114th Independence Day Celebration

114^th  Philippine Independence Day and 53^rd Legazpi City Charter Day Celebration – Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda leads the simultaneous flag raising ceremonies at the Albay Freedom Park to Commemorate the 114^th Philippine Independence Day and 53^rd Legazpi City Charter Day celebration. With a theme:  Kalayaan: Pananagutan ng Bayan Para sa Tuwid na Daan. Assisting the Governor in the ceremony are Legazpi City Mayor Geraldine Rosal, Vice Mayor Vitorrio Roces, Albay Vice-Governor Harold Imperial and Commodore Abraham Celzo, PN. (Alex Cal/PIA)

Albay celebrates 114th Independence Day together with 53rd Legazpi City Charter Day  

Legazpi City, June 12 (PIA) - Together with the commemoration of the 114th year of the Independence Day, the province of Albay celebrates the 53rd Charter Day of the city of Legazpi headed by Legazpi City Mayor Geraldine Rosal and Albay Governor Joey Salceda this June 12 at the Freedom Park in this city.

The celebration commenced with a thanksgiving mass followed by the parade of troops representing the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the ceremonial raising of the Philippine Flag. The event was attended by various government officials, civic groups and sectors in the province.

In her message, Mayor Rosal stressed the importance of the city’s participation in the programs of President Benigno Aquino III to achieve the true meaning and importance of the freedom asserted by our ancestors.

The same message is expressed by Gov. Salceda wherein he said that our freedom can be given utmost importance if we can use it to help our government to lessen the number of poor people who haven’t experienced decent living.

Salceda also mentioned the importance of our territorial land which served as the foundation of our national sovereignity. “In our time wherein globalization gets deeper and virtual world gets wider, we should give more importance on the concept of land and that includes our territorial water as mentioned in our national anthem, sa dagat at bundok.”

With this concern, it is just but right to defend our territory against foreign invaders like the West Philippine Sea which as of now is surrounded by Chinese ships, Salceda added.

One of the most important freedom attained by the province is the freedom from smoking and use of plastic in which Albay is declared as a smoke and plastic-free province. Even the governor disclosed freedom from smoking which according to him is the reason why this year’s celebration is more important and memorable.  

Furthermore, Albay is also one in the advocacy to use freedom in strengthening the fight against illegal logging, mining and fishing.