PH, US to ‘collaboratively confront’...

challenges,” Blinken said.

After Spain’s rule over the Philippines for more than three centuries, the country then became a colony of the US from 1898 until 1946.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. celebrated the Philippine Independence Day on Monday with a call for Filipinos to “assert [their] liberty day by day” amid the challenges the nation faces.

“The heroes of our liberation would be proud to know that we have thrown off the ‘ominous yoke of domination’

— never again to be subservient to any external force that directs or determines our destiny,” Marcos said in his first Independence Day speech as Chief Executive.

From the time Marcos was elected President last year, there has been a pivot in the Philippine foreign policy as it began restoring its ties with the U.S.

This shift was made notable after the U.S. and the Philippines drifted apart in the past years during the term of Marcos’ predecessor Rodrigo Duterte.n

The celebratory program showcased a variety of performances that highlighted the rich tapestry of Filipino culture, including cultural performances such as “Paypay De Manila” by the Bayanihan Association of the Capital District, Excerpts from “Mindanao, Epics, Legends, and Myths” by Kinding Sindaw, “Salakot” by FUNRaisers of New York, and MassKara Festival Dance by the Bacolod City MassKara Festival Dance Group.

By organizing this monumental event, Assemblymember Raga has ushered in a new era of recognition and appreciation for Filipino culture and heritage in New York State. It is not merely

Raga holds the distinction of being the first Filipino American elected to any public office in New York State. Representing the 30th District in the New York State Assembly, which encompasses parts of the neighborhoods of Woodside, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Maspeth, Middle Village, and Astoria, he is dedicated to advocating for legislation that supports the well-being, growth, and prosperity of his constituents and all New Yorkers.

He looks forward to holding the event in the coming years.

“I’m in a lot of spaces where again, the Filipino community is not brought up and even if the issue is pertaining to them directly, so this is the first step into getting us more proactively in these spaces. So we’re going to be doing a lot more in the next few years,” he shared. n