On June 12, Filipinos all over the world will commemorate that day in 1898 when General Emilio Aguinaldo proudly held the Philippine flag aloft and read the Act of the Declaration of Independence in Kawit, Cavite, proclaiming the Philippines’ freedom from the tyranny of foreign conquerors.
This year, all 58 SM Supermalls nationwide will unite in observing the country’s 118th Independence Day celebrations with numerous activities lined up until June 12. On Sunday at exactly 8:00 a.m., a simultaneous flag raising ceremony will commence in all SM Supermalls, with representatives from local government units, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, Boy Scouts of the Philippines, the academe and the private sector joining the SM teams during the ceremony. This will be followed by a Freedom Parade inside every mall where participants will pass by the stores decked with their own Philippine flag displays.
“Our heroes went into battle full tilt so we can have our independence, which we enjoy until today,” says SM Supermalls senior vice president for Marketing Jon Jon San Agustin, recalling that June 12, 1898, was the day the Philippine flag was formally raised as a symbol of our hard-fought freedom. “This year, SM is reliving that important part of our history by holding activities that put emphasis on the significance of the event. It’s our way of celebrating with our communities,” he adds.
For many years, SM Supermalls has been engaging customers in Independence Day celebrations in recognition of its significant role and contribution to every community where an SM mall operates. The country’s largest shopping mall operator serves millions of customers daily, giving the company a great opportunity to push this event’s objective forward.
As part of the celebration, shoppers can take advantage of a special one-day mall-wide sale dubbed as #PINOYFUNSALE until June 12, offering up to 70 percent discount on select items. For added fun, SM will be installing iconic Philippine Independence Day centerpieces that people can use as background for selfies and groufies.