INTRODUCTION
I thank you for helping us celebrate this 96th anniversary of Philippine independence.

Earlier this morning, I was in Kawit, Cavite, in the house of our country’s first president, General Emilio Aguinaldo, where in 1898, our declaration of independence was signed by 98 leaders and believers.

After that first signing ceremony — the new nation’s first act of sovereignty — General Aguinaldo went out to the balcony and, addressing the throngs of joyous revolutionaries and new Filipinos gathered on the street below, proclaimed Philippine independence.
REENACTING THAT MOMENT OF GLORY
A group of us went to Kawit to re-live that moment of national glory. We re-enacted the first hoisting of the flag and the first playing of the national anthem — the symbols of our nationhood.

By that simple civic ritual, we hoped to remind our people of how hard a struggle our forebears had fought, of how much blood had been shed, to win our country’s place in the community of nations. We also meant to remind our people that the quest for freedom and national dignity — never to be taken lightly — takes different forms in different eras.

Today, 96 years after, we look back with pride and confidence at the achievements of our nation. Those years make up a tortuous history — sometimes studded with tragedy and suffering — but always resplendent with courage and triumphs.

If we are to pick out an outstanding thread from the fabric of our history, that continuing quality is that of Filipino talent, resilience and love of freedom. And this heartens us — because we realize that the journey our country began in 1898 — the struggle to take command of our own fortunes — to make our own history — is far from over.
OUR PLACE IN THE WORLD
Excellencies:

Today, as already well known, we regard our membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as our primary foreign policy commitment — and the larger Asia-pacific region as the cornerstone of our foreign relations.

We subscribe wholeheartedly to the Asia-Pacific ideal of open regionalism. We believe that, for the first time, our region has the chance to build mutual security and stability, not on the basis of arms or military alliances, but on interdependent economies that will provide adequacy for the peoples of our region.

Our primary effort is to seek to raise the levels of cooperation among our neighbors and partners in Asia-Pacific, and the rest of the world. And we have wholeheartedly adopted the region’s interest as our own.

Your excellencies represent the 55 national states that maintain resident embassies in the Philippines, as well as the key international organizations serving in our country.

Your presence here signifies that the international recognition our revolutionary forebears had hoped for, our country now enjoys.

At the same time, the excellent relations between the Philippines and the countries and organizations you represent have made possible the flow of mutual support and cooperation needed in strengthening the structure of our democratic government and in building an economy responsive to our people’s needs, wants and hopes.

Let me reiterate how much we value our close friendship and warm relations with you, and our determination to strengthen and enhance those relations.
INVITATION TO A TOAST
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen: in this spirit — on this happy occasion — please join me now in a toast:

To Philippine independence, to international peace and prosperity, and to our everlasting friendship with all peoples!

Mabuhay!!!