Leni: Defend ‘historical truths’ from revisionists
PRESIDENT Duterte yesterday asked Filipinos to unite for the “glory and triumph of the Filipino nation.”
The President led Independence Day commemoration activities at the Luneta Park in Manila, his last as president, and his first in Manila.
Vice President Leni Robredo asked Filipinos to defend history against those who want to revise it.
“Idiin ang tama at makatarungan, at laging igiit ang katotohanan ng kasaysayan, (Uphold what is righteous and just and always assert the truths of history),” she said in a statement.
President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who will officially assume the presidency at the end of the month, recognized the sacrifices and victories of the country’s forefathers, which led to freedom that Filipinos are enjoying today. But, he said, Filipinos must continue to fight for freedom especially against the ill effects of the culture of hatred, division and discord.
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, who led Independence Day ceremonies at the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan City, underscored the importance of progress and individual dignity in the country’s efforts to attain genuine freedom and independence.
“Independence will become meaningful only if it leads to the progress of everyone, and not only of a few. We will attain total independence only if every Filipino has dignity, whatever his standing in life is,” he said in Filipino.
Gesmundo also urged Filipinos to preserve and nurture the rights and freedoms their ancestors and heroes have gallantly fought for.
Aside from the Luneta Park and Bonifacio Monument, Independence Day rites were also held at the Museo ni Emilio Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite; Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan City; Barasoain Church Historical Landmark in Malolos City, Bulacan; Bonifacio National Monument in Caloocan City; Museo ng Kasaysayang Panlipunan ng Pilipinas in Angeles City, Pampanga; Mausoleo de los Veteranos de la Revo-luccion at the Manila North Cemetery; and Plaza Independencia in Cebu City and the Rizal Park in Davao City, among others.
In Manila, the ceremonies included wreath laying at the Rizal Shrine and a flyby of FA-50PH jet fighters of the Philippine Air Force, which emitted colored smoke to represent the colors of the Philippine flag.
The jets were used in combat operations in Marawi in City 2017, when parts of the were attacked and occupied for about five months by the Maute terror group.
Aside from Duterte, among those also present in the Luneta Park rites were Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Sen. Christopher Go, and Manila Vice Mayor and incoming mayor Honey Lacuna,
Lorenzana fainted during the ceremony but was in stable condition by late yesterday.
Duterte said more than a century ago, the Filipino heroes and forefathers showed the world what a “collective force and will as a people” can do to repudiate colonial subjugation.
He said that while the country’s path to true freedom has been long and tedious, the Filipinos’ forefathers have “walked the mile and made us pioneers of republican democracy in Asia” while history has taught Filipinos of the important values that should be held and the lessons that should always be remembered.
“While we draw strength from learning our past, we must continue believing that there is still wisdom to be gained from our present choices, decisions and actions so we can shape a better future for our people. Let our constant discernment in the continuing process of nation-building therefore make us realize that our liberties are there to make us wiser and not to prove that we are always right or better,” he said.
“Even in exercising our most cherished freedoms, our differences can move us to engage in healthy yet meaningful discourse without sowing hatred and division, as well as push our country towards the right direction. In the spirit of patriotism and love of the motherland exemplified by those who came before us, let us come together in unity for the glory and triumph of the Filipino nation,” he added.
This is Duterte’s first attendance at the Independence Day celebration that was held in Manila. He missed the event in 2017 because he was not feeling well. In 2018, he attended ceremonies in Kawit, Cavite, where he was heckled by some members of the militant groups while delivering his speech. In 2019, he attended Independence Day rites at the 6th Infantry Battalion Headquarters in Malabang, Lanao del Sur, but had to skip the flag-raising ceremony inside the camp and wreath-laying event at the monument of former Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos because of heavy rains.
In 2020, he delivered his Independence Day speech in a taped message due to the coronavirus disease pandemic restrictions.
Last year, he attended the Independence Day celebration in Malolos City in Bulacan where he paid tribute to the frontliners.
After the Luneta event yesterday, the President met with members of the diplomatic corps, and attended ceremonies for the commissioning of the BRP Melchora Aquino at the Philippine Coast Guard headquarters in Port Area in Manila, and the lowering of a tunnel-boring machine for the subway construction project in Valenzuela City.
TRUTH
Robredo, who lost her presidential bid by a wide margin to Marcos Jr., said the people have to stand firm against efforts to revise the country’s history.
Even before the campaign period for the May 9 national elections, Robredo was already fighting a war against fake news and disinformation, including those who claim that the dictatorial regime of Marcos Jr’s father, Ferdinand Marcos, was the country’s “golden age.”
