Today, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all Filipinos on the joyous occasion of the 125th Independence Day.

With the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency three years after the outbreak of the virus, there has been a marked and rapid increase in the number of people wanting to make up for time and experiences lost to the pandemic.

On this day, 125 years ago, the Philippines embarked on a new chapter in its illustrious history by proclaiming its independence from centuries of colonial rule.