Guiuan, Eastern Samar
March 18, 2021

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte called on his kababayans to appreciate and embrace more the rich and diverse history of the Philippines as the nation kicks off a series of activities to celebrate the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations.

Speaking before the unveiling of the Quincentennial Marker in Guiuan, Eastern Samar that marked this part of the country in the first circumnavigation of the world, President Duterte recognized the importance of these events in bringing the history, culture and traditions closer to the Filipino people.

“I hope that as we commemorate these events that shaped our history five centuries ago, we may reinvigorate the historical and socio-civic consciousness of the Filipino, especially among the new generations,” he said to the invited guests in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

The Chief Executive underscored that learning from history is a way for Filipinos to protect the country’s sovereignty and added that understanding it should make the people “reflect on the past and look beyond our future.”

“We should therefore honor those who have toiled so that we may become a nation we are today – modern, progressive and ever thriving. And while the events that we celebrate would lead to the beginning of colonization, the Filipino people can find relief in the knowledge that we have gone far in our efforts to correct the mistakes of the past,” the President expressed.

The unveiling of the Quincentennial Marker in Guiuan, Eastern Samar is among the 34 historical markers mounted along the route of the first circumnavigation that took place in the Philippines, including key sites in Palawan, Visayas and Mindanao. It forms part of the series of commemorative events in the country’s history relative to the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the world led by Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastian Elcano in 1521.

The event is spearheaded by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the National Quincentennial Committee (NQC).

Aside from unveiling the Quincentennial Marker, President Duterte also led the Ceremonial Switch-On for the Electricity in Homonhon Island and received the ‘Murillo Velarde Map Circa 1734’ Commemorative Stamp.

* * *