Thank you, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, for your kind introduction.
His Excellency Charles John Brown III and the distinguished members of the Diplomatic Corps; [please take your seats] the Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Endo Kazuya; the US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Mr. Robert Ewing; Province of Bataan Governor Jose Enrique Garcia III; Bataan 2nd District Representative Albert Raymond Garcia; Pilar Municipal Mayor Carlos Pizarro and the other municipal mayors here present today; National Historical Commission of the Philippines Chairperson Regalado Jose Jr.; Philippine Veterans Affairs Office Administrator Reynaldo Mapagu; the Bishop of Diocese of Balanga Most Reverend Rufino Sescon Jr.; and our honored veterans of World War II; fellow workers in government; distinguished guests; ladies, and gentlemen.
Isang karangalan na makasama ko kayo ngayong umaga.
Mas naging makahulugan ang paggunita natin sa Araw ng Kagitingan, sapagkat tayo ay nagtitipon ngayon upang magbigay-pugay sa mga nag-alay ng kanilang kaligtasan at buhay para sa ating seguridad.
Wala nang hihigit pa sa sakripisyong ipinamalas ng mga bayaning ginugunita natin ngayon. Inialay nila ang sariling buhay para sa kapayapaan at kalayaan ng bayan.
Dama ko po ang sakit at hirap na inyong tinamo sa kanilang maagang pamamaalam. Hindi lamang sila mga sundalo, hindi lang mga pulis ngayon, kundi pati na ang mga CAFGU, mga bumbero, mga inaasahan natin na magpapanatili sa kaayusan at kapayapaan ng ating bansa.
We celebrate today the heroism of all those who fought here in Bataan. And we celebrate the peace that was hard-earned by the blood and the sacrifice of all our servicemen, not just Filipinos, not just Americans, but also those who fought bravely for their own countries.
We celebrate the lessons that have been learned through this very terrible hardship and very terrible experience. The lessons that we learned are – that the solution to war is not more war, and that the solution to war is only peace. And honorable peace that is arrived at by the different parties involved and having a hand and a voice in achieving that peace.
Peace cannot be attained by one person, by one country alone. And that we have to bring together all the parties that are involved. These are the lessons that we hope to have learned.
We are a little bit disappointed to see that the world – parts of the world, and many countries in the world have yet to learn that lesson. And we hope that that peace will be brought to us soon.
The other lesson we learned is that not only is valor, not only is bravery, not only courage and sacrifice is demonstrated by those who fought in war. They continue to be demonstrated by all the little heroic deeds that our people continue to do when faced with crisis.
We continue to believe in the courage of every single Filipino, not only our servicemen, not only those who fought as a regulars, but also our civilians who made their own sacrifices. Because after all, as is has been said they too serve who sit and wait.
We celebrate once again the future. We celebrate the future that we will bring – we will put together keeping in mind the lessons that we have learned over the many years. And we will continue to celebrate that every single day.
As we, who serve the public continue to find ways to keep that peace, to make that peace more permanent, to maintain that peace so that our people live a good and profitable and productive, constructive life.
These are the things that we celebrate today. These are the lessons that were hard-earned. And these are the lessons that we now apply to our lives. And these in hand, these will bring us to a brighter future.
And that is why, once again, we celebrate today Araw ng Kagitingan, the Day of Valor, for the valor that was demonstrated here in this sacred – these sacred mountains. The valor that was demonstrated here. But also the valor, the courage, and the sacrifice that is demonstrated by every single Filipino every single day because of their love for Filipinos, because of their love of the Philippines.
That is what we celebrate, that is the lesson that we learned, and that is the lesson that we will carry into the future.
Thank you very much.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipino! [applause]
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