Honoring the Heroes: Battle in Ilocos Sur Remembered
The 79th anniversary of the Battle of Bessang Pass, the most decisive battle of the Second World War in the Philippines, which helped turn the tide of the war, was recently observed in the highlands of Ilocos Sur.
Fought from Jan. 9 to June 14, 1945, the battle took place in the highland towns of Ilocos Sur. It involved over 20,000 Filipino guerillas and American officers under the United States Army Forces in the Philippines—Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL) and some 4,000 battle-hardened troops of the Imperial Japanese Army’s Tora (Tiger) Division.
The Filipino victory paved the way for the entrapment of Japanese forces in the Cordillera mountains until the surrender of its commanding general, Tomoyuki Yamashita, later in September.
Led by the Municipality of Cervantes and supported by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), the Province of Ilocos Sur, and the Municipality of Suyo, the commemorative event was held at the Bessang Pass Natural Monument, a war shrine tucked in a 693-hectare sprawling protected area.
Highlighting the solemn event is the wreath-laying, military honors and 21-gun salute to the war dead.
University of the Philippines professor Dr. Ricardo Jose rendered a historical glimpse on the pivotal battle, which was also referred to as the “Battle of the Clouds” because of its high altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level which are often covered by clouds.
Another highlight is the awarding of the PVAO World War II Victory Medals to surviving nonagenarian guerillas Vicente Cabello and Dominador Cabatic who fought in the said battle.
The program was capped by the indigenous victory community tayaw dance by a school dance troupe and the Barangay Malaya village officials.
June 14 has been declared by Malacanang as a province-wide non-working holiday in Ilocos Sur, but local officials and legislators are advocating for a national proclamation to emphasize its pivotal role during the Pacific War, particularly with its forthcoming 80th anniversary next year.
Situated along the Suyo-Cervantes highland highway, the protected area is managed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and is habitat to a rich flora and fauna biodiversity, and is a favorite stopover among mountaineers and motorcycle riders.
In photo at the commemorative event are PVAO finance division chief Navy Captain Edwina Taylor, Philippine Veterans Bank first vice-president and Veterans Federation of the Philippines- Sons & Daughters Association Inc national executive vice-president (VFP-SDAI) Mike Villa-Real, Ilocos Sur Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Benjamin Maggay, UP Diliman history professor Dr. Ricardo Jose, Vicente Casabar Cabello, PVAO chief administrative officer Col Nieves Gat-Eb (ret) who was also the guest of honor and speaker, Col Rhenante Salvador of the Philippine Army, Cervantes municipal mayor Pablito Benjamin Maggay, and Suyo municipal mayor Mario Subagan.
Also in photo are reenactors of the Republica Filipina Reenactment Group and Philippine Living History Society who did historical impressions of the USAFIP-NL guerillas, and American and Japanese soldiers. The historical reenactors were brought in by the Philippine Veterans Bank as part of its advocacy to keep the uncommon valor of war veterans alive.
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