Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday reminded Filipinos that the country’s hard-earned freedom must never be taken for granted, urging everyone to defend it against all forms of oppression, corruption, and indifference.
In her Independence Day message on June 12, Duterte paid tribute to Filipino heroes whose sacrifices and love for the country paved the way for the nation’s liberty.
“The freedom we enjoy today is the result of the genuine and selfless love of our Filipino heroes for our country, and their brave stand against foreign oppression,” she said in a video statement.
Duterte emphasized that celebrating Independence Day is not just about marking freedom, but also about upholding the duty to protect and preserve it at all times.
“To embrace the culture of servitude is to desecrate the memory of our heroes,” she added.
The Vice President pointed out that among the threats to freedom today are abuse and corruption in government, the drug menace, problems in education, as well as poverty and hunger.
“We did not gain freedom only for our country to fall into suffering. We did not gain freedom only to lose our rights again and become slaves to a few,” Duterte stressed.
She called on Filipinos to reject those who betray the public trust and to continue defending the country’s freedom and future.
