LEGAZPI CITY -- Celebrating Independence Day is a continuing reminder for all Filipinos to show respect and gratitude to heroes who fought for the country's freedom from the hands of the conquerors, Mayor Noel Rosal said on Tuesday during the celebration of the 120th Independence Day and 59th Legazpi City Charter day here.
Rosal said the true meaning of freedom is unity of every people in the community by way of sharing responsibility, for the high quality of education to make the new generations be the country's next responsible leaders.
"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 into the right directions towards a genuine prosperity that our constituents will continue to benefit,” he said.
Rosal noted that his administration is fighting against poverty by way of working aggressively for high agricultural productivity to sustain the foods, continue rendering good health services to ensure healthy living conditions, he pointed out.
Rosal and 2nd district Representative Joey Salceda led the wreath-laying ceremony at the city hall compound as part of celebrating the 159th Charter Day of Legazpi City.
Legazpi first became a city under the Becerra Law of 1892 which constituted the municipalities of Legazpi, bay Nuevo and Daraga but it was dissolved under the American occupation in 1900.
For the second time, it became again a city on July 18, 1948 when Legazpi and Daraga were combined to constitute its territory under Republic Act 306; but on June 8, 1954, R.A. 993, which recreated both towns, was approved and the city was again dissolved.
For the third time on June 12, 1959, Legazpi became a city under R.A. 2234 and Daraga became an independent municipality with the onset of the Integrated Reorganization Plan which involved the restructuring of local government.
The gathering started with the Holy Eucharistic celebration at the Albay Cathedral, followed by parade of troops and flag-raising ceremony and then by the release of the so-called “freedom doves and balloons” in the air in front of Penaranda Park.
The event has for its theme: Kalayaan 2018: Pagbabagong Ipinaglaban, Alay sa Masaganang Kinabukasan.
The participants in the parade included personnel and officers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Fire Protection and Philippine Coast Guard.
The celebration was also participated in by the provincial and city elective officials as well as the groups of Veteran Senior Citizen, Mason Organization, women’s organizations, government employees among others. (PNA)
