“Let our diversity be the tool to our unity” -Senator Legarda
CITY OF MALOLOS- “Let our diversity be the tool to our unity. Let not our differences in religion or in beliefs be the dividing force that will divide us as a nation. On the contrary, it brings about our richness, our ethnicity and our differences. It brings about the wealth of our nation.”
This was the message of Sen. Loren Legarda to thousands of Bulakenyos who celebrated the commemoration of the 119th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence held at the historic Barasoain Church in this city earlier today.
“Tayo ay iisang bansa. May pagkakaiba man sa kultura, sa pananalita, sa tradisyon o sa paniniwala, tayo ay patuloy na pagbubuklurin ng ating kasaysayan bilang Pilipino,” Sen. Legarda said.
The senator who is chairing the Senate Committee on Finance, Senate Committee on Climate Change and Senate Committee on Foreign Relation, also seek prayer and support for the Philippine troops fighting for peace in Mindanao.
“Let us dedicate today’s Independence Day celebration to those who have invested their lives so that we would have freedom, not just for Marawi but for the whole country,” Sen. Legarda added.
For his part, Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado encouraged Bulakenyos to continue the fight and to acknowledge the sacrifice of the countless individuals who shed their lives for independence.
“Malaon ng natapos ang labanan, subalit sa kasalukuyan, kailangan pa rin nating makipaglaban. Ang kalaban natin ay ating mga sarili at ang ating pagkakahati-hati sa maraming bagay. Pinapaalala sa atin ng Hunyo 12, 1898 na walang anumang balakid ang maaaring humadlang sa ating mga adhikain kung tayo ay nagkakabuklod bilang sambayanan at mayroong iisang puso’t damdamin,” Alvarado said.
Prior to this, Sen. Legarda together with PC Supt. Aaron Aquino, PNP Regional Director, Alvarado and other provincial officials led the flag raising ceremony and wreath laying activity before the monument of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.
The event which was anchored on the theme “Kalayaan 2017: Pagbabagong Sama-samang Balikatin” was organized through the joint efforts of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Provincial Government of Bulacan and City Government of Malolos.
Independence Day (Araw ng Kalayaan) is an annual national holiday in the Philippines observed every June 12 as a commemoration of the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain on June 12, 1898.