Aquino to Filipinos: Continue defending our freedom

MANILA, Philippines – Continue guarding, defending, and fighting for our freedom.

This was the core message of President Benigno Aquino III on the Philippines’ 118th Independence Day on Sunday, June 12 – his last as the leader of more than 100 million Filipinos. 

“Ngayong papasok tayo sa panibagong kabanata ng ating kasaysayan, nawa’y hindi natin malimot: Ang kalayaan, kailangang bantayan at alagaan,” Aquino said in his speech during the vin d’honneur in Malacañan Palace. “Ang lahat ng mahalaga, kailangang pagsikapan; kailangang ipaglaban.“

(Now that we’re entering a new chapter in our history, I hope we won’t forget: Freedom should be protected and taken cared of. Everything that is important, should be earned, fought for.)

He again reminded people about the curtailment of freedoms under the dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos.

“Halos isang henerasyon pa lang ang nakalipas, na ang mismong gobyernong pinamunuan ng Pilipino, ay siyang sumupil ng kalayaan sa kapwa Pilipino,” he told the government officials and the diplomats assembled at the historic palace’s Rizal Hall.

(Almost a generation ago, a government led by a Filipino curtailed the freedoms of his fellow Filipinos.)

He said: “Minsan nang inagaw ng kapwa natin Pilipino ang ating kalayaan. Ibig sabihin, kung hindi tayo magiging mapagmatyag, maaari uli itong mangyari.”

(A fellow Filipino once robbed us of our freedom. This mean, if we are not vigilant, it could happen again.)

Aquino also said that he is proud to say that he was able to fulfill his promises to the nation, and said his administration was able to do it without taking away anyone’s freedoms.

He said: “Naabot natin ang lahat ng tinatamasa natin ngayon nang gumagalang sa proseso at sa batas at sa karapatan ng bawat tao. Nagawa natin ito nang hindi sinisikil ang tinig nino man, at binibigyang halaga ang kalayaang ipinaglaban ng mga nauna sa atin. Naninindigan pa rin tayo: Walang mararating na tunay na pag-unlad kung isusuko ang ating dignidad at karapatan.”

(We are enjoying all these by respecting the rule of law and the rights of everyone. We were able to do it without curtailing the voice of anyone, keeping in mind the freedom that our forebears earned for us. We stood our ground: there won’t be true progress if we give up our dignity and rights.)

“May we never lose our patience with the ways of democracy, and may we never take it for granted or be passive in its defense,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Aquino led the flag-raising ceremony at the Rizal Park. There, he was joined by Vice President Jejomar Binay, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Foreign Affairs Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr, and National Historical Commission of the Philippines Chairperson Maria Serena Diokno.

Aquino is set to step down from his post on June 30, when President-elect Rodrigo Duterte takes his oath as the 16th president of the country. – Rappler.com