By Celerina Monte

President Rodrigo Duterte urged on Thursday Filipinos not to "compromise" the country's sovereignty again.

Duterte said this in a speech to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Philippine part in the first circumnavigation of the world held in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

"I therefore call on all our kababayans to appreciate our rich history and learn from the experiences of those that came before us so that we may never again allow any other tribe to compromise our sovereignty --- invaders who would come and who would stay here and contribute to the richness of our culture and of course in the way how we live," he said.

While the event that the country was celebrating led to the beginning of colonization, Duterte said the Filipino people could find relief in the knowledge that "we have gone far in our efforts to correct the mistakes of the past."

With guests coming from the Spanish government, including its Ambassador to the Philippines Jorge Moragas Sanchez, he expressed hope that the relations between the Philippines and Spain would be fortified further. DMS