TABUK CITY – Acting Mayor Bal-o called on employees of the city government to emulate the perseverance, determination, and bravery of Gat Andres Bonifacio in his message during the commemoration of the hero’s 160th birth anniversary at the City Hall recently.
Speaking to an audience composed of city government officials and employees, personnel of the Tabuk City Police Station, 503rd Brigade of the Philippine Army, and guests, Bal-o recounted how Bonifacio overcame the shackles of poverty and defied all odds to lead the country into nationhood.
“Not afraid to die even at the point of defeat, he refused to surrender, and despite his failure to be chosen as the first President of the Republic he continued his desire and dream to be a fighter to liberate the Philippines from the invaders,” Bal-o said.
“Andres Bonifacio has exemplified an unconditional love to his family and to the Filipino people and he exemplified an uncompromising loyalty to the Philippine flag. Despite many Filipino traitors who left the revolution and sold their principles in exchange for their safety or money or whatsoever, Bonifacio was a revolutionary leader until his death. He never doubted what he was fighting for and he continued to yell for the nation’s freedom until his last breath,” the official added.
Bal-o urged employees to apply the virtues of Bonifacio in their work and personal lives, and more importantly, in their capacity as Filipino citizens.
“I-emulate tayo dagijay naibaga tattay nga masapul ada ti perseverance iti tumunggal maysa. Iti trabaho tayo, uray ti kapulisan tayo, nagadu iti karit iti biyag, nagadu ti problema nga sangsanguwen tayo ngem nu saan tayo nga ag-persevere ay ket anya ngay ti kasta ti daduma nga sumurut nu ag-surrender tayo nga disoras,” he said.
“Kailangan nga ada ti determination iti tumunggal maysa. Kailangan nga natured tayo nga sumabak haan lang nga iti problema ti pamilya pati iti problema iti kada opisina. Kailangan nga ada ti loyalty tayo ti oath of office tayo, karkaru iti flag iti Republika iti Pilipinas ta idtuy nga ili, idtuy nga country ti napan tayo met nagbiyagan,” Bal-o added.
While Bal-o expressed hope that Bonifacio and his contemporaries would be the last generation of Filipinos to be made heroes by wars and that peace and freedom would continue to prevail in the country, he encouraged everyone to emulate their patriotism when the time calls for it.
“Part kuma ti selebrasyon tayo ti kararag tapnu natalna ken ada latta freedom ti Pilipinas ken haan tayo manen nga ma-invade or anya man dita nga foreign countries. Ta once nga ma-invade tayo ti foreign countries, matulad tayo ngata ni Jose Rizal? Matulad tayo ngata ni Andres Bonifacio? Papigsaen tayo ti pammati tayo nga natalna latta ken ada freedom ti Pilipinas ket nu ada man ti gubat nga kaspagarigan ket masapul nga itakder tayo ti Philippine flag,” he said.
