The event, held at the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Abandoned (OLA) in Marikina City, also featured the signing of a Declaration of Support by various stakeholders from the faith, non-government organizations, and agencies of the government.
This initiative by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) underscored their commitment to upholding morality and good governance and aligns with the "Bagong Pilipinas" campaign's core principles of "a principled, accountable, and dependable government reinforced by unified institutions of society, whose common objective is to realize the goals and aspirations of every Filipino."
"Gusto namin ito, kasi malay mo, mayroong malaking pagbabago na mangyari. Gusto naman natin lahat ng pagbabago, 'di ba? 'Yung may kapayapaan at pagkakaisa at hindi 'yun labo-labo 'yung mga Pilipino (We support it, we feel that there's a big change that's going to happen. We all want change, don't we? We want peace and for Filipinos to be united, not divided.)," said Met Sonio who travelled from Barangay Wawa in Pililia, Rizal to attend the national launch.
"Mas maganda 'yung ganito, mayroong movement kasi magbibigay daan ito sa mabubuting pagbabago, pati na rin sa pagkakaisa natin (This is better, there is a movement because it will lead to good changes, as well as our unity)," she added.
For priest Father Antonio Veracruz of the Society of Catholic Communities in Action, he sees the movement as a starting point to promote the spirit of communal unity and cooperation.
"Kami ay boluntaryong nakikiisa sa layunin ng National Intelligence Coordinating Agency sapagkat nakikita namin na ang ganitong layunin ay bibihira, kaya 'yung mga katulad namin na maliliit na grupo, at iba pang maliliit na grupo na nanggaling sa iba't ibang lugar ay natutuwa at nalulugod sila, sapagkat nakakakita kami ng isang pagkakataon bilang tanda ng pag-asa," Veracruz said.
(We voluntarily join the cause of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency because we see that such a cause is rare, so those like us who are small groups, and other small groups from different places are happy and pleased them, because we see an opportunity as a sign of hope.)
For NICA Director-General Ricardo De Leon, the event calls upon all Filipinos to support and uphold the PBBM's advocacy, which is to promote spirituality and morality as main drivers toward the country's progress.
"Tayoy naniniwala na 'yung Bayang Banal na gathering, lalo na with the support of the Society of Catholic Community, malayo po ang ating mararating (We believe that with this holy gathering, especially with the support of the Society of Catholic Community, we will go far.)," De Leon said.
"The PBBM aims to promote the government's moral recovery campaign through its mission and vision, "One God, One Nation, One Mission towards Pilipinas Bayang Banal," he added.
The launch event also seeks to garner wider public awareness and support for PBBM's mission and vision.
"We in NICA-NCR, as with the entire NICA family led by Director-General Ricardo De Leon, fully support the 'Bagong Pilipinas' campaign of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and firmly believe that moral rejuvenation is crucial for national development," NICA-NCR director Dennis Godfrey Gammad said.
"Through the PBBM, we aim to instill a sense of shared responsibility and inspire every Filipino to contribute to building a better nation," he added. (PIA-NCR)
