Legarda Leads 120th Independence Day Celebration in San Juan

SAN JUAN, June 13 (PIA)–Senator Loren B. Legarda led the 120th Independence Day celebration in San Juan City as guest of honor and speaker.

Legarda, along with Mayor Guia Gomez and other city officials led the flag raising and wreath- laying ceremonies at the historic Pinaglabanan Shrine.

In her keynote address, the lady senator strongly advocated for support to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“Freedom from poverty can also be achieved by providing Filipino people with jobs and self-employment thru MSMEs,” Legardda said.

She said, MSMEs can provide both financial and technical assistance to the grassroots community in the urban and rural areas.

Legarda also challenged national and local leaders to simplify the processes to be able to reach out and help more people in need but in accordance with the existing rules and regulations.

As environmental champion, Legarda also pointed the importance of freedom from disaster.

“While we recognize the fact that we can’t change nor fight disasters, adaptability can be attained,” Legarda said.

She called on national and local leaders to institutionalize waste segregation, recycling and composting.

Legarda said that if every local government units would take care of its own environment then every Filipino people will be free from diseases, ill-effects of environment and subsequently achieve freedom from disasters.

Legarda pushed for the enactment of laws on environmental governance like the Clean Air Act, the Solid Waste Management Act, the Climate Change Act and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act. (PIA-NCR)