PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the simple commemoration of the 111th death anniversary of national hero Jose Rizal in San Fernando City, La Union.
The President did not give any statement or speech for the occasion as she led a flag-raising ceremony before local officials led by Gov. Manuel Ortega and city Mayor Pablo Ortega.
Mrs. Arroyo, clad in an aquamarine pant suit, was welcomed by a company of Philippine Military Academy cadets and was escorted by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon and PMA superintendent Maj. Gen. Leopoldo Maligalig, After the flag-raising ceremony, Ms Arroyo, laid a wreath at the foot of the Rizal monument in front of the City Hall here.
The province’s top official government regional directors and city and provincial employees joined for the flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies at the city’s plaza here.
The President did not deliver any speech and just kept on waving to the crowd and greeting back “Happy New Year” to those who greeted her.
Mayor Ortega said nobody knew why Ms Arroyo decided to attend the Rizal Day celebration here.” I asked the President’s staff why she chose San Fernando. They said she just decided that she wanted to do the wreath laying and flag raising here,”.
Asked of the President’s message for the occasion, Governor Ortega said Mrs. Arroyo wanted Filipinos to emulate Rizal’s good deeds “so that our nation will move forward towards peace and progress.”
On the other hand, Mayor Ortega said the event was very historic for La Union and this city because “This is the first time that the President made the flag raising and wreath laying on the monument of (Dr. Jose) Rizal outside Metro Manila and Baguio,”.
Despite the short notice, Mayor Ortega said they were happy that the celebration was held here. “We had to work 48 hours to beautify our plaza and painted the Rizal monument and surroundings,” Mayor Ortega said.
After the ceremony, Ms Arroyo went to the La Union provincial capitol to have breakfast with local officials “She did not promise anything but she said she wanted that our international airport here will be completed,” said Mayor Ortega. |
