Interior Secretary Mar Roxas: Unity. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
CITY OF MALOLOS—The country faces several problems, like traffic congestion and climate change, but these are challenges that could be solved using the wisdom of members of the Malolos Congress, which legitimized the First Philippine Republic more than a century ago, said Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II on Monday.
Roxas proceeded to the 116th anniversary celebration here of the Malolos Congress, an assembly of Filipino patriots who gathered at the Barasoain Church to enact the Malolos Constitution for the Philippine Republic formed in 1898 by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.
Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite. The ratification of the Malolos Constitution on Jan. 23, 1899 made the Philippines the first republic in Asia.
“The nobility of our heroes who fought for our independence, as stipulated by the Malolos Congress, poses a challenge to Filipinos as we live our daily lives,” Roxas said.
He said Filipinos confront daily traffic jams, calamities and crimes, and the Malolos Congress inspires them to deal with problems with “the same, utmost heroism [its members] displayed.”
Roxas said: “The spirit of compassion is alive in Bulacan. That spirit is what our heroes displayed during the Malolos Congress.”
“Bulacan is self-sufficient. It also gave us heroes like Marcelo del Pilar, Gregorio del Pilar, Maximo Viola and Mariano Ponce,” he said. Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Inquirer Central Luzon