Once, there were fighters, like Father Gomez, The battles that the propagandists and the patriots

fought
Zamora, and Burgos
Never counting the cost
Who died for us;
Fighting by means of pen
They were the foundation
To expose the Spanish men
For the secularization

They marched until dawn

Once, there were the illustrados
But what about the future?
Who suffered for the cause;
What if theyre fighting someone elses war
The cause of freedom,
There are so many problems yet no solutions we can
For all Filipinos
tell

In exchange for what? Rizals farewell?

Once, there were soldiers

Like Antonio Luna,

But they are gone now,
Who had the strength and the nerve
Off to a fresh start;
to be able to be beside the country and serve
In a land where they could,

Express their own art

Once, there were healers

Like Melchora Aquino,

Who kept many soldiers alive

Worked hard every day

to help the katipuneros survive

Who joined the Katipunan, who paved the way for

you

The one who decided that she had enough

Saying farewell to you has been tough

They were the heroes,

Who freed us from chains.