MANILA, Philippines- Muling pinagtibay ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang commitment ng Pilipinas na pangalagaan ang malakas na relasyon sa Estados Unidos at iba pang international allies para isulong ang kapayapaan at kasaganaan sa Indo-Pacific region.
Sa paggunita ng ika-80 taong anibersaryo ng Liberation of Manila sa Manila American Cemetery and Memorial sa Taguig City, sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos na patuloy na manindigan para sa kung ano ang tama at patuloy na makatrabaho kasama ang ibang bansa sa pagtatayo ng mga gusali, pagpapanday ng mga solusyon at pag-iingat sa global commons.
“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,” ang sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos sa mga audience kabilang na ang mga kinatawan ng US government, Filipino dignitaries at World War II veterans.
Pinangunahan naman ni Pangulong Marcos ang pagdakila sa pagpaparangal sa mga napahamak sa panahon ng brutal na Battle of Manila noong 1945, isa sa ‘deadliest conflicts’ sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas.
“Through diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation, we have successfully maintained a region that is peaceful, stable, and prosperous,” ayon kay Pangulong Marcos.
Nagpahayag din ng pasasalamat si Pangulong Marcos sa matagal na pagsasama ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos, binigyang-diin ang ibinahaging kahalagahan ng kapayapaan, demokrasya at katarungan.
Sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos na labis niyang ikinalulugod ang “enduring alliance, partnership, and friendship” ng Pilipinas sa Estados Unidos, “as they share the same goal of achieving peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.”
Aniya, committed ang bansa “to preserving and enhancing national security, attaining economic prosperity, and promoting the rights and welfare of their peoples.”
“In peace and war, through natural disasters and pandemics, Philippine-US relations are firmly anchored on the values and principles that we cherish — peace, democracy, fairness, social progress and justice,” ang tinuran ni Pangulong Marcos.
“Whether we gather, as we do today, to remember the liberation of Manila some 80 ago, or during joint military exercises as our armed forces will in a few weeks’ time for Balikatan, there is no doubt that our relationship is robust, with our two countries continuing to work together to address common challenges,” dagdag na pahayag ng Pangulo.
Samantala, sinabi naman ni US Secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission Charles Djou na “most powerful system known” sa sangkatauhan ay “not the Shandong aircraft carrier patrolling in the South China Sea, not the ability to build artificial islands in Filipino waters, not to ability to spread around money through a Belt and Road initiative.”
“The most powerful system known to mankind is a free people, willing to fight for freedom. That is what this site is all about and what is ceremony is all about,” ang sinabi ni Djou sabay sabing, “We fight for the values of freedom and democracy.”
Ginunita rin sa nasabing event ang ika-80 anibersaryo ng Liberation of Manila, nangyari mula Feb. 3 hanggang March 3, 1945, pagtukoy ng sandali sa Pacific theater ng World War II (WWII) at isa sa ‘most significant events’ sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas. Kris Jose
