President Rodrigo Duterte skipped on Monday the ceremony for the National Heroes' Day celebration because he was not feeling well.

Duterte was supposed to be at the flag-raising and wreath-laying rites at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City. Instead, it was House Speaker and Taguig City Representative Alan Peter Cayetano who represented him.

"He (Duterte) is indisposed and the President is 74 years old already and he also needs to rest," Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, former close aide of the President, told reporters in Taguig.

Asked if the President was sick, Go said, "May be he's not feeling well."

According to him, he and the President were together until around 4:30am on Monday, noting the many tasks that Duterte did over the weekend.

The senator said Duterte signed many documents and he also met with Moro National Liberation Front founder Nur Misuari in Davao City.

He assured that there was nothing to worry about Duterte's health.

Go noted that Duterte was only indisposed during the morning as he is set to go to Calbayog City later in the day to visit the wake of a soldier.

In his National Heroes' Day message, Duterte expressed belief that every Filipinos is a hero "who can build on our vibrant legacy of fortitude and resilience."

"As we face the future together, I encourage everyone to embody solidarity and sustain our momentum towards positive change not only for ourselves, but for the succeeding generations as well," he said.

He said the Filipinos recognize the heroism of those who fought for the country many decades ago not only by erecting statues in their honor, "but by uplifting the welfare of the poor and marginalized for it is through our small deeds that their spirit of valor can live on."

In a speech read by Cayetano at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, Duterte urged the Filipinos to emulate the patriotism of all those heroes by supporting the government's nation-building efforts, especially the campaign against illegal drugs, criminality, corruption, terrorism, poverty and environmental degradation. Celerina Monte/DMS