Because of this gift of freedom bestowed upon us by our forefathers, the Philippines today is a sovereign nation that can determine its own destiny.

President Duterte understands that without sovereignty, we cannot have true independence. If an external power can dictate what we, as a people, can or cannot do, then we do not have real freedom.

Tomorrow, June 12, marks the 120th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence. For a while, the celebration was moved to the 4th of July, but in 1962, it was reverted back to the 12th of June to commemorate the date that the Filipino nation first declared its independence and became the first republic in Asia.

As we come to celebrate this momentous occasion, let us take some time to remind the younger generation of the sacrifice and heroism that our forefathers valiantly displayed so we may enjoy our most precious birthright – our freedom.

Teaching our youth about our history will help develop their sense of duty to serve and safeguard their nation and fellow Filipinos. Such patriotism is a potent force against many societal ills such as corruption, criminality and destructive vices like illegal drugs.

Because of this gift of freedom bestowed upon us by our forefathers, the Philippines today is a sovereign nation that can determine its own destiny.

President Duterte understands that without sovereignty, we cannot have true independence. If an external power can dictate what we, as a people, can or cannot do, then we do not have real freedom.

For this reason, our Constitution mandates us to pursue an “independent foreign policy.” This means that in our relations with other states, our national interests shall be our paramount consideration. To have an independent foreign policy means we must resist any form of foreign meddling and intervention, assert the principle of sovereign equality and commit ourselves to peaceful settlement of disputes.

Truth be told, our foreign relations have long been contingent on the interests of foreign powers. It is high time that our interests come first, without overlooking the reality that we now live in an epoch of interdependence.

In this age of globalization, diversifying our foreign relations and promoting amicable relationships toward our neighbors—including those who are viewed as our non-traditional partners—will yield us many benefits. Having many ‘friends’ in the international stage allows us to diversify our options in finding mutual interests.

As part of the Government’s efforts to strengthen our foreign relations, the President went to visit South Korea to meet with our overseas Filipinos (OFWs) and South Korean leader Moon Jae-in.

During the trip, President Duterte and President Moon agreed to strengthen the ties between our two countries through increased economic relations and better protection of Filipinos and Koreans living, working or visiting the two countries.

South Korea also offered the Philippines $1 billion worth of official development assistance (ODA) to help finance the government’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

At the end of the trip, President Duterte returns home with $4.858 billion worth of investments from South Korea which is estimated to generate around 20,000 to 25,000 jobs for Filipinos.

As a free and democratic country, we have come a long way. Yet, for all the progress that has been made, challenges still remain. May our Independence Day celebrations remind us that nation-building is always a work in progress. The struggle to defend freedom and independence is a task and duty we all share!

Happy 120th Independence Day to everyone!

Blast from the past: On June 11, 1776, the US Continental Congress appointed Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston to the Committee of Five to draft a declaration of independence.

It is interesting to note that—although 120 years apart— both the US and Philippine Declarations of Independence bear much resemblance in terms of forms and substance. More than a century since it gained independence, however, the US became an imperialist colonial power itself.

Why is it that, for a while, the Philippine Independence Day celebration was moved to the 4th of July? It was the US that made the First Philippine Republic short-lived!

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