MINDANAO DAILY T H E P U RV E YO R O F T R U T H , J U S T I C E , A N D D E V E LO P M E N T
General Douglas MacArthur Week Special Issue
Monday
March 13, 2017
75th Diamond Jubilee: general MacArthur’S Breakout Celebrated
The local government units of Cagayan de Oro City and Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon will unfold a week-long schedule of events celebrating the 75th Anniversary of General Douglas MacArthur’s Breakout from Corregidor to Australia. “This marks the 75th anniversary of General MacArthur’s breakout from Corregidor when he rode the PT Boat to Cagayan, Misamis and eventually reached Australia by B-17 bomber,” said Dr. Erlinda M. Burton, chairperson of the Cagayan de Oro City Historical & Cultural Commission (Hiscom) which is coordinating the event. On March 11, 1942, General Douglas MacArthur, his family and general staff ran the Imperial Japanese Navy blockade and arrived in Macabalan Pier at Cagayan, Misamis at 7:00AM of March 13th. After sweating it out in Del Monte, Tankulan (present day Manolo Fortich) for four days waiting for their flight to Australia, the party finally boarded two B-17E bombers which brought them safely to Batchelor Field, Northern Territory in Australia. On his way to Melbourne, MacArthur met journalists
in Terowie, South Australia where he uttered what has probably become the most famous phrase to come out of World War II: “I Shall Return!” To celebrate the 75th Diamond Jubilee of MacArthur’s Breakout, the Cagayan de Oro City Council officially declared March 13-17, 2017 as “General Douglas MacArthur Week.” A re-enactment of MacArthur’s arrival in Macabalan Pier and Convoy to Del Monte, Tankulan (Manolo Fortich) kicks off the weeklong festival. Spectators will be treated to a spectacle of World War II vintage vehicles such as Willys MB jeeps ridden by reenactors dressed in military uniforms of the time (March
1942) and sporting replica vintage WWII weapons as the convoy winds its way along Julio Pacana Street and C.M. Recto Avenue and up to Sayre Highway to Dicklum, Tankulan (now Manolo Fortich) where a whole day activity has been planned by the LGU of Manolo Fortich as part of its Centennial celebration as a municipality. On March 14-17, the movies “Unsurrendered 2” and “Valor: The Legacy of Col. Emmanuel V. De Ocampo” by the Film Production Com-
pany Spyron-AV Manila, will be screened for free every morning at 8AM and 10AM in all Centrio Ayala Cinemas. These documentaries tell the stories of the forgotten Filipino Guerrillas who fought against the Japanese during WWII. Written and directed by Bani Logroño, a Kagay-anon. The Hiscom is coordinating with the DepEd Division of Cagayan de Oro to bring high school history students to watch the films. The Field Service Extension
BSP Council to honor scout who met MacArthur in Macabalan The Boy Scouts of the Philippines Cagayan de Oro Council will honor one of its scouters for the role he played in a footnote in history on March 13, 1942. As recounted by Ann Gorra in her anthology “City of Gold: People Who Made Their Home and History in Cagayan de Oro”, Abelardo Neri Queppet was one of the scouts of Baden-Powell Troop (named after the founder of the Scouting movement Lord Baden-Powell) in charge of enforcing the mandatory
blackout. His Dad encouraged him to join the Boy Scouts and he was a member of Troop 1 at the City Central School. There were at least 20 scouts in the troop among them Jaime Tiano, Victor Roa, Terencio Gadrinab, Hugo Balase, Antonio Zacharies, Vic Itchon, Jose Apolinario and Cristobal Nagac. These were dark days in Philippine history when the country was tottering on the brink of defeat with US See full story, page B8
Office-Region X of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) is also coordinating to bring WW2 veterans and their kin to the free screenings. A symposium will be held after each screening with the film maker and WWII veterans to answer questions from the audience. History students, teachers, researchers and World War II enthusiasts are invited to attend a series of symposiums on how it was in Mindanao during the time. These include “Guerrilla Daughter” by Virginia Hansen Holmes on 10AM Tuesday, 14 March at the Centrio Activity Center. Ms. Hansen is the President of the American Guerrillas of Mindanao Descendants Group (AGOM) and will share her personal experience her family spent in Lanao, Misamis Oriental and Surigao from the late 1930s through WWII. Her Dad operated a sawmill in Lanao while her three older brothers attended Ateneo de Cagayan (present day Xavier University) while her sister attended Lourdes Academy (now Lourdes College). The Hansen family later See breakout, page B7
