HAKBANG NG MAISUG, USA & SDS NY Official Independence Day Message

127th Anniversary of Philippine Independence Theme: Embrace and Preserve Our Culture and Empower the Future

Today, in the vibrant streets of New York City, we—Hakbang ng Maisug, USA and Sara Duterte Supporters New York (SDS NY)—march shoulder to shoulder with our beloved Overseas Filipino Workers, teachers, professionals, health care workers, nurses, lawyers, and service sector heroes. As one Filipino community in the diaspora, we rise not only in festive celebration, but also in solemn commitment to the soul of our freedom and the integrity of our nation.

We celebrate this Independence Day not as a ritual of memory, but as a living movement. A movement to preserve our culture, empower our future, and protect the sacred pillars of our democracy—transparency, accountability, peace, security, and sovereignty.

Today, we raise our voices not just in song, but in peaceful protest against a grave historical and legal injustice—the unlawful surrender of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD) by our own government to the International Criminal Court (ICC), a tribunal that holds no legitimate jurisdiction over a sovereign republic with a fully functioning judiciary. This act is a direct violation of our Constitution and international legal principles, and a betrayal of the Filipino people's sovereign will.

President Duterte must be brought home.

Let this day be remembered as the moment we raised the Clarion Call:

“BRING PRRD HOME. SEND HIM HOME. BRING HIM HOME.”

This is not a cry of division—it is a call for justice, reconciliation, and the rule of law. As President Duterte himself declared, “Ang tunay na hustisya ay ang panagutin ang sinuman sa ilalim ng batas ng Pilipinas—hindi ng dayuhang hukuman.” ("True justice is to hold anyone accountable under the laws of the Philippines—not of a foreign court.")

As we march in our adopted land, let us also celebrate the enduring friendship between the Philippines and the United States. Let this parade be a fusion of cultures—our Bayanihan spirit, our Christian faith, our Filipino family values, and our rich cuisine, even with a joyful splash of Zumba rhythms along the way.

Let us summon the spirits of our heroes—Andres Bonifacio, who said, “Aling pag-ibig pa ang hihigit kaya sa pagkadalisay at pagkadakila gaya ng pag-ibig sa tinubuang lupa?”

Let us honor Dr. Jose Rizal, who wrote, “There can be no tyrants where there are no slaves.”

And may we be inspired by the words of Apolinario Mabini, “A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.”

We will not lose our nation. We will not surrender our sovereignty.

As Filipinos abroad, we do not forget. We do not forsake. We carry the torch of our ancestors.

And so today, we march with joy in our hearts and truth in our steps—with placards, with flags, with faith.

Let history remember this generation of Filipinos—not for being silent, but for being steadfast.

HAKBANG NG MAISUG. HAKBANG NG KATOTOHANAN. HAKBANG NG BAYAN.

“For God, For Country, For the Filipino.”

New York Washington, D.C. June 1, 2025