June 12, 2014. It’s another day to celebrate the Philippine Independence Day.
It’s a history how our independence had been granted after long long years of revolution and war which our national heroes courageously and desperately fought for against the strong Spanish and American invaders. And yet, it took a river of blood and thousands of lives of our ancestors why we enjoy today what is enshrined in our Constitution- sovereignty.
For more than a hundred years now, we are free from the hands of our former foreign colonizers. Regaining our right and freedom of our own land, the Philippines was able to stand on its own. Conquering the myriads of challenges throughout time, it has survived. It remains as one nation of the Filipino people.
And yet, perhaps freedom from external control could be a pride of every Filipino. However, let us ask ourselves, “Do we treasure and protect our freedom?”
Everyday, the news always speaks of a lot of problems that envelope the whole country. And we can say that the Philippines is under a war not with other nations per se but with its own self.
If this continues, can we still guarantee that the freedom we enjoy today could be maintained for the benefit of our posterities? If we continue fighting with one another, if we keep criticizing what others do and does not do, if we keep focused on blaming one another, if we do not stop to free ourselves from our wrongdoings, what freedom can we promise to our Motherland?
Yes, considering that our government could hardly address the many existing problems of our nation, we the constituents are challenged on what we can do to help save the Philippines and thus grab the chance to preserve our sovereignty. We are deemed guaranteed of our freedom and it is up to us to decide whether or not to use it wisely. It is up to us to decide if we allow the downfall of our country considering the rising political crisis, or we will be wise enough to stand and fight with our own power.
One can do a little and may seem unnoticed and useless. But summing up all one’s little is a million-fold stronger to create the strength that our country needs.
Therefore, as we celebrate another year for our independence, let us take part to make a change that will transform our blemished generation into a good one. Let us be thankful of our heroes for this independence and let us make them feel that it is a freedom worth dying for.
Let us rebuild the pride of our heroes. Let us rebuild the pride of the Philippines. Let us rebuild the pride of Filipinos. Let us take care of our hardly- won independence…
Maria Olivia B. Pascual 