TACLOBAN CITY—They are now in the twilight of their life. Their bodies hae been weakened by age and the many battles they fought—in life and war time—but their spirits remain willing.
The soldiers of World War II (WW II) were present during the annual celebration of General Douglas McArthur’s landing in Leyte every October 20.
With each passing year, the number of surviving veterans of WW II is rapidly dwindling. In this year’s 73rd celebration, only 11 of the 19 remaining war veterans from this city were present when the city government hosted them a commemorative dinner on October 19.
The war veterans, aged between 89 and 101 years old, came in their veterans’ uniform on wheelchairs assisted by their close family members.
“At least for one day in a year,we are being remembered,” said one veteran through his son.
Tacloban City has been observing October 19 as a “City WW II Veterans Day” by virtue of a city ordinance passed in February 2007. On this day, local war veterans are given recognition as local heroes where they are paraded within the city’s main thoroughfare and feted in a commemorative dinner.
For many veterans, this is also an occasion to tell the younger generations how they fought the war that liberated the country from Japanese occupation.
Fely Varona, 101 years old, said she was part of the Women Auxiliary Corps (WAC), a support group to the male soldiers.
“I did my share for my country,” she proudly beamed.
But for Aquilia Closa, being asked about the war brings back memories of the horrors of the war that she would rather forget.
A press release by media consultants of Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez said “the city has pampered” the war veterans by picking them and their families up in air-conditioned cars from their houses to the venue of the commemorative dinner. It added the veterans were also treated to a sumptuous dinner hosted by the city government.
Romualdez lauded the courage and heroism displayed by the Tacloban City WWII veterans during the 1944 fight for freedom that greatly contributed to the liberation of the entire Philippine Republic.
“You are the reason for this 73rd Leyte Gulf Landing celebration,” she said.
“I salute the living WWII City veterans and those veterans who didn’t live to see the fruit of their sacrifice. For their bravery, we owe our freedom,” Romualdez added.
MacArthur’s landing in Leyte was made possible by the local guerillas led by Col. Ruperto Kangleon, whose soldiers, positioned in strategic areas in Leyte and Samar, provided information and guided the United States army and its allies in to the region.
During the commemorative dinner, the veterans from this city were given plaques of recognition, a cash incentive of P5,000 each and groceries worth P2,000.
The city ordinance declaring October 19 as a “City WWII Veterans Day” also requires family members of the veterans to inform the city government when the veteran dies so that all government agencies in the city will raise their flags at half-mast as an expression of gratitude for the service the veterans rendered.
The family of war veterans who die is also given P10,000 burial assistance and the right to be buried in the city’s Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Tacloban City played a key role during the WWII. On October 23 MacArthur, accompanied by then-President Sergio Osmeña, made Tacloban the temporary seat of the Commonwealth Government and temporary capital of the Philippines until the complete liberation of the country.
Some structures prominent at that time remain intact and are now part of tourism sites of the city including the Leyte Capitol Building used as the seat of the government; Price Mansion, which served as MacArthur’s residence; and the Redona Family home, where Osmeña took residence.
Image credits: Elmer V. Recuerdo