DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — The city government leads the public today, along with the rest of the country, in celebrating the 114th Independence Day with the theme “Kalayaan:Pananagutan ng Bayan para sa Tuwid na Daan.”
City Administrator William Ablong said RTC-branch 36 Judge Joseph Elmaco, is the guest speaker for the city’s celebration of the event at the Quezon Park where employees of the City Hall and national and local government agencies in the city will gather.
“We need to celebrate … because during this month we declare our independence, which means to say we are now free to express our opinion, free to believe,” Ablong said.
The celebration will start at 7 a.m. after the simultaneous ringing of church bells, taps and sounding of sirens, and raising and waving of flaglets.
Then a floral offering or wreath-laying at the foot of the Rizal Monument, to be led by Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria, Vice Mayor Alan Gel Cordova, Representatives Jocelyn Limkaichong (1st district, Negros Oriental), George Arnaiz (2nd dist.) and Pryde Henry Teves (3rd dist.), Governor Roel Degamo, other city and provincial officials, and the police and the military.
Coming next is the raising of the Philippine flag and the singing of the National Anthem, followed by the recitation of the Panatang Makabayan, led by National Games gold medalist in archery Marie Crizabelle Merto, and the singing of Bayan Ko by Hannah Nicole Tesado, grand winner of Dumaguete Got Talent competition.
Then there will be an ecumenical invocation by Msgr. Gamaliel Tulabing, administrator of the Diocese of Dumaguete, Rev. Jonathan Pia, minister for Christian Witness and Services of Silliman University, and Jamal Tiburon of the Muslim community.