By Katrina Gracia Consebido
President Rodrigo Duterte led the commemoration of Independence Day on Sunday, June 12, urging the Filipinos to “unite as a nation.”
“The shared narrative that we have weaved throughout history has never ceased in teaching us what values to hold and which lessons to remember,” Duterte said.
“While we draw strength from learning our past, we must continue believing that there is still wisdom to be gained from our present choices, decisions and actions so we can shape a better future for our people,” he added.
Duterte encouraged the Filipinos to unite “in the spirit of patriotism and love of the motherland.”
“Let our constant discernment in the continuing process of nation-building therefore make us realize that our liberties are there to make us wiser and not to prove that we are always right or better,” he continued.
“Even in exercising our most cherished freedoms, our differences can move us to engage in healthy yet meaningful discourse without sowing hatred and division, as well as push our country towards the right direction.” – gb
