Iligan City mayor highlights meaning of Nat’l Flag Day

Iligan City - Since an Executive Order was made several years ago on the National Flag Day celebration every 28th May and the year thereafter, it connotes everything , which started from the evolution of flags, all its symbols of national solidarity indicative of true patriotism and love of country.

This was the opening statement of City Mayor Lawrence Ll. Cruz of Iligan in his message during the program in the observance of the National Flag Day. But, are we living what the flag stands for? The mayor threw the question to hundreds of spectators at the public plaza, this city.

Also, are we internalizing the lyrics of our national anthem, just like what the flag stands for? What our flag teaches us to do, is what also our national anthem tells us to do, as Filipinos, expressed Mayor Cruz.

We will ask ourselves, what we can contribute, to be useful to the society. Problems always occur, there is no ideal world, no ideal situation, that we can say bad times are over, now comes the good times. There is just no such thing, the mayor commented. “Tough times never last, but tough people do”, he added.

Practice should be a part of our everyday life because tough situations are here to stay. So, we just have to continue searching for the answers, solutions to the problems we encounter.

What is important is we understand the theme for this year, “Kagitingan, Kagalingan, at Kasipagan, Tungo sa Tunay na Kalayaan”. Let us all march towards progress despite tremendous acts, we shall defeat the enemy that is complacency, poverty and all the problems that destroy our society, Mayor Cruz reiterated.

The mayor, along with the city local officials, led the raising of the Philippine Flag and the singing of the National Anthem, followed by the reading of the Flag Code by City Councilor Ariel P. Anghay, who is also the Council Scout Executive, Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), Iligan City Council.

Involved in the celebration were heads and employees of the local government unit and the national government agencies, the barangay officials and its constituents, non-government organizations, civic clubs, BSP, and other sectors in the society.

The ceremonial burning of old/tattered flags highlighted the day’s event.

The Department of Education, headed by Schools Division Superintendent Domingo V. Samson, took the lead in the preparation of the program. (Lorry V. Gabule)