CITY OF MALOLOS- Joining thousands of Bulakenyos in commemorating the 120th Anniversary of Malolos Congress held at the Barasoain Church, Thursday morning, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III acknowledged the importance of Bulacan and its people in the entirety of Philippine history.
Earlier, a flag raising ceremony followed by the oath to the national flag and wreath laying ceremony at the statue of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippines, was held, which was led by Sotto, Alvarado, Fernando, City of Malolos Mayor Christian Natividad and National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) Vice Chairman Carminda Arevalo.
“Masasabing sa diwa, isip, salita at gawain, ang mga Bulakenyo ay nasa bungad ng ating pagsibol bilang isang bansang nagkakaisa. Sa larangan ng kabayanihan, pamahalaan, paglimbag ng batas at damdaming makabayan, ang mga taga-Bulacan, patunay na ang maraming bayaning dito nagmula ay lantad ang kagitingan na ipinagmamalaki ng buong Republika ng Pilipinas,” Sotto said.
The senator, who authored 123 laws including the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, Children’s Safety on Motorcycle Act of 2015, Seatbelt Law, Expanded Senior Citizen’s Act, and Local Calamity Fund among others, ended his speech by encouraging the people to pick up learnings from the past and use it as a guide at present.
In line with this, Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado stressed that it is essential to hold on to the success of our ancestors and heroes, who patiently fought and waited for a very long time to achieve sovereignty.
“Hindi lamang po ito isang mumunting kabanata sa mga pahina ng ating makulay na kasaysayan na kapagdaka ay unti-unting tinangay ng agos ng panahon. Bagkus ito’y lumikha ng natatanging pitak na habambbuhay nating tataglayin bilang isang maringal na legasiya, magsisilbing maliwanag na tanglaw sa landas ng tunay na pagbabago,” Alvarado shared.
For his part, Vice Gov. Daniel R. Fernando asked if what the country is doing to remember history is enough to honor the legacy of thousands who died fighting for its freedom.
“Nabibigyan ba natin ng angkop na pagpupugay ang mga sakripisyo ng ating mga bayani o itinuturing lang na isang araw na okasyon? Naniniwala tayo na hindi sapat na itinuturo lamang o ipinagdiriwang ang mga kaganapan ng kasaysayan subalit bigo naman tayong protektahan ang mga konkretong alaala ukol dito, ” Fernando explained pertaining to the news that the flag of Andres Bonifacio was auctioned to a private person for P9.3 million.
In this regard, the vice governor said that he proposed an ordinance stating that historical items should be housed in the provincial or city museum, which is now for discussion at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.