DUMAGUETE CITY, June 12 -- A senior official of the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Negros Island Region (NIR) on Friday emphasized that independence is more than a historical achievement, describing it as a shared responsibility that every generation must uphold and strengthen.

Speaking during the 128th Philippine Independence Day celebration here, DepEd-NIR Regional Director Dr. Ramir Uytico said the freedom Filipinos enjoy today was won through the sacrifices and struggles of the nation's forebearers and must be preserved by present and future generations.

"The celebration invites us to honor the courage, sacrifice, bravery, and patriotism of our forebears who fought for our freedom," Uytico said.

He noted that the country's...