Senators on Sunday expressed their desire to unite the country and uplift the lives of Filipinos as the country commemorates its 124th Independence Day.

Neophyte Senator Robin Padilla celebrated Independence Day at the Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay City where he led the flag-raising ceremony.

He said Filipinos should discard divisiveness and face the country’s problems as one.

“Sa mga oras na ‘to, tayong mga Pilipino ay hiwa-hiwalay. Tayo po ay pinaghihiwalay ng politika na napakapangit, napakasagwa tingnan sapagkat hindi naman tayo nanalo laban sa mga mananakop dahil tayo’y nag-away-away. Tayo’y nanalo dahil tayo ay nagka-isa (We, Filipinos, are somewhat divided. We are separated by politics which is an awful situation. We didn’t win against the colonizers after fighting each other. We won because we were united),” Padilla said in his speech.

Returning Senator Francis Escudero encouraged Filipinos to be deserving of the freedom that heroes fought for.

“Tayo ay nahaharap pa rin sa napakaraming pagsubok. Hindi pa natatapos ang Covid-19 pandemic at marami pang dapat gawin upang magbalik-sigla ang ekonomiya. Mapagtatagumpayan lamang natin ang mga hamong ito kung tayo ay magkaka-isa bilang isang bayan (We are still faced with many challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic is not yet over and there are so many things left to do to bring back a stable economy. We will only succeed against these challenges if we will unite as one country),” Escudero said in a statement.

Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel hopes every Filipino will continue valuing and safeguarding independence.

“As we remember today all those who fought for, suffered, and sacrificed, some even their lives, for the independence, freedoms, and liberties we enjoy today, let us also aspire to be free from poverty, injustice, abuse, inequality, lawlessness, health, and economic crises. May we, in solidarity, all work for these so that we may achieve these within our children’s lifetime,” Pimentel posted on social media.

In another social media post, Senator Grace Poe said the freedom fought for, should be remembered and treasured as a united country while Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said in a statement said that they will work to free Filipinos from poverty, hunger, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Filipinos have always found a middle ground to collaborate in good faith which, Senator Risa Hontiveros said, is the true spirit of nation-building under a democracy.

“As we embark on a new administration, such is the task before us, once again: to the plough and build the Philippines we, the Filipino people, deserve. A country full of promise and possibility, a country proud of her rich heritage and history, a country deeply loved by her people,” she said in a statement. (PNA)