LAOAG CITY, June 15 — The 116th Independence Day celebration in Ilocos Norte hoisted a Philippine flag made of inabel, the famous native handwoven fabric of the Ilocanos.
The display of the inabel Philippine flag during the Freedom Day rites held in front of the Ilocos Norte provincial capitol here was a meant to showcase the ingenuity of the Ilocano loom weavers, whose craft dates back centuries ago.
During the celebration, the revelers rendered songs, prayers and Binatbatan dance number dramatizing the separation of cotton seeds from its fibers ready for loom weaving. Three loom weavers from Paoay town demonstrated loom weaving skills at the capitol lobby.
Earlier, a flag raising ceremony ushered in the event. Then, Governor Imee Marcos led the wreath-laying at the foot of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal monument. It was capped with full military honors via 21-gun salute.
The attending crowd included local government officials, policemen, AFP soldiers, firemen, jail guards, students, teachers and non-government leaders.
In her speech, Laoag City Mayor Chevylle Fariñas cited the sacrifices of our heroes who fought foreign colonizers and invaders for the sake of freedom and democracy.
She called on every citizen to cherish the value of our Independence by living up to its name with dignity and humility.
For her part, Governor Marcos said the country’s freedom should not be taken for granted.
“Today, we honor those who came before us during the war; unlike those before us, we are today blessed with peace, prosperity and development. If it were not for their tremendous sacrifice in war, we certainly would not be here today,” she stressed.
She urged every Filipinos to sustain the value of freedom for the sake of the next generation.
“Freedom is a responsibility to determine exactly what to do; the ultimate freedom is to create future that is free from ignorance and poverty,”she said. (MCA/FGL, PIA 1 Ilocos Norte)
