Sara Duterte urges courage, unity on Rizal Day

MANILA, Philippines — As the country observes Rizal Day on Tuesday, Vice President Sara Duterte called for renewed strength and courage to stand for truth and justice.

She made the call as she enjoined Filipinos to mark the 129th anniversary of the heroism of Dr. Jose Rizal.

“As we remember his sacrifice, may our strength and courage to stand for truth and justice be renewed,” she said in Filipino.

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“Let us not allow the spirit of wisdom and unity to die,” the vice president added.

She also said that genuine and long-lasting change arises from deep study, moral integrity, and collective action within communities and institutions.

“Through his writings, Dr. Jose Rizal bequeathed the spirit of fearless love for the nation and the dream of true freedom founded on the light of knowledge,” she said, speaking Filipino.

“Rizal’s true lesson is clear: freedom is not only liberation from foreign forces, but also the liberation of our minds and hearts from abuse, division, and evil,” she added.

Rizal Day is a Philippine national holiday observed annually on December 30. Dr. Jose Rizal was executed by Spanish colonizers on the same date in 1896 at what was then Bagumbayan, now known as Rizal Park. /jpv