KAWIT, Cavite – Residents of this town, then known as Cavite Viejo (old Cavite) and dubbed as the “Cradle of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence,” shared their views on Tuesday’s 120th Philippine Independence Day celebration.
Caviteños expressed pride once more as they welcomed President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who led the entire nation in observance of the Independence Day rites held at the historic balcony of the mansion of Gen. Emilio Famy Aguinaldo, where the first Philippine Flag was hoisted for the time simultaneous with the playing of the Philippine National Anthem some 120 years ago.
Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin Remulla led town and city officials in the reception line to receive the President and Cabinet officials to the Aguinaldo Mansion, now a National Shrine and Museum in this year’s Freedom Day celebration themed "Pagbabago Ipaglaban, Alay sa Masaganang Kinabukasan".
In an interview at the sidelines of the national ceIebration held here, Margie Jacinto, Grade 8 teacher of the Binakayan National High School in this town expressed “Sana ho maging malaya ang bawat Pilipino sa karahasan at magkaroon ng trabaho ang bawat Pilipino para umunlad ang bawat isa (I hope that every Filipino is freed from violence and will have work for each Filipino, so that everyone will progress)."
Jupiter Morta, a Grade 8 student of the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD) urged millennials like him the need to celebrate with pride and honor the country’s Independence Day.
“Dahil nagsakripisyo ng buhay ang mga bayani natin para maipaglaban ang kalayaan. Ngayon bilang kabataan dapat naming pangalagaan ang kalayaan ng Pilipinas sa mga maliliit na bagay na aming ginagawa (Because our heroes have sacrificed their lives to fight for freedom. A today’s youth, we should nurture the country’s independence even in small ways we could share)," Morta said.
This town’s Poblacion resident and 68 year-old Arsenio Caparas lamented the fact that many of the young generation are not familiar with the country’s history and heroes who had paid dearly their lives for the cause of freedom.
“Keep honor and respect the history of the Philippine Independence as most children and the youth have forgotten this,” the Kawit senior citizen urged.
Kawit’s neighboring town Noveleta Mayor Dino Reyes Chua shared the pride of Caviteños for keeping the memory of the bravery and heroism of the Cavite revolutionaries who fought against the Spanish colonial forces to win freedom.
"Sa ika 120th anibersyo ng ating kasarinlan, ito ang panahon na dapat gunitain ang pinaghirapan ng ating mga bayani na huwag masayang ang kanilang ipinaglaban. Dapat ipagpatuloy natin ang laban para sa kalayaan sa kahirapan at Korapsyon upang patuloy na umusad na ang ating bayan (In this 120th anniversary of our Independence, this is the time that we should remember the sacrifices of our heroes that their struggles would not be in vain. We should continue our fight for freedom from poverty and corruption, so that our country will move forward)," the Noveleta Mayor said. (Dennis Abrina/PNA)
