Liberate country from ills, people told

(UPDATE) AS the country celebrated the 161st birth anniversary of revolutionary hero Andres Bonifacio, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday urged Filipinos to do their part in liberating the Philippines "from the shackles of hunger, corruption, criminality and other ills of society." In his message, Marcos called on Filipinos to honor the life and heroism of Bonifacio, "who organized and inspired his fellow Filipinos to rise against tyranny and break the chains of oppression." "Coming from humble beginnings did not deter him from realizing his dreams and goals for our country. With his courage, he lit the flames of the Philippine Revolution, which finally united our land and emboldened many to lay down their lives willingly for the cause of our motherland against the colonizers," Marcos said. "Let us honor his memory by finding a deeper meaning in his sacrifice and doing our part in liberating our country from the shackles of hunger, corruption, criminality, and other ills of society," he added. Marcos also urged Filipinos to remember the legacy of sacrifice that Bonifacio and their forebears demonstrated. "We owe them a debt of gratitude for awakening our national consciousness, upholding our sense of identity, and rousing our spirit of self-determination," he said. The President said Bonifacio "may have been long gone, but his fight carries on." "His courage, selflessness, and determination continue to inspire us all to strive for greatness in our shared task of nation-building," Marcos said. "With patriotism, discipline and love for one another as our guide, let us build a better Bagong Pilipinas where every Filipino lives in genuine peace, progress and harmony," he added. 'Work together in nation-building' Speaker Martin Romualdez, meanwhile, urged Filipinos to work together in nation-building. "Bonifacio stood against tyranny and division, championing the ideals of freedom, justice and the welfare of the Filipino people above all else," Romualdez said in a statement. "His life reminds us that genuine leadership demands not just strength but also respect for others and a deep sense of responsibility to uphold the greater good," he said. "The path toward progress is never without challenges, but like Bonifacio, we must face them with unwavering resolve and a firm belief in the collective power of the Filipino people," he said. "Let us reject fear, division and discord and instead work together in the spirit of 'Bayanihan' to build a nation grounded on peace, justice and prosperity for all," Romualdez said. Vice President Sara Duterte, in a video posted on Facebook for Bonifacio Day, said in Filipino, "Our act of looking back at the heroism of Andres Bonifacio is an opportunity for us to reflect on our situation and our future as a free country." Duterte said it was important that the country's celebration of Bonifacio's greatness opened eyes to the state of the country — including its ills. "My countrymen, the legacy that Bonifacio left us is our freedom," she said in Filipino. "Let us protect his. Let us fight for this." The President declared Nov. 30, 2024, a regular holiday to celebrate Bonifacio Day. Born on Nov. 30, 1863, Bonifacio played a crucial role as a Filipino revolutionary leader in the revolution against Spanish colonial rule. Widely recognized as "The Father of the Philippine Revolution," Bonifacio is esteemed as one of the country's national heroes. Bonifacio established and subsequently led the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan, commonly known as the "Katipunan," a movement dedicated to securing the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule, marking the start of the Philippine Revolution.