The Philippines is gearing up to celebrate its 109th Independence Day celebration tomorrow. With the theme "Sama-sama Tayo Tungo sa Pagasenso" (Together Towards Progress), the celebration will highlight a parade illustrating the country's history. It will be held at the Quirino Grandstand at 8 a.m. right after the flag ceremony. The parade will be divided into three segments featuring the different eras of the country's history.

In observance of this year's Independence Day celebration, a month-long set of festivities is prepared by the Department of Tourism. They have also opened a "Barangay Kalayaan" which is an outdoor bazaar located at the Rizal Park.

Synchronized flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies will be held at the Luneta Park, Aguinaldo Shrine in Cavite, Barasoain church in Bulacan, the Bonifacio National Monument in Caloocan City and the Pinaglabanan shrine in San Juan, as well as at other historical monuments in Cebu, Davao and throughout the different parts of the country.

Joining in the celebration also are different government agencies that will participate in the Programs and Services Fair and Exhibit that will run from June 8 to June 12. An example is the Department of Social Welfare and Development's booth that presents the agencys programs as well as services like the issuance of travel clearances for minor and the online registration of volunteers on Disaster Risk Management and Response. Another is the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) booth that features its ladderized education and scholarship programs provided by the government. A one-stop shop also is set up where applicants can secure or renew pertinent pre-employment documents from agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), National Statistics Office (NSO), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Philhealth, and the Social Security System (SSS).