I am delighted to join my fellow Filipinos in South Korea, as well as around the globe, in celebrating the 110th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence.

Today, we commemorate the sacrifices and heroism of our forebears who willingly laid down their lives so that future generations like us could walk with dignity and pride as free men and women. As the Philippine flag unfurled for the first time on June 12, 1898, the vision of a liberated and united country that had been in the hearts of our ancestors moved closer to fruition. With the proclamation of independence by our first president, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, our nation's founders paved the way to the thriving democracy we now enjoy. We are benefited by their wisdom. We are indebted to their gallantry. We are heirs to their quest to provide our people with a better life. Today, we have replaced rifles with tractors, traded canons for computers, and turned battlefields into flourishing commercial centers. Yet the quest for a better life continues. Our struggles have taken the form of bridging the gap between rich and poor; maintaining political security; pursuing economic stability amidst global concerns over the food and energy supply; combating terrorism; strengthening moral development; and preventing environmental degradation. The people who came before us fought for liberty; now we fight for liberty from poverty and insecurity. Together as a nation, we will advance. National policies are in place to ensure sustainable development. International commitments focus on mutually beneficial arrangements. In South Korea, the 50,000-strong Filipino community is committed to the same road of heroism and vision-setting that brought success to our ancestors. There will be stumbling blocks along the way. New challenges will arise. But we will not waver, for to desist in the face of impediments is to betray the cause to which our forebears surrendered their chance for a normal, albeit complacent, existence. And with our friends from the international community by our side, the Philippines will continue to move forward with the empowering knowledge of a storied past, with the unprecedented opportunities presented by today's globalizing world, and with vigorous anticipation for a future of limitless possibilities.