MANILA, Philippines– In light of issues involving Philippine sovereignty, various groups will be staging a protest calling for “true freedom” on Independence Day, June 12.
Among the groups leading the mobilizations on Independence Day are Anakbayan Vito Cruz, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), the League of Filipino Students, and broad citizen’s movement Pilipinong Nagkakaisa para sa Soberanya (P1NAS).
Anakbayan Vito Cruz called on Filipinos to assert the independence of the country by being free from “foreign meddling and exploitation.”
The Philippines currently houses one of the United States’ forward bases for their Pacific Air Force. It’s also forged a strong partnership with China, having signed agreements with the country despite its intrusions in Philippine waters.
“We must all make a stand for our brothers and sisters trampled on by a system empowering foreign interest,” Anakbayan Vito Cruz said.
Here is a list of rallies that will take place on June 12, 2019:
#AtinAngPinas protest at Kalaw (8:30 am) and the Chinese Consulate in Makati (10:30 am)
The Metro Manila chapter of CEGP will take part in an #AtinAngPinas caravan protest from the US Embassy in Manila to the Chinese Consulate in Makati. They'll first gather at Kalaw at 8:30 am.
P1NAS will also be leading the #AtinAngPinas protest at the Chinese Consulate in Makati to call and fight for the Philippines’ freedom as it celebrates its Independence Day.
End Dependence Day Rally in Kalaw (9 am)
The Vito Cruz chapter of Anakbayan under De La Salle University, along with other progressive groups like the League of Filipino Students, will meet up in Kalaw at 9 am before marching to the US Embassy and the Makati Fire Station in the spirit of resisting US and China interventions in the Philippines.
END DEPENDENCE DAY
Resist US & China intervention in the Philippines! Struggle for national democracy and liberation! pic.twitter.com/8imXfMm0TF
#HindipendenceDay at Heritage Park in Cebu City (9 am)
The College Editors Guild of the Philippines Cebu will be holding an #HindipendenceDay protest from Heritage Park, Parian to Gaisano Metro Colon at 9 am.
– Rappler.com
Elijah Allen Macaspac is a Rappler intern and is pursuing a Journalism degree at the University of the Philippines Diliman.