Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, commanding general of the PH Army, leads the sunrise ceremony at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City to start off the celebration of the PH Veterans Week. 

MANILA — The Philippine Veterans Week on Friday commenced with ceremonies that recognized the efforts and sacrifices of heroes who fought for the country’s freedom.

Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, the commanding general of the Philippine Army, led the sunrise ceremony at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.

The sunrise ceremony, which began at 6 a.m., allowed veterans to honor their fallen comrades with flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

War veterans and their families, military and defense officials, and the youth participated in the activity.

In his message during the ceremony, Galido said this year’s celebration of the Veterans Week aimed to honor and remember our veterans “whose bravery and sacrifice gave us the privilege of living in a country where freedom and democracy are upheld and greatly valued.”

“This year’s theme, ‘Pagpaparangal sa Kagitingan ng mga Beterano: Saligan para sa Nagkakaisang Filipino’ truly encapsulates our forefathers, including our soldiers who risked and sacrificed their lives and have done more than enough in the name of patriotism that we are all enjoying today,” the Army chief said.

“It is up to us, the present generation, to make sure your sufferings will never be forgotten and put to waste. The burden of safeguarding this intangible treasures now falls on our shoulders,” he continued.

Department of National Defense Undersecretary for Civil, Veterans and Reserve Affairs Pablo Lorenzo, who represented Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., led the wreath-laying rites at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

War veteran leaders, institutions servicing veterans, organizations of men and women in World War II resistance movements, youth leaders, and the Taguig city government also offered wreaths to pay homage to Filipino soldiers who offered their lives for the country.

“Being a Boy Scout, we are being trained not only to become leaders for the youth and the next generation, but also to become a patriotic person. Dapat pinapahalagahan natin ang sarili nating bansa,”JP Laurent Caong of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines told reporters.

He went on, “Tayo ang magiging pag-asa ng bayan, and ito ang nakikita naming tulong bilang kabataan na maging isa sa mga boses ng kinabukasan natin.”

The Armed Forces of the Philippines also held a “Review in Honor of the Veterans” at the Army Grandstand in Fort Bonifacio.

The review is a time-honored tradition of the military, where men and women in the uniformed service show their respect to war veterans.

The program included a ceremonial inspection of troops and a pass-in-review, a practice wherein veterans stand in front of the stage to recognize the parading troops.

Medal of Valor awardee and former AFP chief retired general Cirilito Sobejana was the event’s guest of honor and speaker.

“To be standing here today in front of the distinguished veterans of our nation means that I am counted as one among the ranks of faithful protectors of our beloved motherland… We are not just veterans. We are proudly Filipino veterans,” Sobejana said in his speech.

“Tunay na hindi matatawaran ang naging kontribusyon ng mga Pilipinong beterano, hindi lamang sa Pilipinas, kundi sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng mundo. Our veterans have served from the time of the revolution to fight for our sovereignty and right of self-determination… We have all willingly given the best years of our lives to protect the people and secure the State, with many giving the ultimate sacrifice in the name of duty,” he added.

With the onset of technology and the barrage of disinformation, Sobejana called on his fellow veterans to “stand as beacon of knowledge and truth” to continue guiding the younger generation.

“While it is incumbent upon us to commemorate the heroism of the past, to continue recognizing the invaluable contribution of each person whoever person who volunteered to wear the military uniform, become arms and stand watch, we must also remember that as veterans, we are not merely relics of the past,” the former military chief said.

He went on, “Our moral obligation to stand for what is right did not stop after we hang our uniforms. We continue to stand up for the weak, fight the dangers that threaten the present and future generations of Filipinos, and rectify the mistakes made in the past.”

“Let the veterans teach a gallant example to stand the test of time. Let the wisdom we have gained throughout the years and our wealth of experience be the foundations by which the generations will build a stronger nation. We are still needed, whether you like it or not,” he further said.

Some veterans were awarded with plaques and medals in recognition of their service during World War II, with the oldest awardee now being 105 years old.

The veteran-awardees included Cecilia Paras, 91; Adela Santos, 97; Geronimo Decano, 97; Emerita Gutierrez, 97; Rolando Siquijor, 97; Ponciano Servan, 98; Victor Garcia, 99; Gaudencio Cuizon, 100; Arturo Coronel, 101; and Emilia Guerrero, 105.