By C.T. Taguba
(The following message was delivered by Cesar Tomilas Taguba, member of the MABIKAs Foundation Board, on July 6, 2019 in celebration of the 121st Philippine Independence Day (PID) in Den Haag. MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands is one of the six members of the PID Den Haag Organizing Committee.)
Before anything else, I would like to call for everyone to observe a minute of silence to honor the heroes and martyrs of independence struggle against Spain, US and Japanese occupation. Mabuhay ang ating mga martir at heroes!
Are we truly independent? Yes/No.
No longer a colony. However, we are formally independent ONLY. Philippines is semi-colonial because, sadly:
- Economic policies are dictated by the US-Western dominated IMF, WB, WTO
- Politically, we have governments since independence beholden to foreign economic and political interest particularly of US, Japan, Europe and more recently, China.
- Culture-heavily influenced by “300 years of the convent and 50 years by Hollywood”
- Image of Inang Bayan chained, weeping.
Hopeless? Are the sacrifices of our independence struggle martyrs and heroes in vain?
No! Today, the spirit, the thirst for national independence and freedom finds expression in the vigorous struggle and movement of:
- Indigenous Peoples for the RSD (right to self-determination) and freedom from plunder of their ancestral lands and destruction environment
- Peasants from centuries-old landlord exploitation and for genuine land reform
- Workers against corporate exploitation and for national industrialization
- Educators and student-youth for mass, scientific and nationalist education and a liberating culture
- Removal of foreign military bases and termination of military treaties
- Growing national and multi-sectoral clamor to defend national territorial rights like the West Philippine Sea.
- Migrants dreaming of returning to contribute in building a just, peaceful and independent inang bayan.
- Image of Inang Bayan being unchained
“Kay sarap mabuhay , sa sariling bayan kung walang alipin at may kalayaan. Ang Bayan sinisiil, babagon lalaban din, ang silangan pupula sa timyas ng paglaya”!
Brothers and sisters on this occasion of the 121st PID commemoration, let us declare our support/join this movement para sa tunay na kapayapaan at kasaringlan to UNCHAIN| inang bayan and to finish the unfinished revolution of our forefathers.
Agbiag, Padayon, Mabuhay tayong lahat.
(Photo credit: MABIKAs constituent Bender Batan of TrippleB Fotohgrahfi)
