Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin on Wednesday urged Filipinos to rely more on themselves and not too much on other countries in resolving problems and challenges besetting the country.
“We should not make it a habit to rely too much on foreigners to resolve our problems and challenges,” Bersamin said in his speech during the 121st Independence Day rites at the Andres Bonifacio Shrine in Caloocan City where he served as the guest speaker.
Bersamin said that only the country and its people can work for its development.
He noted that some nations offering assistance to the country are doing so out of their own vested interest.
“Tayo, bansa lang natin ang ating agenda,” he said.
The top magistrate also called on Filipinos to always remember the heroism and sacrifices of our forebears who fought for the country’s independence from the hands of foreigners.
“Let us always put in mind that we won our independence because of the blood and sacrifices of our ancestors. Let us not disregard their sacrifices,” he said.
Bersamin said there are many ways that present-day generation of Filipinos could value the sacrifices of our heroes such as obeying the laws, adhering to Filipino traditions and values, and doing away with vices.
“Kaya natin gawin ito sa maraming paraan, kagaya ng pagpapanumbalik natin sa mga mabubuting asal, gawain, at kaugalian bilang pangkaraniwang mamamayan. Idagdag natin sa mga pamamaraan ang pagpuksa o pag-iwas natin sa mga mapanirang bisyo at gawain at ang pagiging masipag upang makamit ang marangal na pamumuhay, at katapatan sa lahat ng mga tungkulin,” he added.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. also echoed the call for Filipinos to remember the sacrifices of those who fought for the country’s independence.
Locsin said that these sacrifices should remind us of the need to honor, protect and preserve freedom until the end.
Locsin said these are the values that the Duterte administration have hewed to since Day One of the administration to fulfill its promise to uplift the lives of ordinary Filipinos.
“These are the values of daily life the President has writ large in his governance to serve our countrymen, whatever their station in life may be, and wherever they may be in the world. These are also the values that sustain the resolve of the government to beat corruption, criminality, illegal drugs and other social ills,” Locsin said.