Mayor John Dalipe spearheaded the local commemoration of the 81st Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valor Monday morning, calling on residents to be worthy of the freedom that the 76,000 Filipino and American soldiers fought for on that fateful day in Bataan 81 years ago.
“In remembering and commemorating our women and men who sacrificed their lives for our country, the utmost best we can do is to be worthy of the freedom they fought for and died for,” Dalipe said in his keynote message, adding “as mayor of Zamboanga City, I always remind the people and the ones forming the local government that we are nation builders. We cannot build a nation without freedom and without sovereignty.”
He urged the residents to use the freedom that the heroes of Bataan fought for “to serve those who are in need, to use our God-given gifts to better our country and to pass the torch of patriotism to the next generation with its flame still very much alive.”
In the same message, the chief executive thanked the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office for promptly attending to the needs of the veterans and their survivors through the delivery of their pensions so they can attend to their daily and medical needs, the assistance to their spouses and children and the conduct of commemorative events to remind people of their sacrifices and contributions to the country and humanity.
The commemorative program kicked off 7am with a flag raising ceremony at the Rizal Monument fronting City Hall and was moved to the Veterans Memorial Shrine in Rizal Street for the wreath laying rites and the program proper.
Joining the mayor were Vice Mayor Josephine Pareja, District I Congressman Khymer Adan Olaso and Councilor El King Omaga. Also present were officials from the Western Mindanao Command, Naval Forces Western Mindanao, Philippine Air Force, Police Regional Office-9, Zamboanga City Police Office, Task Force Zamboanga, Philippine Coast Guard, Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP-9), representatives from national and local government agencies and other non-government organizations and private institutions.
VFP-9 President Raul Roldan gave the welcome remarks, VFP-9 Vice President and Zamboanga VF District President Wenceslao Buntag presented the war veterans, post-war veterans and surviving spouses in attendance while Cong. Olaso and WESMINCOM chief LtGen. Roy Galido also shared their messages of inspiration.
The activity was organized by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office – Extension Office 9 through the Zamboanga City Veterans District in collaboration with the City Government.
Themed “Kagitingan ng mga Beterano, Pundasyon ng Magkakaisang Pilipino”, the
Araw ng Kagitingan commemorates the heroism of Filipinos and American soldiers when the Japanese occupied the Philippines during World War II. Major General Edward P. King, of the United States Army, was forced to surrender more than 76,000 Filipinos, Chinese and American soldiers to the Japanese at dawn on April 9, 1942, according to historical records. (Sheila Covarrubias, photo courtesy by Kathy Wee Sit)
(Source: City Government of Zamboanga Facebook page)