Keep Ilocano values for freedom sake – Gov. Imee

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos urged every Filipino to preserve the country’s freedom by practicing Ilocano values in our daily lives.

Governor Marcos sounded this challenge in her message during the celebration of the 117th Philippine Independence in front of the provincial capitol on Friday, June 12.

Local officials, students, teachers, government employees, leaders of the religious sectors, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) gathered in front of the provincial capitol, Laoag City to celebrate this year’s Independence Day with a theme: Kalayaan 2015: Tagumpay sa Pagbabagong Nasimulan, Abot-Kamay na ng Bayan.”

The celebration was highlighted with the offering of prayers for the nation, flag raising rites, wreathlaying in front of the statue of Dr. Jose Rizal and the 9-gun salute by the army troopers.

Among the four Ilocano values that Governor Marcos suggested to be kept by every Filipinos to sustain the country’s freedom are “panagwayas’ (self-reliant); panagteppel (self –control); panagpadigo (sharing): and panagtagnawa or panag-amoyo (cooperation).

She said the value of self-reliance in freedom is meant to be highly motivated to innovate, to be righteous, and to persevere against crisis and difficulties in the government.
For self-control in freedom, the governor referred to discipline and self-sacrifice for the good of the nation while the value of sharing and generosity by every Filipino is necessary in helping one another for the sake of freedom from poverty.

She also cited the value of cooperation and volunteerism among the Filipinos to further sustain the country’s independence.

For his part, Vice Governor Angelo Barba said the independence for every Filipino is to address the freedom from poverty and the freedom for education of the children.
“If we talk about independence today, it is not armed conflict but what we have now is the fight against poverty and the fight for education of our children,” Barba said. (Freddie G. LazaroPIA- 1 Ilocos Norte)