B1 Finding Our Heroes:
Philippine Guerrilla Files from the US National Archives If you are a fan of World War II history, novels and movies, come to the Centrio Activity Center on Wednesday, March 15 at 2:00PM. The Cagayan de Oro City Historical and Cultural Commission (Hiscom) has arranged two free lectures on “Finding our Heroes: The BGen. Francisco Licuanan Jr. Memorial Collection, Philippine Guerilla Files f rom t h e U S Nat i on a l Archives” and memories of our heroes from World War II as a component program of General MacArthur Week on March 13-17, 2017. See full story, page B5
Life During Wartime and the Guerrillas of Mindanao
Among the salient events of General Douglas MacArthur Week are an eyewitness account of how it was to live in Mindanao during the Japanese occupation from 1941-1945, and the operations of Filipino and American guerrillas in Mindanao during that period. The Cagayan de Oro Historical and Cultural Commission has coordinated t w o l e c tu re s on t h e s e interesting subjects, both to be held at the Centrio Mall Activity Center. The first, “Guerrilla Daughter” is scheduled for See full story, page B4
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Monday, March 13, 2017
Norfolk
The WW2 Era Battleship WIsonsin is a salient attraction of dowtown Norfolk, VIrginia
The CDO Adult Exchange Program tours the USS Arlington at the Norfolk Naval Base, the biggest in the world.
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VALOR
A reenactment scene shot at the De Ocampos’ property in Doña Remedios Trinidad and Pandi, Bulacan (photo courtest of Albert Labrador)
Monday, March 13, 2017
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Bani Logroño directing reenactors playing Japanese Soldiers during the shooting of VALOR (Photo courtesy of Albert Labdrador)
General MacArthur Week:
The Making of VALOR: The Legacy of Col. Emmanuel V. De Ocampo By Bani Logroño
General Douglas MacArthur Week:
VALOR: THE LEGACY OF COL. EMMANUEL V. DE OCAMPO
A 53-minute biopic documentary film of how an ordinary college student became one of the fiercest guerrilla leaders in the Philippines during World War II. It is the story how the Filipino youth achieved victory in one of the darkest eras in the nation’s history. Emmanuel V. De Ocampo was only an 18 year old ROTC cadet when he joined the Hunters ROTC Guerrillas in the mountains of Antipolo during World War II. Together with his equally young and talented comrades, they stole firearms from the enemy and fought against the Imperial Japanese invaders through all of Southern Luzon. De Ocampo himself stood out as a fierce combatant and an inspirational guerrilla leader in many of his battles and operations.
Eventually, De Ocampo rose to the rank of Colonel and became the commander of the 47th Hunters ROTC Division. He became responsible for liberating many of the towns and areas in Batangas, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, and Manila. He defeated many of the strongest Japanese forces in the Philippines, including the Japanese Imperial Marines in the Battle of Fort Mckinley and Nichols Field, and the Fuji Forces in the Battle of Mount Malepunyo. After the war, Col. De Ocampo continued to serve the country by fighting for the welfare of World War II veterans. He would continue to care for them until he passed away on December 26, 2015. But even after his death, his legacy lives on, as his stories of valor continue to inspire future generations to
emulate his unwavering courage and patriotism for the country and its people. Enjoy the free screening of VALOR at the Ayala Centrio Cinemas on March 1417, 2017 at 8AM and 10AM. This is a component program of the 75th Diamond Jubilee of Gen. Douglas Ma-
cArthur’s Breakout from Corregidor to Australia (via Cagayan, Misamis and Dicklum, Tankulan, Manolo Fortich) Sponsored by Philippine Veterans Bank, Ayala Malls Cinemas, Centrio Mall, The Movie Snack Bar, Seda Centrio, Cebu Pacific Air, SPYRON AV and STEAG State Power Inc.
The making of this documentary was a remarkable challenge in itself: A group of young filmmakers and talents–some of which having never experienced the making of a documentary–faced the daunting task of condensing 92 years of a legendary hero into 50 minutes, all the while fighting against sparse resources, inclement weather, and raging typhoons, all in the span of only six months. But despite all these challenges, each and every person in the crew fought on to make the film a reality. The unbelievable stories of Col. De Ocampo’s life inspired us to finish the film no matter what, so that it may, in turn, continue to inspire the future generations who will watch this movie.
