Marcos OKs creation of body for 125th PH independence

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. approved the creation of an inter-agency committee for the commemoration of the 125th anniversary of Philippine independence and nationhood.

Under Administrative Order No. 8, Marcos said a committee should be created to “facilitate the planning and execution of programs and projects” for the commemoration of the 125th Philippine independence anniversary.

The order noted that the Philippines would commemorate the 125th anniversary of Philippine independence from 2023 to 2026 to “give focus on the freedom that our forebearers struggled for towards that they dreamed for the country and the history that we seek to remember and honor them with.”

The said committee will be chaired by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) while the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will serve as vice-chair.

Republic Act No. 10086 or the “Strengthening Peoples’ Nationalism Through Philippine History Act” provides that the state shall provide the means to "strengthen people's nationalism, love of country, respect for its heroes and pride for the people's accomplishments by reinforcing the importance of Philippine national and local history in daily life with the end in view of raising social consciousness.”

It is further ordered to "reinvigorate government support for historical research; and sustaining and enhancing programs for the protection, preservation and conservation of historical relics and memorabilia, monuments, sites and other historical resources.”—LDF, GMA Integrated News