PVAO Holds Symposium for Veterans Week

Image from United States Embassy
in the Philipppines website.

Philippine Veterans Affairs Office
Office for Public and Legislative Affairs
News Release


The Philippine Veterans Office (PVAO) held a film-showing and symposium dubbed "Images of Valor and Victory" on March 13, 2013, from 8 A.M. to 12 noon at the AFP Commissioned Officers Club in Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

In collaboration with the Philippine Historical Association (PHA), the event was one of the pre-Philippine Veterans Week activities to drum up the observance of the 2013 Philippine Veterans Week and the 71st Araw ng Kagitingan with the theme "Ang Beterano: Sigla at Inspirasyon ng Kabataan Tungo sa Tuwid na Daan."

Ms. Gemma Cruz - Araneta, Vice Chairperson of the Manila Historical and Heritage Commission, was the Keynote Speaker while respected historians from the academe gave brief lectures on World War II heroes and the liberation campaign in the Visayas. These historians included Prof. Luis Camara Dery, Ph.D., PHA President; Prof. Ricardo Jose, Ph.D., Chairman of the Department of History, University of the Philippines; and Prof. Michael Charleston Chua of the De La Salle University-Manila.

Prof. Evelyn Songco, Ph.D., PHA Vice President facilitated the open forum with esteemed veterans from the Visayas region as panelists. Col. Democrito Mendoza (AFP Res) of Cebu, Cpt. Alejandro P. Hontiveros, Sr. (Ret.), and veteran Claro O. Daulo of Iloilo interacted with the audience and shared their experiences and exploits as known leaders and members of the 6th and 7th Military Districts - guerrilla units whose fierceness in battles led the Japanese forces to retreat deep in jungles of the Visayas islands during WWII.

Joining them in the panel were leaders of World War II veterans organizations, notably: Col. Paterno V. Viloria, Ph.D. of the PEFTK Veterans Association Inc., Prof. Teodoro P. Calica (Ret.) of the Philippine Veterans Legion and Cmmdr. Ricardo B. Madayag of the Magsaysay Veterans Legion.

Defense Undersecretary for Civil, Veterans and Reserve Affairs Eduardo G. Batac, son of the late Death March veteran, BGen. Gonzalo "Salong" Batac, AFP (Ret.), also addressed the youth participants from various public and private schools in the National Capital Region.

Image from PVAO website.

Retired LtGen. Ernesto G. Carolina, PVAO Administrator, said various sectors of society are enjoined in the activities to show appreciation to our forefathers’ sacrifices. "The present generation should not take for granted the freedom, peace and democracy they are now enjoying. They should always remember that these precious gifts were paid by our veterans with their blood and toil, with their lives and limbs," he further said.

The symposium and personal interaction with veterans highlighted the numerous victories of Filipino freedom-fighters during WWII which eventually ended the Japanese occupation in the country. It was aimed at instilling national pride among the youth, exhorting them to contribute to nation-building. By doing so, the PVAO aims to also fulfil its task of preparing the nation’s future veterans who would be the country’s defenders and leaders.

The observance of the Philippine Veterans Week and Day of Valor (Araw ng Kagitingan) is pursuant to Proclamation No. 499 series of 1989 and Executive Order No. 23, series of 1987, respectively, during the administration of the late Pres. Corazon C. Aquino.

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