CELEBRATING FREEDOM. Antique Provincial Administrator Nery Duremdes delivers a message during the 126th Independence Day celebration at the Evelio B. Javier Freedom Park in San Jose de Buenavista on Wednesday (June 12, 2024). Duremdes said the Philippines had been successful in obtaining its freedom from the Spanish colonizers because of the Filipinos then who willingly sacrificed their lives. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Antiqueños celebrated the 126th Independence Day here on Wednesday, with a provincial official urging them to exercise their inherent rights, which they received as a result of freedom from the country's colonizers.
Antique Provincial Administrator Nery Duremdes said in his message delivered on behalf of Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao that the Philippines had been successful in obtaining its freedom because of the Filipinos then who dearly loved their country and willingly sacrificed their lives.
“We have national heroes like Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, and Graciano Lopez Jaena who fought for our freedom,” Duremdes said.
He said because of the freedom being enjoyed now, Antiqueños must give true meaning to their independence by exercising their rights, especially their right to suffrage, citing next year’s national and local elections.
“Choose the right leaders who could lead you towards development,” Duremdes said.
Meanwhile, Philippine Air Force retired Col. Luciano Saiyo Jr., the consultant for political affairs of the Office of Vice Governor Edgar Denosta, said Antiqueños should also be mindful of the dispute in the West Philippine Sea.
“Our struggle continues over the foreign invasion,” he said.
He said the West Philippine Sea is Philippine territory and the people must protect it.
The Independence Day celebration in the province was attended by the chiefs and employees of national and provincial government offices, officials of the Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, Philippine Coast Guard, and Bureau of Fire Protection, and members of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines.
They began the celebration with an early morning flag-raising ceremony at the Evelio B. Javier Freedom Park in front of the capitol, followed by a program and wreath-laying ceremony at the monument of Rizal. (PNA)
The Philippine News Agency is a web-based newswire service of the Philippine government under the supervision of the News and Information Bureau (NIB) of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).