Amidst the Covid-19 global pandemic, 17 surviving World War II veterans are honored with commemorative medals, alongside the remembrance of the end of World War II, 75 years ago.
Pre-recorded congratulatory messages from HE US Ambassador Sung Kim, Ret. Gen. Ernesto Carolina, Congressman Marquez Go and Mayor Benjamin Magalong are delivered together with tokens and the medals to veterans in the comfort of their homes.
Among the living veterans honored are: Angelo Viloria Andrada, Epifanio Besuayan, Timoteo Boado, Filomeno Caburao, Francisco Bogalon Castillo, Romeo Marcelino de Guzman, Gregorio de la Paz Lopez, Ernesto Luis, Dominador Madarang, Carlito Millado, Diego Opena, William Pasiwen, Eduardo Peralta and Orlando Pimentel.
Lady veteran awardees are Sixta Favila, Florence Marasigan, and Cecilia Torres.
All served fearlessly in the military, medical and auxiliary forces during critical years of war, with reminiscences recorded in diaries, notes and memoirs, now used as history materials.
Here in Baguio, simple wreath-laying ceremonies at the Veterans Park, Harrison road having hundreds of veterans’ names, was done in coordination with the City Tourism and Special Events Office (CTSEO) and Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), Sept. 3, Thursday.
It can be recalled that Camp John Hay was carpet-bombed on Dec. 8, 1941 by Japanese forces, which disrupted the lives of Filipinos, including the city and neighboring municipalities.
In 1942, US Phil forces surrendered and joined the Bataan death march which claimed thousands of soldiers’ lives. The Japanese Imperial Army was eventually defeated in 1945 as US and Filipino soldiers combined forces against them.
For the liberation of Baguio, USAFIP-NL soldiers with members mostly from the Baguio-Benguet area worked in four strike forces: two from La Union, Pangasinan and Kapangan.
Battles were fought in Sablan; near the Baguio cemetery; Dominican-Mirador observatory; Camp Allen; Ansagan, Tuba; and other strategic areas which led to the liberation of Baguio on April 27, 1945
General Tomoyuki Yamashita then withdrew his forces and surrendered in Kiangan, Ifugao, Sept. 2, with the formal signing of surrender in Camp John Hay, Baguio City on Sept. 3, 1945 in the presence of US and Filipino authorities.
September 3 is institutionalized as Victory day, through City council resolution 229, series of 2016. –juliegfianza