The country's largest network, ABS-CBN, commemorated on Sunday the country's 113th Independence Day through a flag raising ceremony and recital of Patriotic Oath (Panatang Makabayan).The ceremony dubbed as "Bayan ng Bayani" was simultaneously held at the Kapamilya network's headquarters in Manila, as well as at regional network offices in Dagupan, Cebu, and Davao, and news bureaus abroad such as those in North America, Europe, and Middle East, and in Japan.
The ceremony in Manila, attended by the station’s executives and employees, was led by ABS-CBN president Charo Santos-Concio and ABS-CBN chairman and chief executive officer Eugenio Lopez III.
"Mga Kapamilya, maraming salamat sa inyong pakikiisa sa araw na ito. Ang Araw ng Kalayaan ay araw din ng kabayanahin ng kabataan. Si Jose Rizal, Emilio Jacinto, Gregorio del Pilar at Emilio Aguinaldo ay mga kabataan nang baguhin nila ang ating kasaysayan," Lopez said.
"Kami sa ABS-CBN ay nagtitiwala na may igaganda pa ang kasaysayan ng Pilipino. Iyan ay dahil sa ipinapakita ng maraming kabataan ngayon tulad ng patrollers ng Bayan Mo I-Patrol Mo o tulad ni AJ Perez na siyang unang ambassador ng Larunungan. Anuman ang paraan ng ating pagtulong sa ating bayan, huwag nating mamaliitin dahil sa isa-isang pag-ahon, buong bayan ang babangon," he added.
The Azkals football team also graced this year's ceremonies in Manila.
Stars Venus Raj, Iya Villania, Randy Santiago, Sam Concepcion, Melisa "Melai" Cantiveros, Pokwang, Matteo Guidicelli and Toni Gonzaga also participated in the event.
The flag raising ceremony also marked the 150th birth anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal and the 25th anniversary of the country's leading AM station, DZMM.
Singing champions Erik Santos and Angeline Quinto, accompanied by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the UP Concert Chorus, sang the 25th anniversary anthem of DZMM.
It also launched the new ABS-CBN Lupang Hinirang video. Produced by Star Cinema, the video will be shown in selected theaters.
On Friday ABS-CBN also launched the educational campaign dubbed as "Larunungan" [http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/06/10/11/aj-perez-abs-cbns-larunungan-envoy].
The campaign aims to collect 1.9 million toys to be given to 1.9 kindergarten kids from 38,000 schools and day care centers nationwide.
The campaign is a joint project of ABS-CBN Integrated Public Service headed by Fr. Tito Caluag and the Department of Education.
Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
