Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Freedom Is To Act Right And Straight *

* Speech Dr. Ambrosio R. Villorente delivered to the members of the Aklan Provincial Police and visitors on the occasion of the 114th Philippine Independence Day celebration held at Camp Pastor Martelino, Buswang New, Kalibo, Aklan on Tuesday morning, June 12.  

Greetings! 

Today we celebrate our 114th year of independence with the theme in Pilipino, “Kalayaan: Pananagutan Ng Bayan Para Sa Tuwid Na Daan”.

The theme is highly meaningful, all embracing in our way of life. 

To me, it means free, freedom, a means to behave RIGHT, to go straight, to behave straight, and desirable action.

It means to love my work, to love my people, to love my country. To be lawful, to be loving to my people and my community, Province of Aklan, and the Philippines; to live and work happily in my community and not dessert the Philippines to be household worker in a foreign country. This will dignify and honor my people and my country. It means, I must not engage in drug pushing, human trafficking, and money laundering. I must not steal.

Is it hard to love and be loyal to my people and country? It is very easy. A loyal and loving citizen makes his surroundings clean, pay his tax in the correct amount and on time. 

For a businessman, he displays his goods in the right place, not along the sidewalks to allow smooth circulation of traffic and pedestrians. Never over price. 

A farmer must be diligent to raise more and quality foods like vegetables, fruits, chicken, beef, and pork. The consumers must buy these food products at premium prices with enough profits for farmer motivation to produce more.

The government employees and officials must comply with utmost honesty, diligence, and integrity. They must not receive favor, things, money which they are not entitled to receive and much more do not belong to them. The people and I have to follow the law. these ways, we can have a genuine independence. 

These are mere simple examples of what a loving and loyal citizen of the Philippines can do to follow the “Tuwid Na Landas”.

Can we do it? I assure you, if these are done, the police will have less work, more progress, more peace.

It was 114 years ago today when Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in the balcony of his house on June 12, 1898 in Cavite el Viejo, now Kawit, Cavite for the first time raised the Philippine flag. The raising of the flag was accompanied by music “Marcha Nacional Filipina”, the lyric of which was written by Jose Palma and the music was composed by Julian Felipe. The singing was accompanied by San Francisco de Malabon Band.

Marcela Agoncillo with the help of her daughter, Lorenza and her niece, Delfina Herboza sewed the Philippine flag while in Hongkong.

However, the United States refused to recognize the Philippines Independence. Spain sold the Philippines for US$ 20 million to the United States just as the Pilipinos were winning the war against Spain.  

For the amount of US$ 20 million, Spain ceded the Philippines to the Unites States in what history calls Treaty of Paris signed in Versailles, France on Dec. 10, 1898.

While the Filipinos were winning the war against Spain, the Americans landed in Manila on the assurance that they came to help the Filipinos win the war against Spain and will leave after the war. They entered and became another conqueror as shown in the battle of San Juan. 

The United States robbed the Philippines of her Independence at the close of 18th century. Another proof is the battle of Balangiga, Samar where 41 American soldiers died. Only one American soldier survived after the battle. As remembrance, the American soldiers got the bells used to warn the people of any attack in their community. The Americans got the three bells which are now  found in the military museum in Cheyene, Wyoming.   

On July 4, 1946, the Americans returned the Philippines Independence. Since then, we celebrated Independence Day on July 4 every year until 1964.

By virtue of RA No. 4166 signed by Pres. Diosdado Macapagal in 1964, Independence Day celebration was transferred from July 4 to June 12 in honor and to respect the independence proclamation in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898.

Is the Philippines truly independent? After four centuries (1600 – 1900) of abuses, the Americans came. And they stayed for 48 years. We learned from them the American education system, democracy, their economics system, and government among others.

In 1941, the Japanese came; stayed until 1944; and governed us aided with guns and bayonets. In four years, they were defeated and driven home.

Today, 66 years after July 4, 1946, how is our independence? 

Yes, we have more freedom. Thanks to our forefathers, thanks to our fathers who died to secure freedom and independence for us and for those who will follow after us.

But we have much more to do to secure freedom to our people in the truest since of the word.

We need to work more to obtain freedom from hunger, freedom from ignorance, freedom from disease, freedom from poverty, from violence. /MP