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Aquino leads 115th PHL Independence Day celebration in Manila
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(Updated 2:23 p.m.) - President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday led the country in commemorating the 115th year of its independence from Spanish colonial rule.
For the first time in his presidency, Aquino chose to kick off Independence Day in Manila, the Philippines' capital city. He led the traditional flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies at the Liwasang Bonifacio, a plaza named after revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio.
President Aquino lays a wreath in front of the shrine of revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio. Andreo Calonzo
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte earlier explained in a radio interview that Aquino will honor Bonifacio this year since the Philippine hero will mark his 150th birth anniversary this coming November 30z
During his first two years as President, Aquino led Independence Day events in Cavite and Bulacan, two of the eight Philippine provinces that started the revolution against Spain.
The President was given full military honors when he arrived at the Liwasang Bonifacio at past 8 a.m Wednesday.
He was welcomed by Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, and National Historical Commission head Maria Serena Diokno.
Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya also led a flag-raising ceremony in Kawit town in Cavite, in front of the monument of his great grandfather and the first Philippine president, Emilio Aguinaldo.
Militants score 'sham' independence, development
Militants, meanwhile, on Wednesday scored what they called a "sham" independence and development by the Philippines under the Aquino administration.
The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said Filipinos can never be free so long as its economy is in the service of foreign big business, and people remain in poverty.
"Our country cannot be truly free when its people are under the bondage of poverty and underdevelopment arising from foreign dictates," Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said.
Reyes said that despite the administration's repeated reports of economic growth, Filipinos “remain mired in crisis,” adding that one of the problems is chronic joblessness.
“Our economy is still controlled by and in the service of foreign big business and their local partners. Economic activity is geared towards meeting international demands rather than meeting domestic requirements for genuine development. Job creation is dictated by external factors,” he added.
Bayan said the Philippines can truly develop, but must first achieve national industrialization and land reform, and uphold economic sovereignty.
“Aquino should stop blaming it on the weather because the dire economic situation remains his regime’s responsibility. This one is on him. Three years of the foreign-dictated conditional cash transfer, export-oriented growth, labor export policy and the neo-liberal Public Private Partnership have resulted in more poverty and more unemployment,” Reyes said. —KG, GMA News
