Embassy of the United States in Manila

U.S. AMBASSADOR FRANCIS RICCIARDONE
REMARKS ON THE 60TH COMMEMORATION OF THE FLAG-RAISING AT CORREGIDOR

Madam President, Senator Gordon, Governor Maliksi, Secretary Durano, General Abu, my good friend Beth Day- Romulo, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, U.S. Army Band, General Perkins, Admiral Deutsch, colleagues of the diplomatic corps, Assistant Secretary Abadilla, friends, honored veterans in particular, magandang umaga sa inyong lahat. Thank you so much for joining us on this solemn occasion.

It’s a very special one, for today is the culmination of our celebrations, our commemorations of the valor, courage and sacrifice of our fathers and grandfathers, and mothers and grandmothers, in the epic events of World War II. I thank you, Madam President, for appointing such capable people as Senator Gordon and Secretary Romulo to head your World War II Commemorative Committee that has worked with such partnership with my colleagues in the American Embassy in marking this solemn occasion which we must never, ever forget.

Today is particularly important. We began marking the 60 th anniversary events last October with the President who was kind enough to join us in Leyte marking MacArthur’s initial return to the Philippines. What today is of particular significance for -- when Corregidor was finally liberated, we can say that Manila itself was finally free of foreign occupation and the Philippines was well on its way to becoming totally liberated. So our next big commemorations won’t be until September, when we celebrate the surrender of foreign forces on Philippines soil. But this is a culminating point. This is where we saw such heroism and such sacrifice after a month of the most brutal battles for the liberation of Manila. This marked the month where the Philippines which had suffered so much in over three years suffered the very most in that month of February of 1945. We then have a great debt to all those who lost their lives, all the Allied forces, all the Filipino people, all the Filipino guerillas, the American soldiers of course, who gave so much. So we’re here to commemorate that, to thank them, to pray for the repose of their souls – but also for something else. And that is to re-dedicate ourselves to paying that same price that they paid, to upholding ever and always the cause of freedom and democracy. And we do that through alliances—that was one of the greatest stories of World War II. The fact that the allies, the countries that stood together for democracy and freedom could not be shaken in the face of the most cruel and vicious and horrible aggression.

So today, we work on strengthening our alliances. We welcome to our alliance today new democracies including some of those who were our adversaries in World War II—in fact all of those who were our adversaries in World War II. Ambassador Yamasaki, thank you also for joining us – particularly today.

How do we do this? How do we pay it forward, to re-pay that debt and re-consecrate ourselves? We do it through mundane ways that the Philippines is doing so successfully, in my country, and all our allies are doing it. We hold free and fair elections so that they are no longer very remarkable. We just count on them taking place and yielding results and yielding new governments, refreshing tired governments, without much remarking on all of that.

We educate our children, we do business, we try to remove the barriers of trade. We try always and in all places to keep our governments responsive to our peoples by keeping them clean and going after those who sully our governments and steal from our peoples. We do it by passing budgets. I’d like to congratulate the government of the Philippines--President Arroyo and her administration, the Senate and the House for working through a difficult democratic process and debating all the issues in deciding how best to uphold the interests of the country. Congratulations to the Philippines for something that might not be remarkable in the Philippines or in my country – but we hope that countries like Iraq and Afghanistan one day will do just as the Philippines, and the United States and Japan and all our other allies are doing today.

Today as sixty years ago, the United States stands as a committed partner to the Philippines in the cause of freedom. Whether in combatting terrorism and narco-trafficking and trafficking in people, corruption; or pressing forward the Philippines Defense Reform or to reviving a great American-Filipino legacy and tradition of quality education for all of our young people.

Behind us is a small sculpture, the eternal flame, in honor of our veterans here today and those who have gone before. And that sculpture is floodlit by solar power through the invaluable support of the Department of Energy in the Philippines and Sun Power Philippines which is also a U.S. company. This partnership, these such partnerships, brokered by Filipino-American Memorial Endowment, immortalizes the sacrifices of Corregidor and it epitomizes all we can do together. Our partnership at present runs deep, is based on common values, shared institutions, of love of freedom and of the blood that we have shed together. As we honor our heroes, let us renew our commitment to keep faith in their ideals and to pass on to our children their legacy of freedom undiminished and always stronger.

Maraming salamat at Mabuhay!

