionate, and the young.