PNoy LEADS SIMPLE INDEPENDENCE DAY RITES AT
BARASOAIN CHURCH
[PHOTO -Performers
pose in front of a Philippine flag made of 'banig,' or handwoven mat, unveiled
during Makati City's Independence Day celebration at the Ayala Triangle gardens
Friday night. VAL RODRIGUEZ]
MALOLOS CITY, JUNE 11, 2012 (PHILSTAR) By Dino Balabo – A simple and
solemn celebration of the 114th Independence Day at the historic Barasoain
church here on Tuesday will be led by President Aquino.
He will be accompanied by members of the Cabinet, the diplomatic corps and
candidates of the 2012 Miss World Philippines.
The celebration will also be marked with social services from national and
local government.
"It will be very simple, solemn but dignified," said Maris Diokno, chair of
the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
In a press conference held here on Friday, Diokno said that right after the
arrival honors for the President at 8 a.m., an ecumenical prayer will be led by
leaders from the Jesus Is Lord Church, Iglesia ni Cristo, United Methodist
Church, the Muslim community, and the Catholic Church.
She said that Aquino is expected to a deliver a message focusing on the theme
"Kalayaan: Pananagutan ng Bayan para sa Tuwid na Daan."
But some officials said that the President might also include gains of his
recent visits to the United Kingdom and the United States.
After his message, Dikono said the President will rush back to Malacanang for
the traditional vin d' honneur, a cocktail reception for the members of the
diplomatic corps.
Traditionally, Diokno said the President leads the celebration of
Independence Day at the Luneta, while the Vice President goes to Kawit, Cavite
and the Senate President or the Speaker of the House in Barasoian.
However, this has changed since former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led
the same celebration in Cebu years ago, while President Aquino went to Cavite
last year.
Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado said the Independence Day celebration at Barasoain
is like a homecoming for the President.
"It's about time, and it's a homecoming for the President," Alvarado said,
noting that Aquino's ancestors started in Malolos City before moving to Tarlac
in the late 1800s.
He also said that the President's family still maintains an ancestral house
just a few meters away from the Barasoain Church.
According to Alvarado, the celebration on Tuesday would be a big boost to the
province's tourism, an opportunity to showcase the province's colorful history.
Alvarado noted that without the Malolos Congress that convened at Barasoain
Church on Sept. 15, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo's Independence Day
celebration at Kawit, Cavite would be meaningless.
"The Malolos Congress also gave birth to our first Constitution and the first
democratic republic in Asia and Africa," he said.
Aside from the morning ceremonies, the provincial and national governments
have also prepared a medical, dental mission and a job fair at the churchyard of
Barasoain.
Jocelyn Gomez, head of the Provincial Public Health Office, said over 200
medical staff from different hospitals in Bulacan and nearby provinces will
facilitate the medical and dental mission for over 1,000 patients.
Leilanie Reynoso, the provincial director of the Department of Labor and
Employment, said 25 local companies have confirmed to offer more than 2,000
employment opportunities at the job fair.
Companies offering overseas employment will also join the job fair, Reynoso
said.
Meanwhile, the Bulacan police will be on full alert status starting Monday in
preparation for the 114th Independence Day celebration on Tuesday.
Bulacan Provincial Police Office deputy provincial director for operations
Supt. Adriano Enong said about 1,000 police officers and soldiers of the Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will be deployed in the city, while 450 police
officers will be deployed for traffic and crowd control.
"We will deploy police in every corner for security and traffic directions,"
Enong said in Filipino.
At least 150 members of the AFP Headquarters Batallion will secure President
Aquino's arrival along with 200 members of the Presidential Security Group.
Enong said 100 soldiers from the Army's 56th Infantry Battalion would be
deployed in key areas to secure the church's outer perimeter.
He also said that fire trucks and ambulances will be on standby near
Barasoain Church and other strategic areas and it will be managed by the
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.
Enong also announced that on Tuesday, starting at 6 a.m., the stretch of
MacArthur Highway from Tabang in Guiguinto town to Calumpit town would be closed
to heavy vehicles except for buses.
Paseo del Congreso, the main road that leads to Barasoain Church from the
MacArthur Highway, will also be closed for all vehicles from 6 a.m. to about 10
a.m. on Tuesday.
Enong advised drivers of heavy vehicles like cargo trucks to make a detour on
the North Luzon Expressway to avoid the MacArthur Highway on Tuesday morning.
He explained that prohibition of cargo trucks was meant to decongest traffic
at the Malolos intersection because the Malolos flyover is still under repair
and closed to large vehicles.
The flyover was closed to all vehicles last May 19 but was opened to light
vehicles last week.
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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