Halfway through our production, it was decided that the documentary was to be called Valor: The Legacy of Col. Emmanuel V. De Ocampo. “Valor” because it is the quality of spirit that enables a person to face any challenge without fear. It is a virtue that has only been expressed by a select few throughout history. The defining trait of a true hero. But Col. De Ocampo did not just express this characteristic in one or two moments in his life. Col. De Ocampo exemplified valor throughout his lifetime of service. It was at the core of his principles, and it extended to everyone that he met and everyone that learned about him. Col. De Ocampo inspired people to become See Valor, page B7
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Monday, March 13, 2017
War Stories
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General Douglas MacArthur Week
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Life During Wartime and the Guerrillas of Mindanao
Among the salient events of General Douglas MacArthur Week are an eyewitness account of how it was to live in Mindanao during the Japanese occupation DANTE M. SUDARIA from 1941-1945, and Publisher and President the operations of Filipino and American TERESA ZAFRA PELONE guerrillas in Mindanao Comptroller during that period. felix santillan melanie rivera The Cagayan de ZELOUNE SUDARIA SAIRA E. GUMISING Oro Historical and Layout Artist Advertising Cultural Commission has coordinated two WEMALYN GARCIA Rolando sudaria lectures on these Production Marketing interesting subjects, both to be held at the manila marketing office Centrio Mall Activity 9th Flr, Unit 918, CityLand Herrera VA Rufino cor. Valero St. Center. Salcedo Village, Makati City TEL. #: 5555392, Cell No.: 0977-152-8860 The first, “Guerrilla Daughter” is MIJIE JUAT lani vallido scheduled for 10AM Marketing and Sales MAY IGLECIAS Tuesday, 14 March Manager Account Executives 2017, and dwells on the book by Virginia DAVAO booking OFFICE Hansen Holmes, Door 223, Doña Segunda Bldg., CM Recto Ave., Davao City Office in Charge : SARA CASTOR, 0926-398-8293 daughter of guerrilla Circulation : JOHN PAUL AQUINO, 0907-331-5640 Cpl. Charles Hansen, who was the logistics ILIGAN OFFICE G/F IBJT North Terminal, Tambo, Hinaplanon, Iligan City head for the Surigao Office in Charge: SONNY SURDIA, 0916-349-7422 sector of the 10th Military District of the United States Forces in EDITORIAL the Philippines (USFIP) under Col. Wendell ALLAN M. MEDIANTE Fertig. Her two Editor-in-Chief elder brothers were ruel pelone CRIS DIAZ guerrillas under Fertig Managing Editor Executive Editor as well. CHENG ORDOÑEZ MARK FRANCISCO Ms. Holmes, who Associate Editor Lifestyle Editor is President of the American Guerrillas gerry lee gorit GILBERT Y. CHAO of Mindanao Motoring Editor Photo Journalist Descendants Group PAT SAMONTE CHRIS PANGANIBAN (AGOM), will share her Regional Editor Caraga Regional Editor-Davao personal experience of the time her family Rene Michael BaÑos uRIEL C. QUILINGUING Regional Editor Northmin Contributing Editor spent in Lanao, Misamis Oriental and AL JACINTO JOE FELICILDA Surigao from the late Regional Editor-WestMin Editorial Consultant 1930s through WWII. Her Dad operated RODRIGO B. SEVILLA JOE PALABAO a sawmill in Lanao Regional Editor-Davao Feature Editor
One American family of heroes belatedly received several Philippine government medals for World War II service. L-R Henry Hansen; sister Virginia Hansen Holmes, author of Guerrilla Daughter; Defense Sec. Delfin N. Lorenzana, then head of the Office of Veterans Affairs at the Phil embassy & Kent Holmes. Posthumous awards were presented to Charles Hansen (father) and his other son, Rudyard.
while her three older brothers attended Ateneo de Cagayan (present day Xavier University) while her sister attended Lourdes Academy (now Lourdes College). The Hansen family later moved to northern Surigao where her father worked as Plant Superintendent of a gold mine. Her second lecture scheduled on Wednesday, 15 March 2017 at 10:30AM of the same venue, will discuss the book Wendell Fertig and his Guerrilla Forces in the Philippines (Fighting the Japanese Occupation 19421945) written by her husband Kent Holmes.
ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI
NOTARY PUBLIC- JUNI LAW OFFICE CELL NO: 09352379999/ (088) 8573595 CRUZ TAAL ST., CAG. DE ORO CITY Legal Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------
bureau and mktg staff candy macabale - 09161326483 RIZA O. ARES - 0915-9753-277/0926-2242-653 MISOR - LOLONG NABONG - 0906-875-8650 GINGOOG CITY-MANNY ANSIHAGAN-0936-287-7788 North Buk. - DAHLIA S. BENEMERITO-0955-150-6602 VALENCIA CITY - PHILIP PHIL CALUMBA-0905-652-5407 MARAMAG - roFINA CUALES - 0926-336-1585 quezon, buk. - ROSE GENON Iligan City - JEFFREY OPONDA-0936-1174378 tangub city - bobby mag usara OROQUIETA CITY - PJ TREMEDAL-0919-3452375 ARMM - Sony Sudaria-0947-4810371 cotabato - ANALISA ESPAÑOLA-0916-9351714 davao - tom a. caballero-09756023684 davao - tomas canoy avancena jr.-09177017010 davao del norte - sarah castor - 09263988293 digos city, dvo sur & kidapawan - romeo d. sanchez davao city - rene s. arias (Photo Journalist,) butuan - PAT SAMONTE-0912-8091093 san frans - CRIS PANGANIBAN-09277974193 San Francisco - deding PANGANBAN-0927-7974193 Pagadian City - GRACE FRANCISCO -0912-8484037 ZAMBOANGA - AL JACINTO -09177103642 Member: ORO CHAMBER Philippine Press Institute
Guerrilla Daughter by Virginia Hansen Holmes
Ginger and Peach (2001). Guerrilla Daughter, Virginia Hansen Holmes.
The book is an indepth study of Col Wendell Fertig and the challenges he had to overcome organizing and leading the 10th Military District in Mindanao and contains valuable research material for those interested in historical details about the guerrilla resistance movement in Mindanao during WWII -SPYRON submarine missions, radio communications, coast watcher stations, etc. Kent Holmes is a retired Central Intelligence Agency officer and a member of CIA’s
Senior Intelligence Service. He served overseas for 15 years in six countries, including two years in Laos supervising paramilitary operations in northwest Laos. He lives in Falls Church, Virginia. The Hansen Lecture Series is sponsored by Ayala Centrio Mall and coordinated by Hiscom with the Department of Education Cagayan de Oro City Division, the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office Field Service Extension Office (PVAO-FSEO) Region 10 and Veterans Federation of the Philippines Region 10. (RMB)
Hansen family photo, Manila, late 1935
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Guerilla Files
Finding Our Heroes:
Monday, March 13, 2017
General MacArthur Week
B5
Philippine Guerrilla Files from the US National Archives I
f you are a fan of World War II histor y, novels and movies, come to the Centrio Activity Center on Wednesday, March 15 at 2:00PM. The Cagayan de Oro City Historical and Cultural Commission (Hiscom) has arranged two free lectures on “Finding our Heroes: The BGen. Francisco Licuanan Jr. Memorial Collection, Philippine Guerilla Files from the US National Archives” and memories of our heroes from World War II as a component program of General MacArthur Week on March 13-17, 2017. The celebration marks the 75th Diamond Jubilee of Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s Breakout from Corregidor to Australia (via Cagayan, Misamis and Dicklum, Tankulan, Manolo Fortich) on March 11-17, 1942. Head Researcher Marie Silva Vallejo said the digitization project of the Philippine Archives Collection at the United States National Archives was undertaken to preser ve crumbling documents and make known the heroic exploits of our Filipino guerrilla fighters and disseminate the records as research and teaching materials. “Above all, we want to install a sense of nationalism through the untold stories in these records,” Ms. Vallejo stressed. With her extensive
expertise and experience from her previous stint at Intel, Ms. Vallejo helped digitize extant records of Filipino soldiers during WWII. “ The records of the Philippine Guerrilla Recognition Program are not at the command level, but rather at the level of individuals who were involved in militar y operations in the Philippines from 19411945,” she explained. “Included in these archives are records of the treatment of prisoners of war (POWs), how guerrilla warfare was waged in the Philippines through personal histories, diaries, unit histories, medical/ death reports,” she added. The 280,000 scanned primar y source records include little-known guerrilla activities in various municipalities and provinces. Researchers will find the collection a mother lode of information detailing activities of guerrilla units, first person accounts of efforts to liberate the Philippines from Japanese control, and prevailing conditions in the Philippines during the Japanese occupation. Retrieved from the US National Archives, these digitized records are known as the Brig. Gen. Francisco Licuanan Jr. Collection in the Philippines. This collection, along with the new USCIS program that allows Filipino veterans
