President Marcos Jr. on Tuesday called on Filipinos not to allow the country to suffer from oppression and subjugation, noting that threats to sovereign rights are “unacceptable, unjust and unreasonable.”
Mr. Marcos said the country still faces a myriad of challenges over eight decades since the Second World War, including threats to its sovereign rights that have already “caused physical harm to our people.”
“These are unacceptable. They are unreasonable and unjust especially in this era of peaceful relations among countries,” he said during the Day of Valor (Araw ng Kagitingan) ceremony at Mt. Samat National Shrine in Pilar, Bataan.
He called on the Filipinos to never allow oppressors in the country’s “own backyard.”
“May the events of 1942 and our eventual victory in 1945 serve as an inspiration to all of us. As our great forebears demonstrated, we should not be subjugated and oppressed, especially within our own backyard,” the President said.
“May this provide us with greater awareness, courage and bravery. Above all, may it continue to strengthen our unity and our nationalism,” he added.
The President earlier said the Philippines would not be cowed into silence amid China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea.
“We seek no conflict with any nation, more so nations that purport and claim to be our friends, but we will not be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience. Filipinos do not yield,” Mr. Marcos said.
