President MANUEL LUIS QUEZON: Message to the

People of the Philippines | Circa 1920s

My fellow citizens: there is one thought I want you always to bear

in mind. And that is: that you are Filipinos. That the Philippines
are your country, and the only country God has given you. That you
must keep it for yourselves, for your children, and for your
children's children, until the world is no more. You must live for it,
and die for it, if necessary.

Your country is a great country. It has a great past, and a great

future. The Philippines of yesterday are consecrated by the
sacrifices of lives and treasure of your patriots, martyrs, and
soldiers. The Philippines of today are honored by the wholehearted
devotion to its cause of unselfish and courageous statesmen. The
Philippines of tomorrow will be the country of plenty, of happiness,
and of freedom. A Philippines with her head raised in the midst of
the West Pacific, mistress of her own destiny, holding in her hand
the torch of freedom and democracy. A republic of virtuous and
righteous men and women all working together for a better world
than the one we have at present.

My country men, we who have consecrated how much we have and

we are for the welfare and freedom of our country soon we will
pass to the world of those who have been for our work is not
finished, for it is your duty to continue it. Always think that you are
Filipino. That the Philippines is your homeland, and the only
homeland god knows that you have to keep it for yourselves, for
your children and the children of your children. That the
Philippines has a sublime past and great future. His past
consecrated by the sacrifices of our martyrs and soldiers. Your
present is honored by the devotion to your cause of a patriotic
generation. Your future will be great as you want to make it. I see
the Philippines in the future, with it’s forehead raised in the middle
of the pacific ocean carrying his hand, the torch of democracy and
freedom, a prosperous and happy republic of victorious and free
men and women, admires of justice and order. Working together,
to improve the luck of all humanity.