Marie Vallejo lectures on The Philippine Archives Collection
expedite reunion with petitioned family members, recognizes their sacrifices and continued struggle for the benefits and recognition promised in exchange for their ser vice. Ms. Vallejo will deliver her lecture twice within General MacArthur Week: on Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 2:00PM at the Centrio Activity Center and again on Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 10:30AM at the Liceo de Cagayan University Viewing Room. The Hiscom is coordinating with the Department of Education and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) Field Ser vice Office-10 to bring in interested academics and veterans to attend the
two lectures. These lectures are open to the public. Histor y students and professor and researchers are strongly encouraged to
Bolo-wielding Filipino guerillas guard Japanese prisoners.
listen in and learn how to use the database for academic research as well as other purposes. These two lectures are sponsored by the Philippine Veterans
Bank in coordination with the PVAO FSEO10 and Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP) Region X. (RMB)
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Monday, March 13, 2017
General Douglas MacArthur Week:
Acclaimed Kagay-anon director comes home after 18 years
MMM-EyeSight2020 is a component program of Montero Medical Missions (monteromedicalmissions.org), a faith based international NGO based in Cheasapeake, Virginia, USA. It is an Optometry and eyeglass program that employs community resource mobilization and private - public partnership strategies to sustain its hospital base operations, eyecare outreach activities and eyeglass banking operations. It facilitates eye surgical and advance medical interventions through a network of eye specialty practitioners and mission groups. Working in collaboration with the Department of Health through the National Committee on Sight Preservation(NCSP) in line with International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) VISION 2020 – The Right to Sight initiative, it now leads the Provincial Eyesight Board to champion Vision2020-Surigao del Sur. Inspired by Christian love and service to humanity and urged by the surgical backlog and increasing incidence of blindness and visual impairment in the Philippines, EyeSight2020, aims to provide access to primary eye health services which is free to indigents and affordable to low income patients in underserved communities. MMM-EyeSight2020 model eye clinic is located in Madrid District Hospital, Province of Surigao del Sur in the Philippines. OUR VISION “Improving Peoples’ Lives By Restoring Their Vision To Enable Them Achieve Their Full Potential” OUR MISSION • We will promote VISION2020:The Right to Sight- global initiative, which aims to eliminate avoidable blindness by the year 2020; • We will partner with government and nongovernment organizations to implement and sustain our sight restoration and sight saving programs. In 2014, a total of 4,437 eye exams were performed while 4,371 corresponding eyeglasses prescriptions were filled and dispensed free and some for token fees. 421 patients diagnosed of pathological conditions, treated with minor infections, referred for cataract and other surgical interventions to restore their vision. In 2016, the program received brand new optometric instruments to establish and maintain an eye care clinic to serve residents of the central area of the province specially public school children having partnered with the Department of Education and trained school nurses and teachers on vision screening. We also have formally engaged into partnership with the local government unit (LGU) of Carrascal, Surigao del Sur to make eye care part of their local healthcare system. We are continuously working to replicate the program in other parts of the country.
