The provincial government of Bulacan marked the 124th anniversary of the Malolos Congress on Thursday, Sept. 15, with Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio as guest of honor and speaker at the historic Barasoain Church in the City of Malolos.
The event was spearheaded by the Provincial History, Arts, Culture and Tourism and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).
In her speech before a hundred Bulakenyos, Duterte-Carpio said that the history's challenge to every Filipino is to affirm the value of democracy that the people enjoy today.
She urged the Filipinos to continue loving the country and to unite with one desire, one purpose, and one dream.
"Since the Malolos Congress was opened on September 15, 1898, at the historic Barasoain Church, we have come a long way as a nation. We also experienced many hardships, typhoons, earthquakes, pandemics but we have not stopped and we will not stop," Duterte-Carpio said.
Earlier, she led the wreath-laying rites in front of the monument of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. She was joined by Bulacan Gov. Daniel R. Fernando, Vice Gov. Alexis C. Castro, National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chairman Dr. Rene R. Escalante, Malolos City Mayor Christian D. Natividad, Police Regional Office 3 director Brig. Gen. Cesar R. Pasiwen, and Bulacan Police officer-in-charge Col. Relly B. Arnedo.
The Bulacan governor said that as the inheritors of the Malolos Congress, it is also “a challenge to the Filipinos to be worthy of all the democracy we have today.”
The event was also attended by other officials of the provincial government of Bulacan, Department of Education district superintendents and supervisors, and representatives from NHCP and national government organizations.