An excerpt from “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical” to commemorate today’s holiday.  A reminder that a number of Filipino men and women sacrificed their lives to fight for our country’s independence from colonizers —

Elias (after telling the young Basilio of the location of a buried treasure and just a few moments before dying):

Mamamatay akong ‘di man lang namasdan

liwayway sa langit ng mahal kong bayan.

Kayong sasalubong sa kanyang pagsilang,

batiin ang bukas, magpugay sa araw.

Alalahanin kaming nabuwal sa karimlan…