THIS year’s celebration of Independence Day in Cebu City was focused on “liberating ourselves” from the coronavirus pandemic.
Amid the heavy downpour on Saturday morning, June 12, 2021, the Cebu City Government pushed through with the ceremony to commemorate the 123rd proclamation of independence from Spain.
Acting Mayor Michael Rama said the “vaccination is the way to liberation.”
“And I wish that today, right here at City Hall, jointly with my acting vice mayor, let this day be a day of declaration that we must be all towards liberation and that liberation will bring us to achieve history against Covid-19,” he said, adding that more Covid-19 vaccines are expected to arrive in the city.
Acting Vice Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros reminded the public to enjoy freedom responsibly, celebrate the Filipino identity and remember that despite being a diverse archipelago, “we are one country.”
Hontiveros said amid the new normal, “we owe it to our frontliners” to be mindful of health protocols.
He urged the public to celebrate their identity as Filipinos through “speech, music, writing, dance and culture daily.”
Mayor Edgardo Labella, who is currently on medical leave, recalled the sacrifices of the heroes who risk their lives for the country to acquire its freedom.
“We honor them today with deep gratitude,” Labella posted on his Facebook page.
“Their love of country lives on in the everyday heroes in our midst — people who go beyond their call of duty to do so much more for our community,” he said.
In Mandaue City, the heavy downpour forced the City Government to cancel its Independence Day celebration.
Mayor Jonas Cortes told SunStar Cebu earlier this week that they planned to conduct a flag-raising ceremony together with local government officials. Instead, staff of the City Tourism Office laid flowers in front of the flagpole at the City Hall.
Cortes, in an interview, said celebrating Independence Day should serve as a reminder to the public that our forefathers sacrificed their blood and sweat so the country could achieve its freedom.
The Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) and the Mandaue City Fire Station (MCFS), however, went ahead with their flag-raising.
Lt. Col. Mercy Villaro, MCPO information officer, said all their 500 police officers joined the ceremony in front of the office.
MCFS Fire Marshal Nelson Ababon, for his part, told SunStar Cebu that all their sub-station commanders, office personnel and in-coming duty personnel also attended their flag-raising, while outgoing duty officers were on standby for emergencies. (JJL, KFD)