Love of country starts at the local level – Naval vice mayor

By Flordelis E. Jackson

Wednesday 13th of June 2012

NAVAL, Biliran, June 13 (PIA) -- “Love of country must start at the local level.”

This is what vice mayor Redentor Villordon of the local government unit (LGU) of Naval said when he was guest during the special edition of the Kapihan at Pulong-pulong ng Bayan on Tuesday, June 12 as the entire nation marks the 114th Philippine Independence Day.

“It is only when a person learns to love the place where he was born, got his education, earned livelihood for his family and given the opportunity to serve the people in his community where he will be able to love his country,” he said.

“If we love our country and the community where we live, then it is easy to teach our children, love of country,” vice mayor Villordon said.

He expressed appreciation for Filipino heroes who shed blood and fought against our enemies in order to gain real independence saying, “They will serve as models and good examples to our youth”

Centered on the theme “Kalayaan: Pananagutan ng Bayan Para sa Tuwid na Daan (Freedom: The Responsibility of the Nation Towards the Straight Path),” Naval’s celebration involved a simple flag raising ceremony, which according to mayor Susan Parilla was held on Monday, June 11 at 8:00 a.m. in the morning, one day ahead of schedule of the celebration of the Philippine Independence Day on Tuesday, June 12.

LGU-Naval, together with other municipalities of the province of Biliran, has conducted their own simple activities to celebrate the event.

“We did not receive a memorandum from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) regarding activities of the celebration at the LGU level, hence we proceeded with our own simple activities,” he added.

Vice mayor Villordon urged the Navaleños to do their share in preserving independence that they enjoy now as this will serve as an inspiration for them to work hard to bring not only the municipality of Naval to development but also the entire nation.

As a gesture of their involvement in the celebration of the 114th Philippine Independence Day, the Navaleños displayed the Philippine flag in their respective homes. (EOT/FEJ-PIA8 Biliran)