VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte slammed the country’s current state during the 84th Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) commemoration on Thursday, April 9, asserting that the government has failed the soldiers.
Speaking at the commemoration at the Veterans Monument in Davao City, the Vice President described the national sovereignty and domestic stability as “eroded.”
“We remember those who stood their ground in the face of overwhelming odds, who chose duty over comfort, and who offered their lives so that future generations could inherit a nation worth living and fighting for,” Duterte said in her message.
“Sadly, the state of our nation today reveals how we failed the Filipino soldier,” she added.
Duterte argued that the nation has moved away from being “independent, self-reliant” as envisioned by the Constitution.
“Yet, in the absence of a coherent and truly independent foreign policy framework, our soldiers are often left navigating conflicts shaped by external pressures rather than national interests,” she said.
Filipino soldiers, she said, are being used as pawns in geopolitical struggles, noting this shift not only weakens national defense but also damages the morale of the Filipino people.
The Vice President further warned of a “creeping return of insurgency” in various parts of the country, which she linked to “deeper systemic failures, poverty, injustice, and unfulfilled promises”.
Duterte expressed alarm about the Bangsamoro peace process, which she characterized as “faltering”.
“Justice, trust, and sustained commitment are absent,” she said, stressing this leaves the soldiers and the youth to pay the price when the fragile foundations of peace break apart.
“We must demand accountability from our leaders. We must insist on policies that uphold our sovereignty, protect our constitution, and genuinely serve the Filipino people,” Duterte said.
She stressed that soldiers should not only be celebrated in ceremonies, but supported in reality, with clear direction and a government that stands firmly behind them.
“Let us honor soldiers and law enforcement who died in wars past, and those as recent as last week, not only with words, but with the courage to correct what is wrong, to speak the painful truth, and to rebuild a nation worthy of sacrifice,” the vice president said.
The vice president led the wreath-laying at the Veterans Memorial Monument, along with MGen Alvin V. Luzon, commander of the 10th Infantry Agila Division, who was the guest of honor.
