Marcos urges fight vs. corruption, Duterte calls to defend freedom on Bonifacio Day

Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged Filipinos to fight hunger, corruption, and crime, while Vice President Sara Duterte called on the people to defend freedom, as the nation marked Gat Andres Bonifacio's 161st birth anniversary on Nov. 30.

In a message, Marcos said the revolutionary’s courage and determination serve as an inspiration “to strive for greatness in our shared task of nation building”.

“We owe them a debt of gratitude for awakening our national consciousness, upholding our sense of identity, and rousing our spirit of self-determination. Gat Andres may have been long gone, but his fight goes on,” the president 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.

Meanwhile, Duterte said Bonifacio day should raise Filipinos’ awareness to pressing issues, such as poverty, hunger, and lack of jobs.

The vice president is also hoping the spirit of the Nov. 30 commemoration will remain alive in the hearts of Filipinos.

“Ipalaganap natin ang mensahe ng kanyang kabayanihan sa isa’t isa at sana ay maging apoy itong mag-alab para tayo ay maging mas matatag, matapang, at naninindigan. Mga kababayan, ang pamana ni Bonifacio sa atin ay ang ating kalayaan. Alagaan natin ito. Ipaglaban natin ito,” she said.

[Translation: Let us spread the message of his heroism to one another, and may it ignite a fire within us to become stronger, braver, and more steadfast. Fellow countrymen, Bonifacio’s legacy to us is our freedom. Let us protect it. Let us fight for it]

The political rift between Marcos and Duterte has been escalating since the vice president left the administration in July, two years after they won the elections and promised to unify the country.