The Philippines has always chosen peace despite the tension in the South China Sea.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. made the assertion during the 80th Anniversary Commemoration of the Liberation of Manila on Saturday.
In his keynote address, the President said the country has learned its lessons from the bitter war memories and pursued the path to peace in resolving conflicts without concessions.
“The Philippines, deeply familiar with the atrocities brought about by war between and among nations, has always chosen the path of peace, and I can assure all of you that we will continue to do so,” President Marcos said.
“The Philippines will always make a stand and will always stand for what is right,” he added.
The President said that through diplomacy, dialogue, and cooperation, the Philippines has successfully maintained a region that is peaceful, stable, and prosperous.
“We have and will continue to work with partners and the international community in building bridges, forging solutions, preserving our global commons,” President Marcos said.
The President also called on Filipinos to remember and honor those who fought for freedom and democracy of the Philippines.
“On behalf of a grateful nation, I wish to recognize the veterans present here today and their families. We are privileged to not have to see what you had seen, to not have ingrained
in our memories what you had to go through. May we continue to deserve living and thriving in this world that you have built for us,” President Marcos told the gathering.
The President also thanked the US Embassy for bringing together the American veterans that liberated the city of Manila from Japanese imperial forces and organizing the program.
He said that in peace and in war, through natural disasters and pandemics, the relations of the Philippines with the US relations are firmly anchored on the values and principles cherished – peace, democracy, fairness, social progress, and justice.
“Our two nations are committed to the preservation and enhancement of national security, the attainment of economic prosperity, and the promotion of the rights and wellbeing of our peoples,” the President said.
President Marcos said the Philippines is gratified by its enduring alliance, partnership, and friendship with the US, especially towards advancing its common agenda of peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
The event was held in the American Cemetery and Memorial in McKinley, Taguig City.
Among the distinguished guests who attended the event were US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson, American Papal Nuncio His Excellency Archbishop Charles Brown, members of the Diplomatic Corps, American Battle Monument Commission Secretary Charles Djou, and United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo.
Cabinet members led by Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo and Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. also attended the event. (PND)
