CAPAS, Tarlac—At least 3,000 participants joined the three-day event commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Bataan Death March, from kilometer zero in Mariveles, Bataan, to the national shrine here.
Dr. Mina T. Gabor, president of Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) Travel, said war veterans, their families and friends; sociocivic groups; government employees; military personnel such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Army, and Philippine Coast Guard; AAP members, volunteers, and others joined the march to immortalize the sacrifice of the freedom fighters.
Now collectively known as the Mariveles-San Fernando-Capas Freedom Trail, it is the biggest Death March commemorative activity, which seeks to promote freedom, world peace and international goodwill. The former tourism secretary said the march is the country’s national auto club’s way of promoting domestic tourism through motoring by visiting historic spots to help Filipinos learn from the lessons of the past.
Michael Quitorio, the assistant operations manager of the AAP, said the 160-kilometer running and biking events were both started from kilometer zero in Mariveles, Bataan, to the Capas National Shrine in this municipality, while the 10 kilometer-marching event started from the Death March Memorial Shrine to the Capas National Shrine.
The lightning of torch took place during the “freedom run,” the first event of the memorial, on April 9, the first day of the Mariveles-San Fernando-Capas Freedom Trail 2017 program; “Padyak para sa Kagitingan”, also known as the “freedom ride,” started on the second day of the activity, both were the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO)-sanctioned events; and the final event, “freedom march,” took place on April 11, the third and last day of the activity. The passing of torch was led on Tuesday by former President Fidel V. Ramos, who attended the event as the guest of honor and speaker. He was joined by retired Lt. Gen. Ernesto Carolina, the administrator of PVAO; Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan; and Cong. Leopoldo Bataoil of the Second District of Pangasinan, the chairman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs and Welfare.
Also present during the three-day activity were Tarlac Gov. Susan Yap-Sulit; Miguel Angelo Villa-Real, vice president for Corporate communications and Marketing Services Department of the Philippine Veterans Bank; Col. Ralph Liebhaber, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States ambassador to the Philippine Veteran Events; Mariveles Mayor Ace Jello Concepcion; and Brig. Gen. Restituto Aguilar, the chief of the Veterans Memorial and Historical Division of PVAO.
Villa-Real said the torch came all the way from kilometer zero in Mariveles, Bataan, and was brought by runners, 160 kilometers, through Pilar, Germosa, San Fernando City, the old train station, and finally, Capas. He said he is a grandson of a World War II-veteran, Capt. Andres Clemente, who became a Department of Education undersecretary, who was a teacher by profession, but was called into the war in 1941. He said the names of two of his great-grand uncles, whose names were confirmed written in the Wall of Heroes Memorial.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/thousands-join-activities-marking-75th-anniversary-of-bataan-death-march/
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