Mayor Lucilo Bayron inspires locals during the celebration of the 126th Independence Day of the country. FILE IMAGE
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – Mayor Lucilo Bayron of this city urged locals to draw inspiration from history in facing present challenges at the celebration of the 126th Independence Day of the country from Spanish rule at the Rizal Park on Wednesday morning (June 12).
Bayron said Independence Day is celebrated “in honor of the heroic deeds of the past generation that paved the way to the birth of the country’s freedom that was attained through sacrifices of blood, sweat and tears.”
He told the crowd in his speech that the celebration is also commemoration of a united journey and cause that binds Filipinos as one.
“Let us darw strength from our history and let our ancestor’s bravery serve as our inspiration to face the present challenges with the same passion,” Bayron said.
READ: Filipinos will never bow to oppression, says Marcos on Independence Day
He added that what the city has attained now mirrors the sacrifices of the heroes of the past and what they fought for, as the city continues to develop and give hope for a better future.
“We have done so much to achieve the city’s economic devvelopment as well as the protection of our natural resources, and yet so much has to be done to maintain these developments,” he said.
Meanwhile, the military’s Western Command chief Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres Jr. said with the advent of modern technology, a lot has changed on how people have been facing life’s daily challenges.
In his message delivered by Deputy Commander for Internal Security Operations Brigadier General Amado dela Paz, Torres stated three major points that embody this year’s Independence Day celebration – freedom, future and history.
He said the freedom that is enjoyed by people now was a product of heroic sacrifices of the past generations, which cannot simply be forgotten but should always be remembered because it is what molded the present and now serves as a guiding ight for the future generations.
“As Filipinos, we cannot put aside the sacrifices of our forefathers because it is our duty to nouish the inependence for the future generations of Filipinos,” Torres said.
“We will not allow our freedom to be trampled by oppressors or whoever are trying to destroy the peace and stability of our nation,” he added.
The Wescom chief also urged everyone to be vigilant in the midst of attempts to divide the Filipino people by outside forces who are trying to gain control of the country’s resources in the West Philippine Sea.
He added that the rich history of the country embodies the strength and valor in the fight against foreign opressors.
“Our history is a colorful one, painted by our aspirations as one nation and our present was also no doubt binded by such history,” he said.
“If we will not be careful with our decisions today and let those who are trying to malign our present, our country’s history will be put into darkness,” he stated.