An aton kalibrehan ngan soverenya gin amotan hin dugo, sanglit diri puede ipanhatag la! (The freedom and sovereignty of our people has blood and loss of precious lives as ingredients, it must never be given up, easily!). The main roads of Tacloban City, the Gomez, Burgos and Zamora Streets are stark reminders of the martyrs.
Way back February 17, 1872, Mariano Gómez, José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora—were executed by the Spanish colonial government. Their deaths, remembered under the name Gomburza, this became a turning point in our history. They were silenced for daring to demand justice and equality, but their martyrdom awakened a generation that would eventually fight for independence. Gomburza’s story is not just about the past; it is about the enduring struggle to defend what is ours.
The connection between Gomburza and Kalayaan is clear: both moments demand vigilance. Gomburza’s execution symbolized the abuse of power under colonial rule, while the Kalayaan issue symbolizes the pressures of modern geopolitics. In both cases, Filipinos are challenged to decide whether to remain passive or to stand firm.
Fast forward to today, and the Philippines faces another test of sovereignty in the Kalayaan Island Group. Recent pronouncements about possibly giving up claims or softening our stance on these territories raise troubling questions. The issue is not only about maritime boundaries or fishing rights—it is about national dignity. To surrender territory without resistance risks betraying the sacrifices of those who came before us, who believed that the Philippines must stand as a free and sovereign nation.
Today, as we look back into that fateful day when the martyr priests were strangle and chocked to death, there lies a painful reality, we seem to forget the suffocating reality of colonialism as we are seeing a clear move to change the narrative into the final end goal of giving up the Kalayaan Island Group because one Senator is so confused, he is willing to give up an Island Group and a Municipality, with set of officials and people which are Filipinos.
Patriotism today must be more than ceremonial. It must be active vigilance—questioning policies that compromise sovereignty, educating ourselves about our rights under international law, and holding leaders accountable. It means defending our territory not through aggression, but through unity and resolve.
The Kalayaan Island Group is more than a cluster of rocks in the sea. It is a symbol of our national will, a test of whether we remain worthy heirs of Gomburza’s sacrifice. Their martyrdom reminds us that freedom is fragile, and vigilance is the price we must pay to keep it.
An aton kalibrehan ngan soverenya gin amotan hin dugo, sanglit diri puede ipanhatag la!
