Araw ng Kagitingan is more fitting on September 3rd – Magdalo

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 19): Araw ng Kagitingan is more fitting on September 3rd – Magdalo

The country’s military victories, carved by blood on the pages of history, should be given due respect and recognition, according to two party-list lawmakers.

Magdalo party-list Reps. Gary C. Alejano and Francisco Ashley L. Acedillo are authors of HB 6242 which seeks to transfer the commemoration of the Day of Valor or Araw ng Kagitingan from April 9 to September 3.

“September 3 would be an appropriate opportunity for the Filipino people to celebrate our country’s military milestones of sacrifices, as well as reflect on the duties called upon them as citizens of the Philippines,” Alejano and Acedillo stressed.

The former military officers, now lawmakers, noted that history is replete with celebrations of military defeats and deaths, as exemplified by the commemoration of the surrender of Filipino soldiers to the Japanese forces every April 6th, Dr, Jose Rizal’s death anniversary every December 30, and the assassination of former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. every August 21st.

“It is high time for the Philippines to recognize our country’s military victories,” they pointed out, explaining why the celebration of Araw ng Kagitingan is appropriate on September 3rd.

The lawmakers said that September 3 is just a fitting date to observe the Day of Valor due to two coinciding historical events -- the magnanimous victory of the Filipino forces during the 1896 Battle of Imus (Cavite) and the unconditional surrender of Gen. Tomuyuki Yamashita in the Philippines in 1945.

“The Battle of Imus is recognized as the first big battle of the Philippines Revolution which the Filipinos won. It boosted the morale of the revolutionaries who were defeated in San Juan del Monte. It also sparked many more citizens to join the fight for independence as revolutionaries,” the lawmakers stressed.

It may be recalled that the Battle of Imus started September 1st when Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, after suffering a defeat in Bacoor (Cavite), joined forces in Imus with Capitan Municipal Jose Tagle.

In Imus, the revolutionaries besieged and captured the church of Imus. On the third day, Aguinaldo’s forces annihilated a large Spanish force under General Ernesto Aguirre. The conquering revolutionaries also capture a large amount of arms.

Also on the third day of September 1945, General Yamashita, the so-called Tiger of Malaya and commander of the Japanese forces in the Philippines, formally surrendered in Camp John Hay, Baguio to the American forces.

“Yamashita’s surrender, which took place in Kiangan, Ifugao, marked the beginning of the liberation of the Philippines after five years of Japanese rule,” the lawmakers recalled.

HB 6242 has been referred to the Committee on Revision of Laws in late October 2015 for its appropriate consideration and action.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=828729