“We are called to forge on, aware of all that we have had to go through as a unified nation.
As ordinary citizens, there is much we can do. Be open and loving; help those in need.
Affirm what is right and true, and assert the truths of our history. Find inspiration in one another, and from those who came before. Stand firm on a story that can never be changed, stolen, erased – a story that binds us according to a collective past, and gives us the strength to march towards a collective future,” she said in a statement.
On her program on RMN radio, the Vice President also said she was hoping the Marcos administration would continue the medical assistance program of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in light of the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Vice President-elect is Marcos’ running mate and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Robredo said programs that were introduced by the OVP under her watch have to be institutionalized to ensure continuity.
“Tingin ko naman to a large extent, itutuloy pa rin. Siguro ang question lang ‘yung mga programa na hindi institutionalized kasi marami kaming sinimulan na programa na hindi bahagi ng OVP (I believe that to a large extent, it will continue. Perhaps, the only question is if the programs that are not institutionalized will remain since we’ve pioneered a lot of programs that were not part of the OVP),” she said.
She again vowed to focus on her “Angat Buhay” program after she steps down from office on June 30.
Robredo is planning to re-launch her Angat Buhay program as a non-government organization (NGO) with the biggest number of volunteers working to help indigents.
Angat Buhay is an anti-poverty program which uses the the help of private sector resources to augment the meager budget of the OVP.
CHALLENGES
Marcos Jr., in his 214th video blog, said the Filipinos must continue to fight for their freedom especially against the ill effects of the COVID-19 and the culture of hatred, division and discord.
He said while the country has faced the challenges brought about by COVID-19, its ill-effects lingers such as the loss of employment and closure of businesses, which people continue to feel even if the country has reopened the economy and lifted lockdowns.
He said several countries, including those in Southeast Asia, are willing to help the Philippines recover as pledged by the ambassadors who called on him in the past days. The envoys reaffirmed their country’s commitments to continue working and expanding cooperation with the Philippines in various fronts such as trade and investment.
Marcos said Filipino must also fight for their freedom against divisiveness and hatred.
“Ang kalayaan mula sa makaluma, mapanghusga at mapanirang pag-iisip na siyang nagdadala ng galit at pagkamuhi sa kapwa at patuloy na pinagwawatak-watak ang ating lipunan (“Freedom from the old, from the discriminatory and hypocritical thinking that brings anger and hate against others and divisiveness in the country),” he said.
“Cancer culture man ito, diskriminasyon, mga bayolenteng hate crime – lahat iyan ay hindi na katanggap-tanggap sa ating makabagong panahon. Lahat iyan ay nakakasakit sa lipunan at nakakabagal sa pag bangon at pag-unlad (be it cancer culture, discrimination, violent hate crime — all of these are not acceptable in our modern world. All of that are harmful to the nation and slows down progress),” he added.
Marcos said Filipinos said should remember that it is good to have freedom and it is good to be a Filipino.
FRONTLINERS
Peace Adviser and National Task Force against coronavirus disease (NTF COVID-19) chief Carlito Galvez Jr. recognized the sacrifices also of health workers.
He thanked the “country’s new heroes — doctors, nurses, soldiers, police officers, fast food crew, riders, barangay workers and other frontliners — for putting their lives on the line in order to serve our countrymen and help mitigate the impact of the pandemic.”
“For the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has once again tested the strength of the Filipino people. But we did not give up nor back down. Instead we faced the unseen enemy head on with the same tenacity as we did with our foreign oppressors. This fight has not been easy. A lot of our countrymen got seriously ill, lost their livelihood, while some even lost their lives. But in the face of these challenges, the Filipino people showed their resilience, while putting their vaunted Bayanihan spirit on full display,” Galvez said.
Sen. Richard Gordon reminded Filipinos to “never forget the sacrifices our forefathers have made” so that future generations can experience “true freedom.”
“Let us remain free from the chains of oppression, of illegal foreign incursion, poverty, and disinformation. We hope that we are already on the track towards freedom from the pandemic as well,” he said.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros said, “We have this day because we refuse to forget the weight of history that brought us here. It is every Filipino’s responsibility to remember the legacy of our heroes and the impact of our past. Through remembrance, we shape the future generation’s understanding of history.” Hontiveros said.
Senator-elect Francis Escudero said independence day is the time when the nation remembers the heroism of the men and women who fought for the country’s freedom from foreign rule.
“To honor them, let us continue to do what is expected of us in exchange for their sacrifices. Let us strive to be goo citizens worthy of the independence imparted on Filipinos),” he said in Filipino. — With Wendell Vigilia, Ashzel Hachero and Raymond Africa
