Apolinario Mabini

Apolinario Mabini is a very smart man with a very strong conviction. Although he was paralyzed, he wrote an essay on the duties of citizens to God, to the people, and to his fellowman. He served as General Emilio Aguinaldo's advisor during the Philippine-American War.

Mabini's complex contributions to Philippine History are often distilled into two historical monikers - "Brains of the Revolution," and "Sublime Paralytic." Contemporary historians such as Ambeth Ocampo point out, though, that these two monikers are reductionist and simplistic, and "do not do justice to the hero’s life and legacy."

Because of his role as advisor during the formation of the revolutionary government, and his contributions as statesman thereafter, Mabini is often referred to as the "Brains of the Revolution," a historical moniker he sometimes shares with Emilio Jacinto, who served in a similar capacity for the earlier revolutionary movement, the Katipunan.

Mabini is also famous for having achieved all this despite having lost the use of his legs to polio just prior to the Philippine revolution. This has made Mabini one of the Philippines' most visually iconic national heroes, such that he is often referred to as "The Sublime Paralytic" (Tagalog: Dakilang Lumpo). Contemporary historians, however, point out that the title obscures Mabini's many achievements.