Legarda Urges Filipinos To Preserve Culture On Independence Day

Senator Loren Legarda today urged all Filipinos to embrace development without losing cultural identity as the nation celebrates 117 years of independence on June 12.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities, said the absence of oppressors does not necessarily equate to independence. "If we are to be truly independent, we need to have the freedom to think and freedom to become one's own."

"We could hope to achieve this by revisiting our past and by preserving our cultural legacy, which constitutes a source of identity for each and every Filipino. It is important that we know where we came from, who we are, what our values are and how our youth can serve as future custodians of our legacy from the past," Legarda stressed.

She added, "Through an examination of the ties that bind us, each and every Filipino will become free of the crippling mentality that we have no genuine history to recall with pride."

The preservation of our cultural identity, Legarda explained, must be the responsibility of all Filipinos. By placing culture at the heart of policies, we can make a difference in the fight to protect our cultural heritage.

"This Independence Day, let us rediscover freedom. We must become aware of our cultural roots and choose to unite as Filipinos, proud of our identity to celebrate genuine independence," Legarda concluded.