DAGUPAN CITY — Mayor Belen T. Fernandez on Saturday said “education still remains as the most potent tools to arm our people” as she urged the public to be inspired by Jose Rizal’s teachings and life.
“We need to create more Rizals in or midst. What our city and country need are young people who must embrace the ideals of education and training to bring our country and city to the next level of progress,” the mayor said.
Fernandez led the 121st commemoration of martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal at the foot of the monument of the national hero at the Dagupan City Plaza here.
The Rizal Day celebration, attended by Boy and Girl Scouts, school officials and of the local government culminated the month-long Dagupan City fiesta in honor of St. John the Evangelist which started December 5.
Fernandez said there are many literatures written about Rizal but one that impressed most are the studies and researches about his extreme intelligence that brought about progressive philosophies that shook the nation that was then in slumber, Fernandez said.
Hailing the theme of the Rizal day celebration, “Mabuting kaisipan, susi sa kaunlaran”, “Rizal inspired the vision that Filipinos deserved better treatment from the many abuses of the Spaniards and went on to preach that with proper training and education, Filipinos can improve, to be more than just followers and subjects of a foreign sovereign state,” Fernandez said.
“Our city believes that we can be inspired by Rizal’s teachings, and ideals – that education still remains as the most potent tools to arm our people,” she said.
“Education is the root cause of creativity, imagination and of capacities to create wonders. This is a powerful force that inspires every individual to achieve,” she said.
Dagupan is investing heavily on education, training and livelihood because “ we believe that the war against helplessness, against poverty or against hunger, the war against diseases and ignorance should be first and foremost be in our homes,” she said.
The lady mayor said her city strongly needs Rizal’s teachings and the need to bring opportunities, education, training on good citizenship on children because the new revolution for progress is a battle that could be won by and among the young people.
Fernandez said that Rizal’s struggle succeeded in winning freedom and opportunities now enjoyed by the Filipino people but this must be protected and safeguarded. (PNA)
