By: Sheila Covarrubias
ZAMBOANGA
CITY, May 29 (PIA)- -Zamboanga City
joined the entire nation in the observance of National Flag Day yesterday, May
28, reaffirming loyalty and commitment to the Philippine flag and the country.
Organized by the Caballeros de Colon de Zamboanga
and the 4th Degree of the Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar
Assembly, the observance of the national flag day, commemorated the day the
Philippine flag was unfurled in 1898. Similar activities were held in other
parts of the country.
Mayor Celso Lobregat, who keynoted the event, cited
the significance of the Philippine flag and hoped that all people will remember
that “the flag is not merely a piece of cloth for hanging or display”, but a
reminder of the struggles that Filipinos have “faced and won as a people, of
the martyrs who gave up their lives and the thousands of men and women who
offered their blood so we can live freely today.”
He lamented the fact that honouring the flag and
its accompanying national anthem is no longer taken seriously by some people. “It
is upsetting that, as we all strive to empower our people through education,
some of them end up negligent of their duties as a Filipino citizen. It is
almost as if many of us have considered the raising of the flag and the singing
of the national anthem as an obligation that they must perform sans any fervor”.
The mayor
emphasized that the flag stands for equality and fraternity, peace, truth and
justice, patriotism and valor, unity, freedom, people's
democracy and sovereignty. The flag, he stressed, is “representative of
national identity, pride and independence that any form of disrespect towards
it is seen as an affront to the Filipino people.”
The National Flag Day ceremony held at the Rizal
Monument fronting City Hall at exactly 7am yesterday was also graced by
Parañaque Councilor Alma Moreno, who is president of the Philippine Councilors’
League, Tagum City Councilor Allan Zulueta, who is PCL’s National Chairman and
Zamboanga Councilors Nonong Guingona, Abdurahman Nuño, Rudy Lim and Myra Paz
Abubakar. The ceremony, highlighted by the raising of the 21 flags around Rizal
Monument, kicked off with the parade of the Knights of Columbus officers and
members from the Metropolitan Cathedral in La Purisima to the program site.
Spearheading the KOC officials were SK Pedro
Rodriguez, Jr.- Vice Supreme Master of the Philippines who espoused on the importance
or essence of the Philippine flag; SK Jose Tan Jr., faithful navigator of the
Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar Assembly, who introduced the mayor; SK
Alejandro Novato- Faithful Admiral, who opened the program,; SK Alvin Tahir-
chairman of ceremonials; SK Ronald Epac- chairman on Patritism; SK Rosalino
Sumile- faithful navigator of the Pope John Paul Assembly, who gave the closing
remarks and SK Vic Liozo Jr.-District Deputy of the Fr. Paguia Council and
several others. (JPA/SC/CIO/PIA9-ZBST)