Ifugao province celebrated recently its 80th Victory Day with the World War II National Shrine in Kiangan town serving as center stage of the commemorative rites.
Ifugao, home of the world-famous rice terraces observes Sept. 2 as a day of victory and valor, marking the surrender of Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita of the Japanese Imperial Army to Filipino freedom fighters in the mountains of Kiangan exactly 80 years ago.
War veteran Pedro Indunan, now 112 years old, became an instant star of the show.
The commemoration ceremonies were spearheaded by the Ifugao provincial government in collaboration with the local government unit of Kiangan, the Veterans Affairs Office, and the Veterans Federation of the Philippines.
The two-day affair had for its theme “Saluting the Guardians of Valor, Saluting Their Valor” in honor of the “gallant warriors who fought to liberate the archipelago from Japan.”
The events were highlighted by the traditional wreath-laying and 21-gun salute graced by guest of honor and speaker, Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.
In his keynote address, Brawner said the observance was “both a celebration of the uncommon valor of our forebears who fought for our freedom, and a continuing quest for peace even in the midst of the territorial tension in Southeast Asia.”
“The guardians whom we honor today are our own ancestors. Their sacrifices are in the soil beneath us, their courage is in our heritage and their legacy lives on in everyone of us, the proud people of the Cordilleras and of the Philippines,” Brawner said.
“You are the living embodiment of our nation’s history. In your youth you carried the weight of war so that we may carry the gift of peace. This commemoration is about honoring the legacy that you have continued to entrust to us, a legacy that we vow to protect and uphold for generations to come,” he added.
