Legazpi City—The true meaning of freedom is the unity of all people in the community by way of sharing responsibility and by providing high-quality education for the new generation to prepare the country’s future and responsible leaders, City Mayor Noel E. Rosal said Wednesday.
The mayor sent this message during the celebration of the 121st Independence Day and the 60th commemoration of Legazpi City Charter Day at the Peñaranda Park here.
The activity started with a Holy Mass officiated by Monsignor Noe Thomas and participated in by various sectors of society, including city government officials and employees.
It was then followed by the parade of troops from the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard, Navy, and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
Part of the morning activity was a flag-raising ceremony in front of the Albay Capitol and the release of doves and balloons into the air.
The Philippine Veterans Affairs, Mason Fraternity, Department of Education, and employees of the provincial government of Albay also joined the activity.
Rosal said the Independence Day celebration reminds all Filipinos to show respect and gratitude to the country’s heroes who fought for freedom.
“We are now free from the hands of foreign invaders but we need to fight always for progress and development in order to put our country in the right direction towards prosperity so our constituents will continue to benefit,” he said.
Rosal promised that the city administration will continue to work to improve the city’s tourism industry and invite big investors to put up more business establishments in this city to give the people more employment opportunities.
Rosal and Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission Secretary Dante Jimenez led the wreath-laying ceremony at the city hall compound during the commemoration of the 60th Legazpi City Charter Day.
Legazpi became a city under the Becerra Law of 1892, constituting the municipalities of Legazpi, Bay Nuevo, and Daraga, but it was dissolved under the American occupation in 1900.
It again became a city on July 18, 1948, when Legazpi and Daraga were combined to constitute its territory under Republic Act (RA) 306.
However, on June 8, 1954, RA 993 was approved, recreating both towns and the city was dissolved anew.
On June 12, 1959, RA 2234 was approved, creating the City of Legazpi, which comprises the territorial jurisdiction of the municipality of Legazpi.
Independence Day or Araw ng Kalayaan is an annual national holiday observed every June 12 to mark the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain on June 12, 1898, as mandated by Proclamation No. 28, s. 1962 “Declaring June 12 as Philippine Independence Day,” signed by then-President Diosdado Macapagal, father of Speaker Arroyo. With PNA