It may indeed seem providential that my term of office as president of our republic should cover the decade of the centennials of Filipino nationalism and Philippine revolutionary movements. The momentous events of 1892, 1896 and 1898 which helped shape the course of our nation will be recalled in the coming six years to perhaps imbue us with the same lofty spirit that led our heroes to struggle for our country and inspire us to carry on their sacrifices to achieve greater glory for our people.

Thus, it must be the will of the almighty that the commencement of my term should coincide with the founding of the Katipunan, the precursor of the freedom we enjoy today which I have sworn myself to uphold and protect by all means and through all the powers available to the presidency.

The Katipunan has always symbolized to us the revolutionary tradition of our people. True, this tradition manifested itself in uprising after uprising throughout the three centuries of Spanish rule, but it was the Katipunan which eventually brought about the end of that domination. It was the Katipunan which called for our country’s independence from Spain and fought for the rights of ordinary Filipinos. It was the Katipunan whose members defiantly tore their residence certificates to signify that the oppression of the colonizers must end.

Andres Bonifacio’s brand of radical nationalism may not be as appropriate today as it was during his time; but, his battle cry of “Pagkakaisa at Kalayaan” holds as much meaning now as it did then.

With the bloodless People Power Revolution at EDSA in 1986 that is still fresh in our memories, we have only too recently won back our “kalayaan” from the tyranny of one of our own. The restoration of our democracy not with standing and our enjoyment of all the freedoms that go with it, our “kalayaan” cannot be said to be complete until we have fellowmen who continue to suffer in misery and desperation. We must then continue to wage war against poverty, to free our poor from economic deprivation, to release our countrymen from hunger and want. Then and then only can we be true to Bonifacio’s sense of “kalayaan.”

“Pagkakaisa”, too, remains an elusive dream.

There are our brothers in the hills who, despite the demise of communism everywhere else, still prefer to pursue their neo-Maoist revolution. We have leftist movements which still draw inspiration from Katipunan’s ideology, although there no longer are foreign colonizers to rebel against. And we still have to foster unity among our Muslims and Christians, our marginalized ethnic groups, and the different factions of the political candidates who ran against each other during the last elections.

This, then, is the message that we have to bear in mind as we mark this historic founding of the Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan today. There are aspirations which motivated Bonifacio to found his secret society one hundred years ago that still seek fulfillment.

In this context, we must pursue the Katipunan’s unfinished revolution, not through the force of arms, but through peaceful means in an environment of freedom.

This early in my administration, I have sought, through my pronouncements and initial actions, to live up to the present-day connotations of what the Katipunan stood for: “Pagkakaisa at Kalayaan.”

I have extended my arm to all Filipinos, of whatever persuasion, creed, or political affiliation, to join the government’s desire for all of us to be one again — in purpose, in the determination to succeed, in pooling our strengths together so we can forge our nation ahead.

I have time and again affirmed my belief in empowering our people as the vehicle for their economic emancipation. Let our families, our neighborhood groups, our communities, be our engines of growth so we can be self-reliant and develop ourselves as no one else would.

The great irony of the Katipunan was that Bonifacio did not live long enough to savor the victory of his revolution. That was a tragic consequence of the armed uprising that he advocated, a grim reminder perhaps to those who choose to follow his path to the letter nowadays.

EDSA’s unique process of democratic transition has affirmed that a revolution, the way Katipunan thought of it, is no longer necessary. We can carry out reforms in society without shedding blood, armed only with strong convictions and determination to harness our energies together so the common good can be attained.

Still, we owe it to the Katipunan for starting it all, for showing that indeed Filipinos could stand for their rights. It is important, therefore, that as we go on with our efforts at building our nation, we do not lose our sense of history — for this shall provide us with the spirit and direction by which we shall hurdle adversities to traverse our course.

The event we are commemorating today will be followed by other great centennials, such as the Cry of Pugad Lawin, and the Battle of Pinaglabanan, to take place four years hence, up to the establishment of the Malolos Congress which we shall celebrate in September 1998.

Today, we seek a second century of the commitment to patriotism unleashed by the Katipunan. This time, the challenge is not to wage war and give up life. The challenge is to improve the quality of life for the Mang Pandoy’s living in our midst.

Sa maraming suliraning ating hinaharap, ang kahirapan ang pinakamasidhi. Ang kahirapan ay isang napakalaking krus na pinapasan ng napakarami nating mamamayan. Ang kahirapan ay ugat ng marami pang surilanin ng lipunan. Sa lawak ng ating hinaharap na suliranin, kinakailangan ng tulong ng lahat ng mamamayan sa ating bagong pakikipaglaban.

‘Di tulad ng dati, ang hamon ay hindi upang magbuwis ng buhay. Ang hamon ay para sa bawa’t isa sa atin na makialam, makilahok, at ibahagi ang galing at talino upang maiangat ang antas ng buhay ng kalapit nating mahihirap. Ito ang katangian ng bagong bayani.

But like the heroes of our past, the seeds of our struggle must be a desire and a will to be free. Ang ating pakikipaglaban ay dapat umusbong mula sa ating pagnanais na ang pilipino ay tunay na maging malaya sa kahirapan. Ang ating lakas ay manggagaling sa ating pagbubuklod at pagtutulungan.

As we face together the great task of nation building, these words of President Quezon remain relevant as ever:

“We should be a flowing stream, a rippling brook, a deep and roaring torrent, full of life, of hope of faith and strength. Through self-discipline we shall harness all our energies, so that our power, spreading over the length and breadth of this land, will — ensure happiness and contentment for all the people under the aegis of liberty and peace. The Filipino people are on the march towards their destiny, to conquer their place in the sun.”

I trust that the National Commission for Culture and the Arts will continue to draw up programs and activities that will make these centennials truly memorable. And I call on all our countrymen to collaborate with their government in order that our efforts in the next six years will not merely attest to our capacity to build our nation but, just as importantly~ give reasoned pride to our history. For what we shall achieve shall be the proofs that our heroes did not die in vain.

Mabuhay ang ala-ala ng ating mga ninunong nagbuwis ng buhay upang magkaroon tayo ng kalayaang umisip, mamuno at mag-alay ng sarili sa ngalan ng pag-ibig sa inang bayan.

Thank you and good day.