President Marcos has vowed to strengthen peace-building efforts in the country, especially in the conflict-affected areas.

At the 78th Leyte Gulf Landings Anniversary in Palo, Leyte on Thursday, Oct. 20, Marcos said his administration will always advocate for peace and unity.

"Ladies and gentlemen, 78 years ago, these shores were witness to the horrors and bloodshed brought by the worst that mankind could bring. Now, we revisit these sands and wash them anew with the goodness that we know we are all capable of," Marcos said.

"As your President, you must be assured that this administration will always advocate for peace and for unity. Domestically, we will strengthen our peace-building efforts, especially in conflict-affected areas," he added.

The President also committed to continue to work with the country's neighbors towards ensuring security, addressing global issues, and facilitating post-pandemic growth, addressing climate change and all the existential challenges that the country faces.

He further said that his administration will keep supporting initiatives that will preserve historical and cultural sites and deepen the Filipino people’s sense of national identity and foster a peaceful and inclusive Philippines.

"This event that we commemorate today should remind us of the human and economic cost of war. And therefore, it is important that we keep the peace and its role as an enabler of economic growth and development and — a quality of life for all our people. Each of us will have to play a part in achieving this noble endeavor," he said.

Welfare of war veterans

Marcos has also vowed to keep looking after the welfare of war veterans to give back for their sacrifices "they had made in reclaiming our freedom and for ushering in a new age of peace for our people and for the world."

"This government will always continue to look after the welfare of our war veterans," he said.

"We can never truly repay the price they paid for their gifts of peace and freedom. But we can honor their heroism and their memory by continuing the great work that they had begun," he added.

The Chief Executive further honored their contributions during the event by saying that "the seeds of peace and solidarity that have been planted during that time have blossomed to nurture deep, abiding, and fruitful friendships that we now share with one another."

He encouraged the nation and the international community to continue moving forward and strengthen their ties by engaging in constant dialogue, collaborating in mutually beneficial endeavors, and harnessing their collective strengths to foster goodwill, cooperation, and trust among their respective peoples.

"With such shared aspirations for a more harmonious and more interconnected community of nations, let us build the future that we will be proud to bequeath to succeeding generations," he said.

During the event, Marcos witnessed the simultaneous flag raising of Australia, Japan, United Kingdom, and the United States of America and led the wreath-laying ceremony at the MacArthur Shrine.

Dubbed "Peace Eternal: Lessons Learned from the Vestiges of World War II" this year’s Leyte Gulf Landings commemoration conferred awards to the surviving war veterans numbering to 33 in Eastern Visayas, 17 of whom reside in Leyte Province, according to the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO).