MANILA: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday turned the National Heroes’ Day commemoration into a rallying call against corruption, declaring that anomalies and abuse of power are the modern-day threats that “steal the health, dreams, and future of the next generations of Filipinos.”
“They do not only steal money, but also the health, dreams, and future of the next generations of Filipinos,” Marcos said in his speech at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Cemetery of the Heroes).
According to the Philippine News Agency, the President said honouring the sacrifices of the nation’s heroes requires confronting challenges with the same courage they once showed.
He warned that letting corruption persist is a betrayal not only of past generations who fought for independence, but also of today’s youth whose future is at stake.
“We will hold accountable all those involved in anomalies and corruption. We will reveal the whole and genuine truth. And we will ensure that disrespect and disregard for our people will never happen again,” Marcos said.
He urged Filipinos not to tolerate small deceits, warning that unchecked lies and abuses erode society bit by bit until the damage becomes irreversible. – BERNAMA-PNA
