In commemoration of the Philippines’ 121st year of independence from the Spanish rule since 1898, SM City Tarlac along with Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) and Local Government Unit (LGU) of Tarlac City celebrated patriotism and promoted nationalism by highlighting the flag-raising ceremony and the iconic 2019 Pilipinas Centerpiece which forms an image of the Philippine Flag on June 12, 2019. It is a mosaic art installation made of styro cups which serves as a creative expression of Filipino resiliency.
The occasion was graced by 2LT Lovelyn Ostan of Philippine Air Force; LT COMDR Richard Fontanos of Philippine Navy; Police Captain James N. Bugayong of PNP; SPO3 Hermogenes Palomar, Jr. of BFP; Council Scout Executive Salve Aguilar of BSP; Dra. Mina Tañedo, Head of City Economic Enterprise Management Office and Ms. KT Angeles-Go, daughter and representative of Tarlac City Mayor Christy Angeles.
Meanwhile, the highlights of the celebration were the Philippine flag-raising ceremony and the 2019 Pilipinas Centerpiece made of styro cups collected from the Trash to Cash initiative of the mall. This masterpiece conveys SM City Tarlac’s support in the promotion of not only nationalism, but also environmental sustainability.
An approximate crowd of 600 including scouts, uniformed personnel, mall affiliates, tenants, agencies, mall customers and SM City Tarlac’s mall administration employees come together to commemorate the Independence Day. The celebration continued with a performance by “TRADOC” Combo, a military band of AFP at 12 noon, and the Independence Fireworks display at 7 p.m.
The Philippine Independence Day is celebrated simultaneously in all SM Supermalls nationwide as part of its commitment to be with the community. Commemorating this day should be more than just raising or waving a flag, it is a reminder of how the Filipinos stood up for solidarity and their determination to claim independence which is inherent right of everyone.