Marking a global day of remembrance for those harmed by terrorism, Vice President Sara Duterte pressed the government on Friday to move past symbolic gestures and deliver tangible help to survivors.
Her appeal centered on what she described as the lasting harm inflicted on families and future generations. Duterte argued that rebuilding cannot be left to affected communities alone, and that the state carries a responsibility to act.
“Our nation knows the true cost of terror. We speak about terrorism from the ground of its actual existence,” she said in a recorded video message.
Duterte grounded her remarks in the country’s own experience, pointing to Mindanao and other regions where residents have lived through bombings, extortion, and repeated violence. The danger, she noted, still shapes daily life for many households.
She laid out what meaningful remembrance should require: justice, enforcement of policy, and full rehabilitation for those affected. “We cannot build a culture of remembrance on monuments and moments of silence alone,” she said, adding that “True remembrance demands concrete action, an active commitment to justice, policy enforcement, and comprehensive rehabilitation.”
The vice president also outlined priorities around securing communities, safeguarding young people, and giving survivors enough support to recover and move forward.
She closed by calling on Filipinos to draw on greater courage and compassion toward one another.
