United States of America 232nd Independence Day

THE Declaration of Independence of the 13 United States of America on July 4, 1776, set forth the principles and doctrines that came to influence other national independence struggles in the subsequent centuries. The 1776 Declaration set forth evident truths that have been embraced by peoples of other nations – that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, especially the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that it is the duty of government to protect these rights, and that, failing to do so, it is the right of the people to seek an abolition of such government. The Declaration spurred many other movements worldwide to bring an end to colonization and other forms of government that had become unaccountable, repressive, and abusive.

The American experience has had a profound influence in our own nation. Filipino reformists of the late 19th century and those who continue to advocate appropriate political reforms at present are continually guided by the self-evident truths enumerated in the American Declaration of Independence. Our Constitutions, both past and present, also enshrine the limits of the power of the State and recognize the right of the people to seek redress for their grievances, if and when the state or government fails.

Given these shared experiences and the inspiration that the American Revolution and subsequent declaration of independence had on our and many other nations, we join the peoples and the government of the United States in their traditional celebration of their 232nd Independence Day.

We congratulate the people and government of the United States of America headed by H.E., President George W. Bush, and its Embassy in the Philippines led by H.E., Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, on the occasion of their 232nd Anniversary of their Independence and wish them success in all their endeavors.