TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, June 18 (PIA): Fighting for freedom from poverty is the new struggle that Filipinos nowadays are waging , Tagum City Councilor Mylene Baura said in her keynote address during Tagum City’s 114th Independence Day celebration.
The chair of Tagum City Council Committee on Women, Children and Family Welfare, Atty. Baura pictured the differing faces of freedom during the foreign colonization time and the post-liberation era of the Philippine history.
While early Filipinos put their life at stake for the country to gain liberty from foreign control, the present-day Filipinos are struggling to free their families from poverty and deprivation.
She talked about the Filipino overseas workers (OFWs) who courageously leave their families to work in foreign lands and send home their hard-earned.
“Bakit ko ito nabanggit? Dahil sa aking palagay, ang kalayaan na ipinaglalaban natin ngayon ay kalayaan sa kahirapan. (Why do I mention this? Because I think that the freedom we are fighting for today is freedom from poverty)” she said.
As she pondered on a question on who would lead the Filipinos in the fight for freedom from poverty, she debunked common belief that changing the political leaders would be an answer.
Citing elections had failed to deliver such answer, she encouraged everyone to start the change in each individual self.
“Para isipin natin na isang tao o lider ang pwedeng magdudulot ng pagbabago sa isang bansa na may 97 million na populasyon, ay isang malaking kabaliwan. (For us to think that only one leader can bring change to a country with 97 million population, is foolishness.),” she said.
Citing the Independence Day Theme, “ Kalayaan: Pananagutan ng Bayan Para sa Matuwid na Daan,” she exhorted every Filipino to take part in finding solutions to present concerns while she discouraged anyone from engaging in divisive actions.
Meanwhile, Atty. Baura shared some thoughts taken from the “12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do to Help Your Country,” written by Atty. Alexander L. Lacson who believes that “ each Filipino has the power to change the country for the better.”
In the book, Atty. Lacson suggested Filipinos to follow the traffic rules and the law; to always ask for an official receipt; to avoid buying smuggled goods but only Filipino products; to speak positively about Filipinos and the Philippines; to respect the traffic officer, the policeman and other public servants; to throw garbage properly as well as segregate, recycle and conserve it
Other 12 Little Things that Filipino can do to help the country are to support one’s church; to do the solemn duty (of casting votes) during elections; to pay employees well; to pay taxes; to adopt a scholar or a poor child; and to be a good parent who teaches children to love the country.
Addressing the Tagumenyos, Atty. Baura said that they still had time to do introspection , and to think of something they can do to contribute to desired changes that would lead the country towards achieving the true meaning of independence. (PIA-11/Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)
No comments:
Post a Comment