AFP celebrates Philippine Veterans Week, Araw ng Kagitingan

From the Philippine Information Agency (Apr 5): AFP celebrates Philippine Veterans Week, Araw ng Kagitingan

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) joins the nation in recognizing and honoring the contribution and heroism of our unsung heroes in the observance of the Philippine Veterans Week on April 5 to 11.

In line with this, the AFP in partnership with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) will take part in a series of activities in line with the week-long national observance and commemoration.

With this year’s theme “Ang Beterano: Sigla at Inspirasyon ng Kabataan tungo sa Tuwid na Daan”, the activities seek to memorialize our veterans’ heroic deeds to instill a sense of national pride and promote love for country among our people.

To kick-off the week-long activities, a Sunrise Ceremony will be held Friday, April 5 at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City to be followed by a Wreath-Laying Ceremony and Review in Honor of the Veterans at the Philippine Army Grandstand in Fort Bonifacio. Likewise, a Tribute to all Filipino heroes will be held on Sunday, April 7 in Corregidor Island.

On April 9 (Tuesday), PVAO and AFP together with other government agencies and private sectors will hold a commemorative program on April 9 at the Mt. Samat Shrine in Bataan to celebrate Day of Valor.

This activity memorializes the Fall of Bataan which represented the most intense phase of Imperial Japan's invasion of the Philippines during World War II. It was the largest surrender in American and Filipino military history which until now is still being jointly commemorated by both Filipinos and Americans.

On April 10 (Wednesday), soldiers from the AFP and the U.S. Military will commemorate the creation of the Capas National Shrine in Capas, Tarlac in a Wreath-Laying Ceremony. The shrine was built by the Philippine government in 1991 as a memorial to the Filipino and American soldiers who died in Camp O'Donnell at the end of the Bataan Death March.

To culminate the event, a Sunset Ceremony will be held Thursday, April 11 at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.

Meanwhile, pre-Veterans Week activities were also held.

Last March 22, AFP and PVAO held a free cultural show entitled “Musikagitingan – Alay sa mga Bayaning Beterano” at the AFP Theatre featuring the performances of Ogie Alcasid, the Halili-Cruz Ballet Company, Powerdance, Bayanihan Dance Troupe and many more in honor of World War II Veterans. The show also encouraged the youth to follow our veterans’ patriotic footsteps and do their share in nation-building.

In the same spirit, the HERO Foundation Inc., a non-stock, non-profit organization that provides educational assistance to the orphans of fallen soldiers and the AFP staged a re-enactment of the 1945 Liberation of Manila at the old Philippine Constabulary Cuartel in Intramuros last March 24. The fund-raising event dubbed as “Kalayaan: A battle re-enactment of the 1945 liberation of Manila” will benefit HERO’s orphan scholars.

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=241365139409