The work of the legislative department must continue amid the challenges and problems facing the nation, the two top leaders of Congress said on Friday, June 12.

The plenary hall of the House of Representatives (Dexter Barro II/MANILA BULLETIN)

Acting Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian emphasized this in a statement as the country celebrates its 128th Independence Day.

“The Senate joins the entire country in honoring the courage, sacrifices, and heroism of our ancestors who fought tirelessly to break the chains of foreign oppression,” Gatchalian said.

“Today, amid the noise of politics and the challenges that test our institutions, the true spirit of independence calls on us to rise above division and remain anchored on what truly matters: service to the Filipino people. The work of the legislature must continue,” he stressed.

Despite being embroiled in a leadership struggle with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Gatchalian assured that the Senate will continue its legislative mandate.

Gatchalian said he believes that the Philippines will not be fully free if millions of countrymen remain hindered by poverty.

“To fully enjoy freedom, the Senate will work harder to advance meaningful laws that will free our countrymen from poverty through quality education, proper healthcare, and dignified economic opportunities,” he said.

House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III echoed Gatchalian’s call saying “freedom must create opportunities and improve lives as the promise of independence remains incomplete if its benefits are not felt by all.”

Dy said it is necessary for Filipinos to ensure that freedom serves as a foundation for shared progress and nation-building.

“Freedom must always go hand in hand with progress. Hindi sapat na tayo ay malaya kung marami pa rin ang hindi nabibigyan ng pagkakataon na maging bahagi ng pag-unlad (It is not enough that we are free if many are still not given the opportunity to be part of development),” the Speaker from Isabela said also on Friday.

Dy stressed that freedom is not only about remembering the nation’s struggle for self-rule, but also about working together to build a stronger and more inclusive society.

The Speaker said independence becomes more meaningful when it expands opportunities for families to build a better future.

“Ngunit ang tunay na diwa ng kalayaan ay hindi lamang ang paglaya mula sa pananakop. Ito rin ay ang kakayahan nating magtulungan upang bumuo ng isang mas maunlad, mas makatarungan, at mas matatag na bansa (But the true spirit of freedom is not just freedom from occupation. It is also our ability to work together to build a more prosperous, more just, and more stable nation),” he said.

“Ang kalayaan ay may mas malalim na kahulugan kapag ito ay nagbubukas ng oportunidad para sa bawat Pilipino na magkaroon ng disenteng trabaho, dekalidad na edukasyon, at mas magandang kinabukasan para sa kanilang pamilya (Freedom has a deeper meaning when it opens up opportunities for every Filipino to have decent jobs, quality education, and a better future for their families),” Dy added.

Dy also urged the present generation to ensure that the fruits of freedom are felt in every home and community. He also urged the public to use freedom in the service of the nation and common good.

“Sa araw na ito, muli nating pagtibayin ang ating pagmamahal sa bayan at ang ating paninindigan na gamitin ang ating kalayaan hindi lamang para sa ating sarili, kundi para sa kapakanan ng buong sambayanan (On this day, let us reaffirm our love for our country and our determination to use our freedom not only for ourselves, but for the welfare of the entire people),” Dy stressed.

“As we honor the heroes who fought for our freedom, let us also commit ourselves to building a stronger, more prosperous, and more united Philippines,” the House leader further said.

For Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, celebrating Independence Day is making sure that freedom is not just a memory of the past “but a daily duty that deserves to be cherished.

“By serving faithfully, by making decisions for the good of the nation, and by standing up for what is right, we show that the freedom our ancestors fought for is alive and well,” Escudero said in a statement.

“And as we commemorate the 128th Independence Day, it is a reminder that patriotism is not just a celebration. Rather, it is a responsibility that we must live out and continue to fight for for generations to come,” the senator also said.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros also said that this year’s Independence Day celebration should not only be about remembering the courage of the Filipinos’ ancestors, but also the courage of every family who continues to fight today.

“Freedom is not complete if millions of families lack food, decent income, and medical services. Our freedom is not complete if farmers, fisherfolk, workers, youth, and disaster victims are left behind. Therefore, freedom must be felt in every home and community,” Hontiveros said.

“Every Filipino has the right to a government that listens, is reliable, acts quickly, and does not forget those who are most in need,” she said.

In the Senate, Hontiveros vowed she will continue to fight for health, livelihood, and accountability for every peso of the people's money.

“We will revisit the pending bills, and the solutions that the people need in this time of crisis,” she said.

Sen. Loren Legarda, for her part, said that the Senate, as a co-equal branch of government, should be one of the primary guardians of this constitutional promise of freedom.

“The Senate must remain an august chamber where issues are taken without fear, facts are pursued without hesitation, and decisions are made with the highest regard for the public good,” Legarda said.

“No fear, no pressure, and no interest should be greater than our obligation to the Constitution and to our people because the moment we allow intimidation, convenience, or personal gain to dictate our work, we diminish the very freedom we claim to celebrate,” she stressed.

“Today we celebrate Independence Day with tired bodies but full of hope in our hearts. Tired because our chosen land, continues to be shaken by calamity. Our pearl of the east, continues to be harassed by foreign ships and corrupt public servants,” Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said.

“But my people are kind, hopeful, singing, and still striving. Our freedom, paid for with the blood of our ancestors who died because of you — because of us who are their future. Now, we pay for it with sweat and taxes,” he said.