This year’s commemoration titled: ‘Pagpaparangal sa Kagitingan ng mga Beterano: Saligan para sa Nagkakaisang Filipino (Honoring Veteran’s Valor: Foundation for a United Filipino People)’ focused on the importance of having Filipino veterans in keeping the spirit of bravery and nationalism among Filipinos.

 

Among the guest of honor was Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., the President of the Republic of the Philippines, who said in his statement: “We gather here today in annual remembrance of series of events in 1942, which all of us Filipinos hold dearly to our heart. It is of high importance to us, compelled not by mere law or presidential issuance but by sheer heritage, by our shared history, by the proud example of our compatriots whom we revere as our real heroes.”

 

President Marcos emphasized the sacrifices made by the Filipinos even in the face of death and total surrender:

 

“Those who survive this excruciating journey on foot. Described by historians as a tragic nightmare without form, reason or mercy. The death march was yet another extreme test of the will both physically and mentally of every Filipino. Our fighters went on for days in the sweltering summer heat with no food, no medicine, under terrible malarial conditions. Their severely weakened bodies were further weakened by depression and forcibly mobilized by threats of beatings and possible executions. We will forever be in debt to our heroes”

National Historical Commission of the Philippines Chairperson Lisa Guerrero Nakpil was also present in the commemoration.

 

“Our soldiers became the inspiration and symbol of our Armed Forces and indeed of our entire nation. Ito ang tapang ng Pilipino. They endured hunger, thirst, disease and desperation. Marching to camps in Tarlac, Cabanatuan and even in distant Manchuria. But they marched on, taas noo. Ito ang tibay ng Pilipino.” according to Nakpil.

 

Among those invited were Robert Y. Ewing, Charge d’Affaires of Embassy of the United States of America, Endo Kazuya, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of Japan, Province of Bataan Governor Jose Enrique S. Garcia III and Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., the Secretary of The Department of National Defense (DND).

 

Charge d’Affaires Ewing also commended the deepening of Japan-Philippine relations after the war amidst the increasing complexity surrounding the regional and international realm.

 

Meanwhile, Ambassador Kazuya also acknowledged the importance of maritime cooperative activity in the South China Sea alongside the United States and Australia.

 

“Guided by the vision of free and Indo-Pacific, Japan strives to actualize concrete projects that bolster the maritime domain, awareness and maritime law enforcement capability of the Philippines. The newly established cooperation scheme will serve to provide coastal naval system to the Philippine Navy (PN).”

 

The Bataan Death March began on April 9th, 1942 in which around 75,000 US and Philippine soldiers were forced to march from the Southern tip of Bataan peninsula to camps as far as Capas in the North.