ALAPAN, IMUS, CAVITE – Ayala Foundation President Ruel T. Maranan was guest of honor at the recently held National Flag Day Celebration, last May 28 at the Alapan Heritage Park, Imus, Cavite.
The event, headed by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the City Government of Imus Cavite, is an annual celebration of the 121st anniversary of battle of Alapan. Alapan is also where the Philippine flag was first raised and unfurled.
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chose Maranan as guest of honor, in recognition of Ayala Foundation’s efforts to promote nationalism and love of country through its #MagingMagiting Flag Campaign. This campaign hopes to distribute 10,000 flags nationwide by 2019 and has distributed almost 5,000 flags as of May 2019.
During the program, NHCP also awarded Ayala Foundation, Inc a Certificate of Appreciation, as their partner in “implementation and dissemination of Republic Act 8491: The Flag and Heraldic Code, to different public schools in the Philippines through the #MagingMagiting Flag Campaign advocacy.”
In his keynote speech, Maranan said the call to nationalism is more needed now than ever. “Iyan ang iyong kakayahan at tungkulin. Gugulin ang tikas, talino at panahon para sa kasalukuyan. Kumilos ka bilang isang bayan. ([Love of country] is something you can and should do. Your determination and strength should come from knowing that we can all do our part to contribute to our nation’s progress”).
A flag raising and wreath laying ceremony was also done and led by Maranan, who was joined by Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin Remulla, NHCP Acticng Executive Director Ludovico D. Badoy, Cavite NHCP Acting Executive Director Ludovico D. Badoy, Cavite 2nd District Representative Alex Advincula, Imus Mayor Emmanuel L. Maliksi, Vice Mayor Arnel M. Cantimbuhan, and grandson of Emilio Aguinaldo, Cesar EA Virata.
Maranan is the first guest of honor of the annual May 28 National Flag Day celebration who came from a private organization.
The National Flag Day starts the Kalayaan 2019 celebration, which will run from May 28, 2019 until June 12, 2019, the celebration of the Philippine Independence Day.