In the light of the celebration of the National Heroes Day yesterday at the Osmeña Park, the chancellor of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao urged Davaoeños to maintain harmony first in “our bigger family”–the Philippines—before the smaller immediate family.
Dr. Sylvia Concepcion said that if the direct family is prioritized, it will disrupt the order of the bigger family.
Concepcion graced the event as its guest speaker.
When we begin to put others before ourselves, we begin to understand that our real family, the family that goes from generation to generation is our Filipino family,” said Concepcion in her speech.
Concepcion added, “We need to put our country first and that is exactly what our veterans did. They left their homes, they left their families, and went to war and fought for us.”
The UP Mindanao Chancellor added that as citizens disposed globally, Filipinos are strong enough to change the nation.
“We are in Davao, we are in the Philippines. We are also in Saudi Arabia, we are in Japan, in Indonesia, in Malaysia. We are a global family. Our strength lies in what we have inside us because we do have the ability to change this nation,” said Concepcion.
Concepcion also honored the living heroes of today’s generation.
“Many of those in the government sectors, like teachers, are heroes. We have a lot of teachers who travel very far every Sunday afternoon just to be ready for school on Monday. They work in these areas which have no roads yet,” she said.
“That is what our soldiers do today, they leave their homes and go to war. They fix things, they go to war and they change things for us,” Concepcion stated.
“But the change is also in us,” she reckoned.
Concepcion also added that putting the Philippines above others should be embodied in the daily activities of each Davaoeño.
“Let us put our country first in our everyday work, in whatever we do, what office we are in, whether we are eating or driving or lining up. It is the way we can honor those who have died – our veterans, our relatives, our heroes,” she said closing her speech.
Gracing the commemoration of the Philippine Heroes are Indonesian Consul General Berlian Napitupulu and Malaysian Consul Mohd Jafri Bin Mohd Shari.
Also present were Mayor Sara Duterte, city councilors, chiefs of the various city government offices, as well as the heads of the security and safety forces.