* * * * *


U.S. AMBASSADOR FRANCIS RICCIARDONE REMARKS ON THE 60TH COMMEMORATION OF THE FLAG-RAISING AT CORREGIDOR Madam President, Senator Gordon, Governor Maliksi, Secretary Durano, General Abu, my good friend Beth Day- Romulo, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, U.S. Army Band, General Perkins, Admiral Deutsch, colleagues of the diplomatic corps, Assistant Secretary Abadilla, friends, honored veterans in particular, magandang umaga sa inyong lahat. Thank you so much for joining us on this solemn occasion. It’s a very special one, for today is the culmination of our celebrations, our commemorations of the valor, courage and sacrifice of our fathers and grandfathers, and mothers and grandmothers, in the epic events of World War II. I thank you, Madam President, for appointing such capable people as Senator Gordon and Secretary Romulo to head your World War II Commemorative Committee that has worked with such partnership with my colleagues in the American Embassy in marking this solemn occasion which we must never, ever forget. Today is particularly important. We began marking the 60 th anniversary events last October with the President who was kind enough to join us in Leyte marking MacArthur’s initial return to the Philippines. What today is of particular significance for -- when Corregidor was finally liberated, we can say that Manila itself was finally free of foreign occupation and the Philippines was well on its way to becoming totally liberated. So our next big commemorations won’t be until September, when we celebrate the surrender of foreign forces on Philippines soil. But this is a culminating point. This is where we saw such heroism and such sacrifice after a month of the most brutal battles for the liberation of Manila. This marked the month where the Philippines which had suffered so much in over three years suffered the very most in that month of February of 1945. We then have a great debt to all those who lost their lives, all the Allied forces, all the Filipino people, all the Filipino guerillas, the American soldiers of course, who gave so much. So we’re here to commemorate that, to thank them, to pray for the repose of their souls – but also for something else. And that is to re-dedicate ourselves to paying that same price that they paid, to upholding ever and always the cause of freedom and democracy. And we do that through alliances—that was one of the greatest stories of World War II. The fact that the allies, the countries that stood together for democracy and freedom could not be shaken in the face of the most cruel and vicious and horrible aggression. So today, we work on strengthening our alliances. We welcome to our alliance today new democracies including some of those who were our adversaries in World War II—in fact all of those who were our adversaries in World War II. Ambassador Yamasaki, thank you also for joining us – particularly today. How do we do this? How do we pay it forward, to re-pay that debt and re-consecrate ourselves? We do it through mundane ways that the Philippines is doing so successfully, in my country, and all our allies are doing it. We hold free and fair elections so that they are no longer very remarkable. We just count on them taking place and yielding results and yielding new governments, refreshing tired governments, without much remarking on all of that. We educate our children, we do business, we try to remove the barriers of trade. We try always and in all places to keep our governments responsive to our peoples by keeping them clean and going after those who sully our governments and steal from our peoples. We do it by passing budgets. I’d like to congratulate the government of the Philippines--President Arroyo and her administration, the Senate and the House for working through a difficult democratic process and debating all the issues in deciding how best to uphold the interests of the country. Congratulations to the Philippines for something that might not be remarkable in the Philippines or in my country – but we hope that countries like Iraq and Afghanistan one day will do just as the Philippines, and the United States and Japan and all our other allies are doing today. Today as sixty years ago, the United States stands as a committed partner to the Philippines in the cause of freedom. Whether in combatting terrorism and narco-trafficking and trafficking in people, corruption; or pressing forward the Philippines Defense Reform or to reviving a great American-Filipino legacy and tradition of quality education for all of our young people. Behind us is a small sculpture, the eternal flame, in honor of our veterans here today and those who have gone before. And that sculpture is floodlit by solar power through the invaluable support of the Department of Energy in the Philippines and Sun Power Philippines which is also a U.S. company. This partnership, these such partnerships, brokered by Filipino-American Memorial Endowment, immortalizes the sacrifices of Corregidor and it epitomizes all we can do together. Our partnership at present runs deep, is based on common values, shared institutions, of love of freedom and of the blood that we have shed together. As we honor our heroes, let us renew our commitment to keep faith in their ideals and to pass on to our children their legacy of freedom undiminished and always stronger. Maraming salamat at Mabuhay! * * * * *
	Last Update :: 01/05/2007
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