Pres. Aquino vows protection of nation’s territory, sovereignty

MANILA (PilipinasNews) — President Benigno S. Aquino III stressed that the protection of sovereignty and territorial integrity should never be overlooked.
In his 115th Independence Day anniversary message delivered at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila, President Aquino compared the modern day Filipino to national hero Andres Bonifacio.
Center of the freedom rites was held at Liwasang Bonifacio instead of Rizal Park where it is usually done, as a tribute to Bonifacio’s 150th birth anniversary this year.
The President stressed how Bonifacio had always given off the impression of being belligerent when in fact, the leader of the Katipunan was much more than that.

“The look etched on Andres Bonifacio’s face in his monument is defiant, almost as if he was demandingly questioning an onlooker, ‘What have you done for your country?’,” Aquino began his speech, in Filipino.
Bonifacio, Aquino said, was not a hasty decision-maker as the impression imprinted on him gave off, but he was a Filipino who never backed out on a task or trial.
And like Bonifacio, the President stressed, the Filipino must also undertake whatever duty or responsibility he has in his country, especially when it came down to fighting for protection of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Philippines is known to have recurring territorial conflict and disputes with China on the possession of rights to some reefs, shoals in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
This was no different from deep-rooted conflicts and disputes which occurred during the Spanish colonial era and eras after that, Aquino said.
“Nobody else will fight for the rights of our country to freedom except our own kin,” Aquino said in Filipino. “It has already long been done by (Jose) Rizal, (Andres) Bonifacio and other Katipuneros and heroes.”
“Thanks to them (national heroes), we have 115 years of Independence to tell the whole world about,” he added.
He also said the Philippines has no intention of clashing with other nations, and instead bringing them to sit down and talk over whatever disagreement they have,in hopes of resolving things civilly.
Aquino added that it took Filipino heroes hundreds of years to attain the country’s freedom it has long deserved but now Filipinos should not wait any longer to do the same feat their ancestors have once accomplished.
He also said the Filipinos should not even postpone action towards uniting and freeing the country of hunger, poverty or any threat to security.
“It is not right to make Filipinos bear this any longer. Because it is possible, we should do it now. Now is the time to give our time and strength to do something for our motherland,” Aquino said.
“We can do this because we are a nation of heroes,” he stressed.