Tomorrow, the Philippines will celebrate "Araw ng Kagitingan" (Day of Valor). It is the day when the whole country celebrates the fall of Bataan during the Second World War. It is also a day set aside to commemorate the unsung heroes of that World War who perished in the Bataan Death March.
Right after the bombing of the US Naval Station at Pearl Harbor, the Philippines was attacked by the Japanese forces. The attack surprised the Philippine Commonwealth and many towns easily fell to the invaders. President Manuel Quezon, General McArthur and other high officials of the Philippine Commonwealth flee the Philippines and left many American, Filipino and Chinese soldiers fighting the Japanese, especially in Bataan.
When Bataan fell to the Japanese, thousands of Filipino, American and Chinese soldiers were forced to march for 140 km (90 miles) to ride on rail cars in Camp O’Donnell. This forced march is the infamous Bataan Death March where hundreds of soldiers died because of heat, dehydration, hunger and atrocities by Japanese soldiers. According to Wikipedia, about 5,000 to 10,000 Filipino soldiers died during the Bataan Death March. About 600 to 650 American soldiers during that forced march.
During my visit to Limay in Bataan, I chanced upon this marker along the highway:
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Markers like the one in photo were placed all along the highway in Bataan. These markers mark each kilometer that the Filipino and American soldiers endured during the Bataan Death March. The marker above shows that I am about 20 kilometers away from the place where the soldiers started the Bataan Death March.
In honor of the Filipino and American soldiers who fought and died during World War Two, the Philippine Government built the Dambana ng Kagitingan on Mount Samat, Bataan.
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Visit Ahab Reviews and Tips and read about the Ube-flavored Otap.
Read about a good anti-RH Bill video in the previous post.
Photo of the Dambana ng Kagitingan is taken from WikiPilipinas and taken by Aileeen.
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while reading your post I'm discussing it with my room mate. To be honest ngayon ko lang siya talaga naintindihan at naramdaman kong gaano ito ka miserable.
ReplyDeletewe have to be thankful sa ating henerasyon na di dumaan sa ganitong pagkakataon.
Opo Kuya Diamond.
ReplyDeleteGrabe talaga ang nangyari noon. I wish lang na hindi ito maulit. Pero kung hindi magtitino ang China, malamang makakaranas uli tayo nang ganito sa future.
Gusto ko pumunta sa bataan... malayo ba yan sa manila? pano ba pumunta dyan?! hehehehhehehe
ReplyDeleteWhenever history is the topic, especially yung mga wars and battles, I can't help but to be overwhelmed, naiiyak ako.
ReplyDeleteGrabe yung panahon na yun, damn the Japanese that wreak havoc everywhere. Even Manila, an open city, meaning hindi pwedeng atakihin, inatake ng mga hapon. Kaya ayun, ang nakuha nila the bombing at Hiroshima kung saan masyadong maraming namatay, lalo na mga inosente.
And I've been to the Dambana ng Kagitingan before. Its arms serve as a a viewing room. Maganda yung view sa baba at nonstop pa yung hangin. Truly an experience worth climbing up.
ReplyDeleteAbout your comment in my blog..
ReplyDeleteMaraming salamat at sinabi mo kung ano yung main blog mo. Haha okay nako dun, wala nang reklamo pa. :P
Haha ang daldal ko, third comment ko na pala to!
hindi ko maiisip kung pano nakayanan ng iba na maglakad ng ganoong kalayo... ako nga siguro wla pang isang kilometro eh lawit na ang dila ko sa hobrang hingal....
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing this info Ish... naku di ko pa malalaman na araw na pala ng kagitingan ngayon...
@Xprosaic:
ReplyDeleteMalapit lang ang Bataan from Metro Manila, mga ilang oras na byahe lang sa bus. Pero kung ayaw mong mag-bus, pwede ka naman mag-death march mula Manila to Bataan.
@HalfCrazy:
ReplyDeleteAy, oo nga. Medyo madaldal ka nga. :-P
Grabe nga talaga yung nangyari noong World War 2. Matindi ang atrocities. Naalala ko tuloy yung lumang building sa opisina namin. May pumunta kasi lola doonat binisita ang lugar kung saan sila kinulong ng mga Hapon. Tinuroniya kung saan siya ginahasa ng mga sundalong Hapon.
Wow, buti ka pa nakabisita ka na sa Dambana ng Kagitingan. Kainggit ka. Gusto ko rin pumunta dun.
@HalfCrazy:
ReplyDeleteAy, oo nga. Medyo madaldal ka nga. :-P
Grabe nga talaga yung nangyari noong World War 2. Matindi ang atrocities. Naalala ko tuloy yung lumang building sa opisina namin. May pumunta kasi lola doonat binisita ang lugar kung saan sila kinulong ng mga Hapon. Tinuroniya kung saan siya ginahasa ng mga sundalong Hapon.
Wow, buti ka pa nakabisita ka na sa Dambana ng Kagitingan. Kainggit ka. Gusto ko rin pumunta dun.
@Blue:
ReplyDeleteAy, tama ka.Ako,maglakad lang ng ilang kilometro hingal na. Grabe.
Salamat sa pagbisita.
Grabe no? Sobrang hirap talaga ang dinanas ng mga soldiers! Di pa ako nakakapunta ng bataan. Sana someday.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing about the Bataan Death March. It's cruel of the Japanese to do this!
ReplyDelete@Anney:
ReplyDeleteGrabe nga yung hirap na dinanas nila noon. Pahirap talaga. Ako naman hindi pa ako nakapunta sa Samat pero nakita ko naman yung malaking krus ng Dambana ng Kagitingan noong nasa barko ako at nagawi kami sa may Bataan.
@FoongPC:
ReplyDeleteThank you for dropping by.
Yeah, it is war, but that does not mean that what they did is correct. There are still protocols that is in force even in wartime.
What would be the best (and safest) way to see these Limay Death Mark markers coming in from Manila? Is that kilometer 25 or 26 marker that you took a picture of?
ReplyDeleteHello Anonymous
ReplyDeleteThe marker in the photo is the Kilometer 20 Death March Marker that is located in Limay, Bataan. That marker is located near the intersection of Arsenal Vicinal Road and the Bataan Provincial Expressway. See the Google Maps for better detail of the marker's location.
The best and easiest way to see the markers is to travel using your own vehicle so that you can stop at any marker that you desire. If you don't have a vehicle then you can still see the Death March markers by commuting. There are buses and jeepneys that traverse the Bataan Provincial Expressway.