Magandang Umaga po sa inyong lahat.On this day of honor and pride for the people of Marinduque, let me extend to you the greetings and warmest felicitations of the Secretary of National Defense, Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr.
(Photo: DND Sec Giberto Teodoro, Jr. In the U.S. for talks with Defense Sec. Robert Gates)
Governor Bong, Secretary Teodoro asked me to personally give you his thanks for inviting him to be the Guest of Honor and Speaker at today’s commemoration of the 109th Anniversary of the Battle of Pulang Lupa. Secretary Teodoro also asked me to apologize for his inability to be here with you today. As you might have read in the newspapers, Secretary Teodoro is, at present in the United States, for a series of meetings with US Defense and Security Officials led by US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
109 years ago today, Marinduque revolutionary forces gave American colonizers their first major recorded defeat in the Philippine-American War. The Filipino soldier went on to fight many more battles against the American invaders. Today, we commemorate not just the victory of Philippine forces at Pulang Lupa. Rather, we celebrate the heroism and patriotism of the Filipino, his love for freedom and his willingness to fight and die for the country.
Today, the enemy that our forefathers fought during the Battle of Pulang Lupa has become our single most important and enduring ally. While the likelihood that the Philippines will again be invaded by a foreign country is remote, we continue to be faced by grave threats to our freedom and prosperity. The Communist Party of the Philippines, through its armed component, the New People’s Army, seeks to impose its will upon the whole country through violence. Muslim secessionist groups are moving to dismember our country. Local terrorists like the Abu Sayyaf sow fear among our countrymen in the South. Among the countries of ASEAN, the Philippines has the most number of insurgencies going on at the same time.
We, like many other countries in the world, are faced with international terrorism and trans-national crime like arms smuggling and human and drug trafficking.
These threats to our national security affect the peace, stability, prosperity and development of our country. Central and Southern Mindanao, with its multitude of natural resources and vast fertile lands, remains largely underdeveloped due, to a large extent, to the threats to peace in the area. Businesses in certain areas of Luzon and the Visayas have to deal with the NPA’s extortion activities.
(Photo: Gov. Carrion and the PNP)
Let me take this opportunity to extend to the Province of Marinduque and its local government officials led by Governor Carrion, the congratulations and gratitude of the Department of National Defense for having reached the point in its counter-insurgency efforts where the presence of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is no longer necessary in the province. Marinduque is the first province to be declared insurgency-free.
In the face of all these threats to our national security and stability, there is a need for us, as a nation, to recall and reinvigorate the patriotic spirit that brought us this victory at the Battle of Pulang Lupa 109 years ago.
(Photo: Philippine Army Patriots)The role of defending our stability and prosperity does not belong solely to the AFP or the PNP. Each and every one of us should be willing to stand up for our ideals and fight those who seek to destroy our institutions, or tear our country apart.
Let us use the same patriotism and love of country that led the people of Marinduque to victory in the Battle of Pulang Lupa to guard against and fight all those who threaten our peace and national unity.
We at the Department of National Defense are hopeful that the Filipino people, working together towards peace and stability, will be able to ensure for future generations, the stability, development, and progress that our country deserves.
Once again, in behalf of Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr., and the DND Family, we congratulate the People of Marinduque for the patriotism, heroism and devotion to country that they have shown in the past, and I am sure, will continue to show in the future.
Maraming Salamat po at magandang umaga po muli.
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