LEYTE GULF LANDINGS REVELRY. The McArthur Memorial Landing Park in Palo, Leyte where most of the 75th Leyte Gulf Landings activities will be held. The Leyte Gulf Landings commemoration will be on Oct. 20 with several activities lined up. (PNA file photo)
PALO, Leyte -- The Leyte provincial government is stepping up its preparation for the 75th Leyte Gulf Landings commemoration on Oct. 20 with several activities lined up for the celebration
The three-week activities will kick off through an exhibit of the national costume of Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray at Oriental Hotel from Oct. 10 to 24 and the first Leyte Landing 4x4 off-road challenge at Boy Scout Circle, Government Center, this town on Oct. 12 to 13.
On Oct. 13, the provincial government will lead the inauguration and lighting of newly-rehabilitated McArthur Land Memorial National Park in this town.
Also happening on Oct. 13 is the World War II Vintage Car vehicle show and exhibit at the Boy Scout Circle that will run until Oct. 25.
On Oct. 15, the 75th Leyte Landing Choral Competition along with the “Pagbabalik” Hip-hop competition will be held at the Boy Scout Circle.
There will be an exhibit from Oct. 16 to 22 showcasing the agri, aqua, science and technology products at the Boy Scout Circle. A dancesport competition and the 75th Leyte Landing Speech Choir Competition is going to be held on the same day and venue.
On Oct. 17, the Sentimental Journey will be commemorated in Guiuan, Eastern Samar. Several World War II veterans, personnel from the Armed Force of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and the Guiuan local government will participate in the event.
The Sentimental Journey will be held at the Navy 3149 Base in Ngolos village. This is to remember the Battle of Suluan (an island village in Guiuan) as a prelude to the Leyte Gulf Landings.
On the same day, the search for Miss Liberation Diamond will be held also at the Boy Scout Circle. Also on Oct. 17, there will be a two-day National Conference on the 75th Anniversary of Leyte Gulf Landings at the Leyte Normal University in Tacloban City.
The Tolosa Signal Day Commemorative Event is up on Oct. 18 remembering the heroic acts of Scouts Valeriano Abello, Antero Junia Sr. and Vicente Tiston who signaled the Allied Forces from the hilltops of Telegrafo village using the semaphore signs not to bomb the shorelines because thousands of residents were living in the area.
Also happening that day is the 11th Oktubafest competition organized by the An Waray party-list at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo town.
At the Boy Scout Circle, activities are the Executive Band Boy show, a Fashion show and the War of Our Fathers” a tribute to Filipino Freedom exhibit from Oct. 18 to 27.
On Oct. 19, the province will celebrate the Hill 120 Commemorative Event in Dulag town. It is in honor of the first hoisting of the American flag in Philippine soil after it was lowered in Bataan in 1942.
Various activities were also lined-up by the provincial government on Oct. 19 starting with live free festival at the Leyte Academic Center, Palo commemorative event Barrio Fiesta at the Palo Municipal Hall and the grand finals of the Pagbabalik Hip-hop competition at the Boy Scout Circle.
On Oct. 20, the program for the Leyte Gulf Landings commemoration will start with the “Sunrise Ceremony of the Filipino World War II Veterans at the Unknown Soldier Monument at 4 a.m. and will be followed by the 75th National Commemoration Ceremonies at the McArthur Land Memorial National Park at 8 a.m.
Other activities on the 20th are the Subiran Regatta which will start at the Oriental Hotel in this town, the reunion of the veterans at the Department of Education-Leyte Gymnasium, the commemorative luncheon and awarding and recognition of the 10 oldest living Filipino veterans.
A fireworks display at the McArthur Land Memorial National Park in the evening will cap the day-long activities.
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), the lead agency for this year celebration, has invited President Rodrigo Duterte as the guest of honor, but the President has yet to confirm his attendance, Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla said on Monday.
Also invited to the 75th Leyte Landings Commemoration are NHCP chairman Rene Escalante, United States Ambassador Sung Yong Kim, Australian Ambassador Steven James Robinson, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Daniel Robert Pruce, New Zealand Ambassador David John Strachan, Ambassador of Japan Koji Haneda, and Ambassador of Canada John Thomas Holmes.
“Just to remind everyone, this is not that just the provincial government commemoration of World War II but for everybody. This is our commemoration; this is everybody’s activity. Your participation in all activities or by watching our activities is already a big contribution,” Petilla said in an interview.
“This is not just a simple commemoration or ceremony, but we are here to learn a lesson from the valor of our heroes, the example that our heroes are very important. As we face more challenges, we need to learn the lesson for us to overcome all these challenges,” Petilla added.
The Leyte Gulf Landing is a commemoration of the Battle of Leyte Gulf the largest naval battle in the Pacific, and the largest naval battle in recorded history.
The battle spanned 100,000 square miles of sea; and was fought for three days, from Oct. 23 to 25, 1944, during the invasion of Leyte by the Allied forces.
The battle signaled the fulfillment of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's famous words, “I shall return,” who left the country and escaped to Australia to muster support from the Allied forces in the quest to liberate the Philippines from Japanese forces’ occupation.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1081161
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