by Franklin P. Gumapon
DIPOLOG CITY, June
13 (PIA) - - Dr. Victorina G. Perez, newly installed city schools division
superintendent here, has reiterated President Aquino’s call to liberate the
Filipino masses from hunger and poverty.
Perez, who served
as the keynote speaker in yesterday’s program held at the city plaza in
commemoration of the 114th Philippine Independence Day, said
President Aquino’s declaration to stage a new war on hunger and poverty
connects to his campaign message: “Walang mahirap kung walang kurap.”
She also told the
audience that “freedom is not doing whatever we want to do. Instead, we should
use freedom to do what is right, to see to it that others are made accountable
for that they do, and to assert our rights and the rights of others.”
To the lady schools
superintendent, freedom also means “having a choice: to choose to exercise your
right and assert it, and to choose to respect the rights of others.”
In a similar tone,
Mayor Evelyn T. Uy said “the fight for freedom is far from over,” as the
country is still battling against poverty and corruption. She then urged the
public to rally behind President Aquino’s efforts toward good governance.
Some 2,000 people
composed of government officials and employees, teachers, students, civic and
religious leaders, policemen, military personnel, barangay leaders, employees
from banking institutions, senior citizens and others participated in the independence
day program and foot parade spearheaded by the city government led by Mayor Uy.
This year’s
Independence Day celebration has for its theme, “Kalayaan: Pananagutan ng Bayan
para sa tuwid na daan.” (FPG/PIA-Zamboanga del Norte)