Bani Logroño is a Filipino writer and director, most notably known for his award-winning World War II documentaries aimed at inspiring the next generation of heroes in the Philippines through historical education for the youth. Working with the production team Spyron•AV Manila, the documentaries are brought to various schools, universities and organizations around the world for young students to learn about their nearly forgotten history of the Philippines during World War II. Mr. Logroño’s 54-minute documentary “Unsurrendered 2: The Hunters ROTC Guerrillas” has gained acclaim and recognition in various film festivals around the world, including New Zealand, Indonesia, Canada, and Hollywood. Filipino historians and professors have hailed the film as the best World War II documentary about the Philippines. At 24 years old, Mr. Logroño is one of the youngest directors in the Philippines to advocate World War II history. Not many are aware that the young director was born in Cagayan de Oro City in 1992 and went to school at Xavier University (Ateneo de Cagayan) until the family moved to the US in 1999. Unsurrendered 2: The Hunters ROTC Guerrillas • Golden Award – World Documentary Awards, Jakarta, Indonesia 2016 • Best Documentary Feature Film, Kiwi International Film Festival – New Zealand 2016 • Royal Reel Award –
Bani and Mai Logroño at Ayala Museum
Canada International Film Festival, Vancouver 2016 • International Documentary Award – Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Fest, Hollywood 2015 Enjoy the free screening of “Unsurrendered 2: The Hunters ROTC Guerrillas” at the Ayala Centrio Cinemas on March 14-17, 2017 at 8AM and 10AM. This is a component program of the 75th Diamond Jubilee of Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s Breakout from Corregidor to Australia (via Cagayan, Misamis and Dicklum, Tankulan, Manolo Fortich). Sponsored by Philippine Veterans Bank, Ayala Malls Cinemas, Centrio Mall, The Movie Snack Bar, Seda Centrio, Cebu Pacific Air, SPYRON AV and STEAG State Power Inc.
MISSION SERVICES : • Eye Exam & Refraction • Eyeglasses Dispensing • Cataract Screening & Post Surgical Care • Ocular Prosthesis • Ocular Injuries & Emergencies • Counseling and Referral Contact: Dr. Chris O. Buniel Program Director Madrid District Hospital Surigao del Sur, Mobile No. 0998-544-5435 Email: chrisbuniel@gmail.com
MacArthur Memorial invited the Phil delegation to Pacific World War 2 to premiere the award-winning documentary Unsurrendered 2 t in Norfolk, Virginia.
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Breakout... from page B1
moved to northern Surigao where her father worked as Plant Superintendent of a gold mine. Her father and two elder brothers were guerrillas in Wendell Fertig’s group during WWII. Ms. Hansen will again lecture on “Wendell Fertig and his Guerrilla Forces in the Philippines” (Fighting the Japanese Occupation 19421945), a book written by her husband Kent Holmes the following day, Wednesday, 15 March at 10:30AM at the Centrio Mall Activity Center. The book is an in-depth study of Col Wendell Fertig and the challenges he had to overcome while organizing and leading the 10th Military District in Mindanao and contains valuable research material for those interested in historical details about the guerrilla resistance movement in Mindanao during WWII -- SPYRON submarine missions, radio communications, coast watcher stations, etc. Kent Holmes is a retired Central Intelligence Agency officer and a member of CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service. He served overseas for 15 years in six countries, including two years in Laos supervising paramilitary operations in northwest Laos. He lives in Falls Church, Virginia and is married to Ms. Holmes. Ms. Hansen’s presentation will be followed at 2PM of the same day at the same venue by Finding Our Heroes (The Brig. Gen. Francisco Licuanan, Jr. Memorial Collection Philippine Guerrilla Files from the US National Archives) to be presented by Marie Vallejo, Head Researcher. Having worked with Intel, Ms. Vallejo has helped digitize extant records of Filipino soldiers during WWII. Through her extensive research, many Filipino veterans have qualified for more benefits from their service during the war. She renders another lecture on the same topic on Thursday, 16 February at 10:30AM at the Liceo de Cagayan University Library. Another