President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on Filipinos to repel “those who trample our sacred shores” as he vowed to continue the legacy of the First Philippine Republic.
”To those who ‘trample our sacred shores,’ the Spirit of Malolos commands us to resist you, for the territory our forefathers fought for is unconquerable,” Mr. Marcos said during the 125th anniversary of the establishment of the First Philippine Republic in Malolos, Bulacan.
“Today, as beneficiaries of their heroism, we pledge to continue to pay those dues. For that is the only way that we can honor those who founded this Republic, those who fought for its ideals, and those who fell in the war. And the fight continues up to this day, because while the great cause of freedom endures, it still faces threats, some shocking, some subtle, but all met with the same resolve,” he added.
The President was joined by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner, and other national and local government officials during the ceremony.
“We draw strength from what has transpired on these hallowed grounds 125 years ago…Like the pillars of the Republic of Malolos, let’s intensify our love for the country so that we can promote a liberating, more prosperous, and truly comfortable new Philippines,” Mr. Marcos said.
He said the wars that Filipinos fight today require no bloodletting, but “are harder to vanquish.”
“They exact a toll of poverty, hunger, and disease that claim more lives than any armed conflicts…Their defeat requires new weapons of the day, forged by patriots, to be wielded against enemies neither take no prisoners nor cease or cede any ground,” he added.
Romualdez, for his part, urged Filipinos to commit themselves to upholding and preserving democracy in the country.
“Let’s use this opportunity to rededicate ourselves to democracy inside and outside our beloved country. At the same time, let’s strengthen our determination to continue to pursue development for the Philippines—a country where every Filipino is free to determine the future with freedom, peace, and prosperity,” he said.
“Inside this church—the belief that real power comes from the people is unanimous. The affirmation that every Filipino has equal rights.
The power to shape the development of the country by choosing officials who are accountable to the people,” he added.
Zubiri called for the continued protection of the freedoms fought for during the establishment of the Malolos Republic.
“We celebrate the Malolos Republic as the birth of our democracy—the birth of our own government, our own republic, founded by a Constitution written by representatives of the people, which enshrines the principle that sovereignty emanates from no one else but the people themselves,” the Senate President said.