Sixty years after his death, former president Elpidio Quirino has been given a hero's burial, worthy of his stature as an exemplary public servant.

More than just being the sixth president of the Republic of the Philippines, Quirino is known for many other things: he was an educator, a diplomat, and a commendable statesman.

He was best known for leading the Philippines after the second World War, and for his unbelievable decision to forgive Japanese prisoners of war. This, despite losing his wife and three of his children to brutal murders committed by Japanese soldiers.

Here are other interesting facts about Elpidio Quirino:

1. Quirino was born to a family of modest means. He took on a side job of painting portraits to help pay for his college education at the University of the Philippines.

2. Quirino tied for 2nd place in the 1915 bar exams with another future president: Jose P. Laurel.

3. Quirino was part of the Constitutional Convention that formulated the 1935 Constitution.

4. As president, Quirino's first official act convened the Social Security Commission, to set up the organization we know today as Social Security System (SSS).

5. Quirino established the Rural Banks of the Philippines to help people in the rural areas manage their finances.

6. In 1948, President Quirino opened the country for thousands of Chinese refugees who did not believe in communism and gave them sanctuary in Tubabao Island, Guiuan, Samar.

To find out more about Quirino, watch out for ANC's Documentary Hour, 8:00 PM, February 29 (Part 1) and on March 1, 8:00 PM (Part 2).