interactive event awaits on Wednesday, 15 March with the launching of the MacArthur Breakout Exhibit at 10AM at the 3rd floor foyer of Centrio Mall. The exhibit will feature pictures from the MacArthur Memorial of Norfolk, Virginia through the Cagayan de Oro City Committee of the Norfolk Sister Cities Association, the Cagayan de Oro City Historical & Cultural Heritage Commission and Cagayan de Oro MacArthur Memorial Core Group and relics from local collectors. Visitors will get a firsthand look at pictures of MacArthur’s time in Del Monte while he was waiting for his B-17 ride to Australia, weapons, uniforms and other gear of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) and Japanese Imperial Army. Another exhibit will be opened on Thursday,
16 March at the Liceo de Cagayan University Library focusing on Mindanao Guerrillas especially local heroes like Col. Fidencio Laplap,Col. Leonardo Hernando, the Tiano Brothers, the Montalvan Brothers, Maj. Angeesl Limena, Pastor and Jake Ilogon , Salipada Pendatun and Busran Kalaw. Not the least, an Eyesight 20/20 Optometric Mission will be conducted on March 15-16 at the J.R. Borja Memorial General Hospital from 8am-4PM daily. This is a free Eye Care Medical Mission led by Dr. Chris Buniel, president of the Optometric Association of the Philippines (OAP) for a maximum 300 patients. Newly purchased reading and prescription eyeglasses will be dispensed to deserving indigent patients—MMM’s tribute of friendship to Kagay-anons. Sponsored by Montero Medical Missions in coordination with the Cagayan de Oro Eyesight Board, Optometric Association of the Philippines - CDO-Chapter, Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro (Mother Club), J.R. Borja Memorial General Hospital, Cagayan de Oro Eyesight Board and PVAO FSEO-10 office. The week’s events come to a close with a Thanksgiving Mass at the St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral to be officiated by Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, S.J, and Fr. Daniel Coronel, SSJV. The week concludes with a Thanksgiving Program and 75th Diamond Jubilee Commemorative Dinner at Casa Real, VIP Hotel. The program will include the recognition of Mindanao Guerrillas and Veterans who fought the Japanese Occupation. General Douglas MacArthur Week is a joint project of the Cagayan de Oro Historical & Cultural Commission, Cagayan de Oro City Tourism Council and Manolo Fortich Municipal Tourism Office, in coordination with General Douglas MacArthur Foundation (Norfolk, Virginia); Norfolk Sister City Association (NSCA, Norfolk, Virginia); Cagayan de Oro City Tourism Council, Cagayan de Oro City Tourism & Cultural Affairs Office, Cagayan de Oro City Council Tourism Committee, Manolo Fortich Municipal Board Tourism Committee; Rotary Club of Northern Bukidnon, Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro, and Department of Education Cagayan de Oro City Division of City Schools. The organizers would also like to recognize the contribution of the following sponsors and benefactors: Philippine Ports Authority, Montero Medical Missions, Philippine Veterans Bank, Centrio Mall, Ayala Mall Cinemas, 4th Infantry Division (Philippine Army), Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (Philippine Navy), UC-1 Corporation, Parasat Cable TV, Philippine Coast Guard Northern Mindanao, Cebu Pacific Air, Smart Communications, Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines, Boy Scouts of
Monday, March 13, 2017 the Philippines Cagayan de Oro Council, Davies Paints Philippines, Seda Centrio, Liceo de Cagayan University, Gaisano Malls, Nature’s Spring Water, V.V. Security Agency, STEAG State Power Inc. and Ms. Gigi G. Go.
VALOR... from page B3
heroes in their own way. And even after death, his legacy of creating new heroes lives on. Thank you to the Board of Trustees of the Veterans of WWII and Philippine Veterans Bank for making this film possible. Enjoy the free screening of VALOR at the Ayala Centrio Cinemas on March 14-17, 2017 at 8AM and 10AM. This is a component program of the 75th Diamond Jubilee of Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s Breakout from Corregidor to Australia (via Cagayan, Misamis and Dicklum, Tankulan, Manolo Fortich). Sponsored by Philippine Veterans Bank, Ayala Malls Cinemas, Centrio Mall, The Movie Snack Bar, Seda Centrio, Cebu Pacific Air, SPYRON AV and STEAG State Power Inc.
