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President Duterte took part in an online commemoration Monday of the 157th anniversary of the birth of Andrés Bonifacio, calling on Filipinos to revive the values the hero fought for more than a century ago.
“Your love for the homeland, which motivated our ancestors to fight for our freedom and secure our rightful place in the community of nations, is very vital now, more than ever, as we overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Duterte said. he said in a video message broadcast during the televised commemoration at the Bonifacio Monument in the city of Caloocan.
Recalling the extraordinary courage and determination of Bonifacio, Mr. Duterte encouraged Filipinos to come together to overcome challenges so that the nation can secure a much better and brighter future for all citizens.
Vice President Message
“As we remember his life and events, may the values he fought for inspire us all to become worthy heirs of the just, progressive and inclusive society that he envisioned more than a century ago,” he added.
The Bonifacio Day rites at the monument were led by the Secretary of Defense, Delfin Lorenzana, and the Mayor of Caloocan, Oscar Malapitan. They were joined by the representative of the city of Caloocan, Dale Gonzalo Malapitan, and the president of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Rene Escalante, among other officials.
The theme of this year’s commemorative program is “Bonifacio 2020: Courage and Security towards a Free Society.”
For her part, Vice President Leni Robredo reminded Filipinos that courage is not “bravado, nor power, nor brute force; but the courage of compassion ”in his official message on the occasion of Bonifacio Day.
“This courage is not a sham, but the kind that doesn’t give up in the face of adversity. It is rooted in love for Filipinos and in the belief that no one should be oppressed or left behind, and that everyone has the right to dream and forge a better life in a more just, free and humane society, “he said.
Protests
Meanwhile, a broad coalition of organizations joined the protests at Diliman University of the Philippines to mark the anniversary of Bonifacio’s birth on Monday, vowing to fight the “civil war” that the Duterte administration was waging against activists and rights critics. .
Former Anakpawis representative Ariel Casilao said that if Bonifacio were alive, he would have been “the first on the list of those labeled in red and accused of terrorism” under the Duterte regime.
“The Duterte regime is [antithetical to] The legacy of Bonifacio. He is a puppet of foreign superpowers, he is an oppressor of the Filipino people, he is the scourge of the working masses. Honoring Bonifacio means defending the people and opposing the Duterte regime, ”he said.
Echoing their sentiment, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas farmer group said that the Duterte regime’s propensity to vilify its perceived enemies, including farmers fighting for their right to life and land, was “an affront to the legacy of revolutionary of Andrés Bonifacio and our ancestors who sacrificed their lives in war to achieve the freedoms and democracy that we enjoy today. “
In the province of Pampanga, some 400 activists from the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan gathered in Plaza Miranda in the city of Angeles on Bonifacio day to demand the cessation of alleged state terrorism under the Duterte administration.
Around 30 riot police met with the activists as they marched towards Plaza Miranda around 10:30 a.m.
In the city of Baguio, groups of activists celebrated Bonifacio Day with a protest in Malcolm Square. With banners, the protesters called on the government to defend the rights and livelihoods of indigenous peoples. They also expressed their opposition to the phasing out of the jeepney and the privatization of the Baguio public market. –With reports from Tonette Orejas and Kimberlie Sunshade INQ
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