Independence Day Message of ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman

Today we celebrate the 118th year of our country's independence.

We are blessed to live in a time when we can speak freely about our hopes and aspirations as Filipinos, a time when we can elect our government officials in accordance with our beliefs, and a time when we can assert our rights and dignity as a people.

But this freedom did not come without a price. Many Filipinos fought and died for this.

This week, we also commemorate the Battle of Bud Bagsak, the battle that showed the Bangsamoro spirit of courage and bravery in the face of colonizers who dared to try and take away our life and liberty.

Our birthright to our identity as Bangsamoros is one that we continue to assert in the face of marginalization and the oppression of our people.

It is our hope that in a country that takes pride in being the oldest democracy in Southeast Asia, we can continously share in the lives of our fellow Filipinos without judgment and fear.

This is why today, more than any other day, is a day for us to remember the cost of our freedom.

Let us stand together as a free nation and protect and fight for this freedom against those who wish to steal it from us, against those who desire to trample and desecrate the very essence of our independence.

It is our duty to honor the memory of those who lost their lives fighting for the freedom we have today. (Bureau of Public Information – ARMM)