Araw ng Kagitingan: To Honor the Fallen Heroes

 

Ever since I was young, the holiday known as Araw ng Kagitingan has been always taught to us by our history teachers. Specifically, how it was made, and the tragic story behind it. I can remember that me and my classmates would always feel bad for those soldiers that died horribly. However, the tragic incident only signifies the bravery of those soldiers, they did not just die, they died with honor. That is why I certainly love that there is a specific day for people to commemorate their bravery.

 

According to my research, the Day of Valor, also known as Araw ng Kagitingan, honors the bravery of Filipinos and American soldiers during World War II when the Japanese occupied the Philippines. On April 9, 1942, Major General Edward P. King of the US Army was forced to surrender more than 76,000 Filipinos, Chinese, and American soldiers to the Japanese at dawn. The soldiers were forced to hike 90 miles (145 kilometers) to San Fernando's Camp O'Donnell. Thousands of prisoners died from starvation, dehydration, and diseases before reaching the camp during the hike (also known as the Bataan Death March).

 

Despite their defeat, the captured soldiers remained strong and emerged as heroes as a result of the battle. The fall of Corregidor was hastened by the surrender of Bataan. However, if the Japanese had not taken this stand, they could have quickly overrun all of the US bases in the Pacific. Bataan forced them to slow down, giving the allies valuable time to prepare for subsequent conflicts like the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway. On February 8, 1945, American and Filipino liberation forces retook the Bataan peninsula.

 

The Day of Valor was a national holiday until November 26, 1980, when a Letter of Instruction No. 1087 declared "Araw ng Kagitingan" a national public holiday to honor those who helped bring democracy and freedom to the Philippines during WWII. On June 30, 1987, Executive Order No. 203 was issued, designating April 9 as "Araw Ng Kagitingan" in honor of the heroes of Bataan, Corregidor, and Bessang. It is indeed depressing to think what those soldiers went through before they died. They died a horrible and painful death which they do not deserve. However, just like what I said before, they did not die with nothing, they died with honor.

 

References:

Collins, E. M. (n.d.). After Pearl Harbor, Soldiers held out for months against Japanese invasion of Philippines. U.S. Army. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://www.army.mil/article/179370/after_pearl_harbor_soldiers_held_out_for_months_against_japanese_invasion_of_philippines

Mayol, P. A. (2018, April 9). April 9, 2018 a National Holiday, 76th Araw Ng Kagitingan. CebuFinest. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://cebufinest.com/april-9-2018-national-holiday-76th-araw-ng-kagitingan/

Cagadas, E. (2020, April 9). Araw ng Kagitingan: MacArthur's paratrooper recalls WWII experience in the Philippines. Philippine Star. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2020/04/09/2006534/araw-ng-kagitingan-macarthurs-paratrooper-recalls-wwii-experience-philippines

Moya, J., & Macor, M. (2021, April 7). Do You Know Why We Remember 'Araw Ng Kagitingan'? Tatler Asia. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://www.tatlerasia.com/culture/arts/heres-everything-that-happened-on-araw-ng-kagitingan