The Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines urged Filipinos to unite amid the global health crisis from the COVID-19 pandemic as the country celebrated its 122nd Independence Day yesterday.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana paid tribute to all frontliners who responded to the call of duty to protect the public from the deadly disease that has since claimed more than 1,000 lives in the country.
“Several times in our history, our country’s defenders heeded the call of patriotism and gallantly went to battle to unshackle our people from foreign conquest and ultimately secure our nation’s independence. Now, the same call for courage and self-sacrifice echoes in our land as we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. Many have bravely responded to the call, and dispensed their patriotic duties selflessly, and many have also paid the ultimate sacrifice,” Lorenzana said.
“This Independence Day, as we once again salute our heroes, our noble fighters of old who secured for us the freedom and liberties that we enjoy today, we also honor the valor of our frontliners in the battle against COVID-19 – our doctors, nurses, and other health workers, our soldiers and reservists, our civil defense workers, and the many others who put their lives on the line to deliver the basic supplies and services that our households and communities direly need,” he added.
As the country continues to battle COVID-19, which Lorenzana described as a “treacherous adversary that remains unseen,” he called for the Filipinos’ unity and cooperation to help those serving in the frontlines keep the communities safe until a vaccine is invented.
“No matter how much harm the pandemic is bringing to our nation, we shall fight together and defeat it in the end just like our forebears who fought until our freedom has been won,” he said.
Gen. Felimon Santos Jr., AFP chief of staff, said the nation, along with the freedoms which the country gained 122 years ago, is being threatened by the current pandemic and urged the public to do its part to help the country survive the ordeal.
“We celebrate the freedom we have gained 122 years ago with our nation being tested by the global pandemic. We give our snappiest salute to the Filipinos who are with us in the struggle to overcome these trying times. This only shows that each of us is vital to our nation’s overall well-being, and is the primary contributor to national development,” Santos said. (Martin Sadongdong)
