Tanauan, Batangas City
23 July 2014
President Benigno S. Aquino III graced the commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of the man referred to as the “Brains of the Philippine Revolution,” Apolinario Mabini.
Spearheaded by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), the year-long festivity honors the legacy of the “Sublime Paralytic,” whose works shaped the democracy of the country.
The President paid tribute to the life and contributions of Mabini by opening the newly-renovated and modernized museum which showcases memorabilia of the hero. He also received the Commemorative Coin and Stamp from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. and Philippine Postal Corporation (PPC) Post Master General Josefina Dela Cruz.
“Si Mabini ang kumakatawan sa talino ng Pilipino, talinong ibinuhos niya sa pagpanday ng mga prinsipyo at sistemang nagbigay-hugis sa isang malayang lipunan,” President Aquino said.
Likewise, he related Mabini’s idealism to the issue of the Disbursement Acceleration Program or DAP and remained firm on his stand over its legality, saying that it funded many government projects and benefited the Filipino people. The projects he mentioned were from TESDA, the Tourism department, and on disaster preparedness.
In the end, President Aquino said that as the father of this nation, it is his obligation to continuously watch over and enlighten the society regarding the issue, and to constantly give useful information to the Filipinos so they would know what is right.
“Ganito po natin pinipiling sundan ang halimbawang iniwan ni Apolinario Mabini, na siya ngang nagsabing, ‘Iisa ang ating kapalaran, iisa din ang ating tuwa at kalungkutan, at magkakaayon ang lahat ng ating mithiin at interes,” President Aquino said.
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