Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday warned that corruption, abuse of power, and weak governance threaten the freedom and sovereignty Filipinos gained through generations of sacrifice, during her speech marking the 128th Philippine Independence Day.
Speaking before supporters in Davao City, Duterte said corruption is not limited to the theft of public funds but extends to the loss of opportunity, dignity, and hope.
“Ang korapsyon ay hindi lamang pagnanakaw ng pera. It steals opportunity, it steals dignity, and it steals hope. And ultimately, it steals freedom itself,” she said.
She emphasized that freedom was not simply given to Filipinos but earned through struggle against colonial rule.
“Matapos ang mahigit at tatlong daang taon ng pananakop. But freedom was never a gift. It was paid for and earned through courage. It was paid with Filipino grit and bravery,” Duterte said.
“Pinili nila ang paglaban kaysa pagsuko, ang dangal kaysa pagpapasakop. This is our inheritance,” she added.
Duterte also said threats to sovereignty do not only come from foreign powers, but can also come from within government when public service is treated as private enterprise.
“We fought for our sovereignty against foreign invaders. But sovereignty is not lost only to those who come from foreign shores. Nawawala rin ito sa tuwing ang serbisyo publiko ay nagiging pribadong negosyo. Kung ang mga opisyal ng gobyerno ay mala-sindikato sa pagnanakaw ng pera ng bayan,” she said.
“Every Peso stolen from the people's treasury steals a child's freedom from hunger. It steals a student's freedom from illiteracy or substandard education. It steals a patient's freedom to obtain quality healthcare. It steals a worker's freedom to earn a decent living,” she said.
Duterte also cited “ghost projects” and corruption in public contracts as causes of lost development opportunities, saying they translate into missing schools, roads, and essential infrastructure.
“Every ghost project is a classroom never built. Every corrupt contract is a road that was never built for farmers to bring their produce to the market,” she said.
The Vice President stressed that freedom and sovereignty must be continuously defended by the people.
“Sovereignty survives only when a people refuse to surrender it. Hope survives when citizens refuse to accept bad governance as their destiny,” she said.
She urged Filipinos to act collectively in demanding accountability and good governance.
“Hope survives when citizens act together, have their voices heard, demand what our heroes fought so gallantly for, the rights of every Filipino to a dignified human life,” Duterte said.
“Hope survives when our people believe they have a better future,” she added.
Concluding her speech, she called on Filipinos to uphold truth, accountability, and national unity.
“Piliin natin ulit ang paglaban kaysa pagsuko, ang dangal kaysa sa pagpapasakop. Piliin natin ang katotohanan. Piliin natin ang pananagutan. At higit sa lahat, piliin natin ang pag-asa,” she said.
She also urged citizens to resist forces that attempt to control the country’s future.
“Tumindig at makibaka tayo sa mga pwersang susubok na pangunahan ang ating kapalaran. Kasama ang pag-asa na galing sa hindi masupil na kapangyarihan mula sa puso ng bawat Pilipino,” she said.
