INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

June 10, 2023 JUST IN

In June 12 1898, the Philippines became free from the oppression of the Spaniards through the help of our Filipino heroes both sung and unsung who used both education and patriotism to finally put an end to the 327 years of deception, abuse, maltreatment and injustice of the Spaniards. This June 12, 2023, we are celebrating our 125th year of independence. However, still we are not totally free from the threats posed to this generation and the generations to come.

While, we became free from colonizers, we are yet to attain freedom from a group who, just like the Spanish Colonizers, tried to deceive the people with their violent and oppressive ideology. That is the group founded by Jose Maria Sison in December 26 1968, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its allies – New People’s-Army (NPA), and the National Democratic Front (NDF).

The CPP-NPA-NDF can be compared to the Trojan horse as said group is seemingly honorable and noble, but is in fact, hiding its real identity and objective inside a beautiful image where it is hard to resist its deceitful beauty. With said tactic, the CPP-NPA-NDF works to overthrow our government through their so-called “armed revolution”, using democracy against democracy. Today, as we celebrate independence day, let us not be like the ancient Greece who easily believed the deception of the Trojan Horse.

Let us be more discerning on groups who pretend to be righteous, idealistic and critical on every event in our society, capitalizing on every issue that arises and every mistake that every person other than the members of their group commit. While we continue to be patriotic and nationalistic, let us never patronize the use of violence, to put an end to our societal problems. As the late Francis Magalona once stated in his song “Kaleidoscope”, “you can’t talk peace and have a gun”.

Thus, as Filipinos who are agents of peace, joining the so-called “armed revolution” of the CPP should never be a recourse for us. To give value to our heroes’ gift of independence, may we instead work for freedom from from liars, corrupt individuals, and most especially, from a group that has done more evil than those people they condemn — the group who unjustly kill countless soldiers and innocent civilians to fight for their beliefs of injustice and the group who continually victimize innocent students, children, women, farmers and workers to believe that their “revolution” is tool for building a great nation.

Let us remember that independence is not unbridled. It comes with responsibility. As responsible citizens, it is our moral obligation to help ensure that our fellowmen are able to exercise freedom of choice, knowledge, decent living, association and religion. They should be protected from lies, deception and violence perpetrated by the CPP-NPA-NDF. It is by ending the deception and violence of the CPP-NPA-NDF that the country can truly be considered free. Let us fight for a more secured Philippines and genuinely free Filipinos. Happy independence day, Kailian.

-Christina Catbagan Chairman, Nagkakaisang Samahan sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran