Legends are born in the month of September. A number of Filipinos who made names in our history, both heroes and anti-heroes, saw the first light of day in September. Four of our presidents are September-born beginning with Sergio Osmeña Sr. who became our country’s president following President Manuel L. Quezon’s death on August 1, 1944 while in exile in the United States during the 2nd World War. He was born on September 9, 1878 in Cebu.
President Diosdado P. Macapagal who served as our country’s president from 1961 to 1965 was born on September 28, 1910 in Lubao, Pampanga. He was succeeded by President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who unseated Macapagal in 1965. The elder Marcos whose birthday falls on September 11, 1917 is the father of our current president, President Bongbong Marcos, who was born on September 13, 1957. The elder Marcos was born in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte but his son, President Bongbong, was delivered at the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
It would seem that persons born in September are born leaders. September is a star-studded month. Many other prominent leaders in our government share September as their birth month. Among them are Former Senate Presidents Arturo Tolentino and Gil J. Puyat who were leading lights in the Senate for many years. The late Speaker Benigno Aquino, Sr., Senator Ninoy Aquino’s father, was born on September 3, 1894. Former Manila Mayor Mel Lopez had his birthday on September 1, 1935. Senator Grace Poe and Bong Revilla celebrate their birthdays in September. Sept. 2 is the birthday of former Chief Justice Fred Ruiz Castro. Two other SC justices, Francis Jardeleza and Alfredo Caguioa, have their birthdays in September. Ditto with two of our former Miss Universe— Margie Moran, born on September 15, and Pia Wurtzbach, born on Sept. 24. Other celebrities with September birthdays include poet and nationalist Amado Hernandez; the foremost Filipino writer in English, NVM Gonzalez; artist Arnel Pineda; actor Jericho Rosales; actor-singer Inigo Pascual; singer/doctor Nonoy Zuñiga; former Congressman Rudy Fariñas; businessman George Yang of McDonald’s; journalist and TV host Kara David; and fashion icon Monique Lhuillier. Even our one and only Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa had her natal day on September 2, 1963. Many notable Filipinos, both dead and alive, observe their birthdays in September and they are too many to mention here. September is truly a star-studded month.
It would seem that September-born people are born leaders. People born from September 1 to 22 are Virgos and those from September 23 to 30 are Libras. Virgos are practical people and have a methodical approach to life. They are generally cerebral—deep and quick in their thinking. Libras, on the other hand, are generally sociable and fair-minded people. It’s been reported by the National Bureau of Economic Research in the US that those born in September “tend to be more successful in life.” Schoolchildren born in September with ages 6 to 15 scored higher on average than their classmates. A similar study in London confirms this. Further studies show that there is a direct correlation that “successful young students would be more likely to have higher overall test scores, more likely to be accepted to better schools, and less likely to be incarcerated for crimes.”
Bright students tend to receive more attention from their teachers and they are exposed to better programs and opportunities in the school. Teachers give them advanced lessons while underachievers get make-up classes to catch up. Another advantage working for the Virgos and the Libras is that in most countries schools open in September. September is the cut-off age for school admission. So they are the oldest in their grade when classes begin. They are the most ready to learn mentally, socially and physically. This is an edge that they enjoy over their younger peers. Rightly or wrongly, there seems to be some “scientific” basis that Virgos and Libras are intelligent Zodiac signs.
No doubt, the month of September has contributed great men and women who have brought honors to, and helped build, our nation. The month is crowded with celebrities in various fields of endeavor—politics, business, culture and the arts—whose collective achievements eclipsed those born in other months of the year. But this may be due to the fact that more babies are born in September. There is a study that couples find it more convenient to conceive during the Christmas season. In most countries it’s cold during December even in non-temperate countries without a winter season. Another factor is the long holiday layoff where couples have more time to be together and get more intimate. In the Philippines, a study made by the Philippine Statistics Authority in 2018 showed that September had the most number of births, with 156,820, followed by the months of October and November at 155,713 and 148,371, respectively. Thus, there may be a basis to say that December is the peak time for conception.
A man’s fate is not determined by the date of his birth. What he or she will become, his appearance, his traits and his behavior are largely the product of his genes or DNA. We learned in school that genes are the “building blocks” of life. However, the environment also influences our life. It’s the combination of “nature” and “nurture” that shapes and makes the individual. We are all familiar with success stories of countless persons who have achieved fame and glory despite their humble beginnings, and individuals who have risen from abject poverty to become wealthy and powerful. Ramon F. Magsaysay was an auto mechanic who became a well-loved president of our country. Diosdado P. Macapagal was a peasant son who was elected to the highest elective post in our government. Manny Villar, our richest tycoon, came from an impoverished family who lived in a slum area in Tondo. He’s one of the only two Filipinos, together with former President Manuel Roxas, to serve as Speaker of the House and as Senate President. Whether one is born in September or any other month of the year and under any Zodiac sign, anyone has an equal opportunity to attain personal greatness under our democratic system.
It’s not only through education and business that one can attain success and fame. Excellence in sports can also lead to imminence and glory. Manny Pacquiao, Hydilyn Diaz and, more recently, EJ Obiena, Carlos Yulo and Alex Eala have all shown us that sports can also be a passport to greatness. The circumstances of birth are not the sole determinants of privileged life ahead. To a large extent, the person himself determines his own destiny. If he studies, trains and works hard, achieves his full potential in his field and offers his life in the service of his country and fellowmen, he can become a legend in his own lifetime.
