Atol sa 77th Commemoration of the Battle of Surigao Strait Ceremony, nipirma sila Governor Kaka Bag-ao ug H.E. Steven J. Robinson AO, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines, sa usa ka
“Commitment to Honor the Past and Preserve Peace and Justice” kauban sa kinatibuk-ang bisita, ug government officials nga nagpasabot nga:
We remember the Battle of Surigao Strait not to celebrate the sinking of ships or the loss of lives on both sides of the trenches. We remember this historical event to learn how wars can damage not only our land, but our spirit as a people. We remember in order to fully see why peace, coupled with the values of freedom and democracy, is so important.
We remember what transpired during the battle, but we celebrate the fruits that it bore after. We remember the men and women who perished, but we celebrate the result of their sacrifices — and that is the peace we now enjoy.
It is essential for us to not only remember the past, but to learn from it. It is necessary for us to celebrate past victories in order for us to dream of bigger and newer ones in the future. It is also important for us to remind more people about lesser known historical events that made a deep and lasting impact to the present in order to have the power to make them take notice of our current and often unseen battles against intangible enemies like underdevelopment and poverty.
The Battle of Surigao Strait is so much more than just a historical event for Dinagat Islands and for all the countries that participated in it during that time.
Today, we remember the past as we move forward to a future that is more fair and just to all.
(Source: Kaka Bag-ao Facebook page)
