“THE FREEDOM that all Filipinos are enjoying right now should be enjoyed reasonably and should honor all heroes who died fighting for it.”
This was the most important feature of Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn’s message to the people of Puerto Princesa who attended the celebration on June 12 of the 111th Philippine Independence Day at the People’s Amphitheater, Mendoza Park.
Hagedorn said that the freedom the people of Puerto Princesa, Palawan and the rest of the archipelago are benefiting from is owed to the war veterans who sacrificed their lives after years and years of colonization by Spain, Japan and the United States.
Speaking in front of war veterans and their families, Hagedorn lauded them for their sacrifices so the Philippines can earn its liberty.
He particularly paid tribute to those who lost their lives fighting for Philippine independence. “They sacrificed their lives in exchange for this freedom, which was an ultimate act of heroism that we should all be proud of as it was not fought in vain,” he stressed.
Vice Governor David A. Ponce de Leon, on the other hand, said that freedom was the greatest gift for the Filipino after the Philippine flag was raised in Imus, Cavite.
“Let us cherish and enjoy this freedom reasonably. All of us should work together to strengthen, preserve and sustain this freedom so we do not enslave ourselves anymore by putting our lives in the hands of enemies. We should keep the history of our nation alive in hearts and minds,” he said.
He called on Palaweños to re-examine themselves to find out if they are the very people whom Dr. Jose Rizal and Aguinaldo said are “worth fighting and dying for.”
“Are we the present generation of Filipinos; are we worth of sacrifices and heroism of the past? Are we the Filipinos that Gen. Aguinaldo and Dr. Rizal were saying as the Filipinos worth fighting for? Let us continue to remember that question and start answering within ourselves,” he reminded.