Honor... from page B8
Sergeant Hunter, charged with the security of Macabalan port in those days, often kidded him about making sure he stops the tartanillas since they had no brakes. On the evening of Thursday, March 12, 1942, Sgt. Hunter asked Loloy to be at the parola (lighthouse) in Macabalan at 7PM. Upon his arrival, Sgt. Hunter told him they were expecting General Douglas MacArthur to arrive between midnight and dawn. Sure enough, at 7AM of Friday, March 13, 1942, MacArthur and his party disembarked from two PT Boats at Macabalan Pier and rode a convoy of military vehicles to the Del Monte airfield in nearby Tankulan, Bukidnon. But not before the General noticed the Boy Scout and his bike (who saluted him with the three fingered Boy Scout salute), standing by the gangplank where they were disembarking (now the site of the flagpole for the Cagayan de Oro Port Management Office of the Philippine Ports Authority). Asked what the Boy Scout was doing there, one of the soldiers replied he was a community volunteer. “ S e n d h i m h o m e ,” MacArthur said. “The war is inevitable.” (Gorra, 2010) On Monday, March 13, 2017, the City of Cagayan de Oro through the City Historical and Cultural Commission (Hiscom) leads the 75th Diamond Jubilee of General MacArthur’s Breakout from Corregidor to Australia, via Cagayan, Mis amis and Dick lum, Tankulan (Manolo Fortich). Among the salient
moments of the week –long celebration from March 1317, 2017, is the reenactment of MacArthur’s arrival at Macabalan. To be included among the cast of reenactors, (and unknown to world history save for the local yarn as told by Loloy to Ms. Gorra), is Boy Scout Abelardo “Loloy” Neri Queppet, who will be played by his 9-year old grand nephew Clark Dexter M. Prudente of the BadenPowell Troop of Xavier University High School, the same troop of by his late grand uncle when he met MacArthur. According to Boys Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) Cagayan de Oro Council
Chair Roy Hilario P. Raagas, they will be awarding the late Scout Queppet a posthumous award for his valiant deeds as a Boy Scout in enforcing the blackout and directing traffic under dangerous circumstances in Plaza Divisoria in 1942. BSP Cagayan de Oro Council Scout Executive Rudy Guligado added the local council will also present the family of Genevieve Josefa Queppet Ramonal, his only child, with a BSP Centennial Medallion and plaque during the 75th Commemorative Dinner and Program on March 17 which closes the curtains on General Douglas MacArthur Week.
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Scout Loloy Queppet passed on in September 2008. But his date with one of the titans of the 20th Century will now forever stay entwined with the saga of General Douglas MacArthur, “The Liberator of the Philippines.” Interested readers can still purchase copies of Ann Gorra’s “City of Gold: People Who Made Their Home and History in Cagayan de Oro” from Amazon.com through the ff. link: https://www. amazon.com/City-GoldPeople-History-Cagayan/ dp/1897435444/ref=sr_1_ 1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid =1488598770&sr=1-1&ke ywords=city+of+gold%3A +people+who+made+thei r+home+and+history
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Monday, March 13, 2017
War Stories
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General Douglas MacArthur Week:
BSP Council to honor scout who met MacArthur in Macabalan
T
Cagayan de Oro’s Macabalan Pier during the Japanese Occupation
he Boy Scouts of the Philippines Cagayan de Oro Council will honor one of its scouters for the role he played in a footnote in history on March 13, 1942. As recounted by Ann Gorra in her anthology “City of Gold: People Who Made Their Home and History in Cagayan de Oro”, Abelardo Neri Queppet was one of the scouts of Baden-Powell Troop (named after the founder of the Scouting movement Lord Baden-
Powell) in charge of enforcing the mandatory blackout. His Dad encouraged him to join the Boy Scouts and he was a member of Troop 1 at the City Central School. There were at least 20 scouts in the troop among them Jaime Tiano, Victor Roa, Terencio Gadrinab, Hugo Balase, Antonio Zacharies, Vic Itchon, Jose Apolinario and Cristobal Nagac. These were dark days in Philippine history when the country was tottering on the brink of defeat with US and Filipino forces boxed in Bataan and Corregidor by the all-conquering Japanese Imperial Army. So it was strictly lights out after 5PM for everyone lest they be subjected to Japanese attack. “As soon as dusk gave way to night, I rode my bike (bought from a Japanese Bazaar) and
rode around Del Mar, Mindanao and to the pier, blowing my whistle to warn residents that it was time to shut their lights off.” Loloy was assigned to do the task by his Scout Master Epifanio Balase since he was a native-born Kagay-anon and knew his way around. Even if he was just 14 years old at the time, Loloy went about his routine like a professional: waking up at 6AM, clean the house, eat breakfast, and report to HQ in his Boy Scout Uniform: shorts, knee socks, red and blue neckerchief, brown shirt and Boy Scout cap. Another of Loloy’s responsibilities was to direct traffic at Plaza Divisoria to expedite the passage of US military convoys to avoid strafings by Japanese planes. His friend, one See Honor, page B7
Abelardo Neri Queppet
Dr. David B.Katague of Iloilo wears the BSP uniform circa 1943-1945, similar to the one worn by Scout Loloy Queppet when he met MacArthur in 1942.