By Cyrus A. Natividad
Claire Anne Lebantino Cortuna, a Senior High School graduate of this university and is presently enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, was chosen among eight (8) nominees as a Lone Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) Honoree during the Stop and Salute Flag Raising Ceremony at the Independence Day Flagpole, Rizal Park Manila on September 4, 2023.
Cortuna is the daughter of Antonietta L. Cortuna from Brgy. Cabanga-an Badiangan, Iloilo. She belongs to GSP Iloilo Council RTV Club. She was also awarded a Chief Girl Scout Medal in 2020, and a recognition from the Girl Scouts of the Philippines and Friends Foundation, Inc. for Outstanding Service to the Community in the field of Cultural Heritage. She attended several Girl Scout Trainings and Conferences.
Cortuna received the Stop and Salute Honoree Award for her answer to the question: “What have you done to live the Girl Scout promise and exercise your duty to the country, particularly in paying homage to our Philippine Flag?”
Her answer: “One of the most significant representations for any nation is its national flag. Here in our country, as a sign of respect, all persons shall execute a salute by placing their right palms over their left chest. But when we say, paying homage to our Philippine flag, it is not that simple.”
“Being a girl scout, I have a duty to respect and honor our country as well as our Philippine flag. Going back to my CGSMS Journey, gave me the realization of how important our flag is. My project was a restoration of our local hero’s monument located in our neighboring barangay; it is hard to reach there as only motorcycles and trucks can navigate the steep and muddy road. The monument was also hard to find as it was covered with bushes and thorny Sibukaw trees, only a local would know that it existed there. He fought against the Americans in 1900, which impacted the way I appreciate history. It [made] me realize that this flag is what he fought for, thus I shall give more importance to it. As a result, I have decided to permanently place a flag on the flagpole that should remind the people that it is our hero, not only him but also his son, and to the whole warriors who fought and defended our land.”