Day of Valor: Celebrating Modern Day Heroes

 

                    Araw ng Kagitingan (Filipino for "Day of Valor"), also known as Bataan Day, or Bataan and Corregidor Day, is a Philippine national holiday commemorating the fall of Bataan during World War II. It is observed on April 9, though it was moved to April 6 in 2009 because it would have coincided with Maundy Thursday. During the months of January to April of 1942, Filipino and American forces battled in a violent war. The Bataan Death March began on April 9, 1942, when the commander of the Luzon Force, Major General Edward P. King Jr., surrendered over 76,000 soldiers who were famished and sick. He surrendered against General Douglas McArthur's orders. Those captured troops who didn't make it through the long and arduous journey were left to die. The Bataan Death March claimed the lives of thousands of Filipino soldiers and hundreds of American soldiers. 

                                                   

                    Araw ng Kagitingan is a Philippine national holiday that falls on or around April 9. Many streets will be closed, and public transportation routes may be rerouted to accommodate the parades. Malls and other recreational locations are open, and most people may go there and spend the day with their families. Veterans of World War II will parade in numerous places around the Philippines to commemorate the day. The main ceremony takes place in Bataan at the Mt. Samat Shrine, which honors the bravery and sacrifice of Filipino and American troops during WWII. The Philippines' president delivers a speech honoring veterans. The Day of Valor festival honors and celebrates the pagkabayani, or courage, of World War II soldiers while also mourning the deaths of those who perished. This day is significant because it honors the Filipino and American soldiers who fought the Japanese during World War II.

                    This day reminds us that our bravery must extend beyond defending our lands from foreign attack. Our adversaries are found among us, within our own country. The Day of Valor is an opportunity for Filipinos today and tomorrow to reflect on times of strength and courage in the face of adversity and to rely on that strength again if necessary. The Araw ng Kagitingan can never be solely about the bravery of those who came before us and fought. The call to valor is a reminder to every Filipino of who we are, what we've accomplished in the past, what values we hold dear today, and what we must do to protect them at all times.

References:

"Araw ng Kagitingan" Retrieved March 17, 2022. https://www.bria.com.ph/articles/araw-ng-kagitingan-a-celebration-of-victory-and-heroism-of-filipino-freedom-fighters/

"Araw ng Kagitingan – The Fall of Bataan, The Rise of Modern Day Heroes" Retrieved March 17, 2022. https://philippinemorningpost.com/araw-ng-kagitingan-the-fall-of-bataan-the-rise-of-modern-day-heroes/

"10 Things You Might Not Have Known about Araw ng Kagitingan" Retrieved March 17, 2022. https://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/56136/10-facts-about-araw-ng-kagitingan

"Araw ng Kagitingan: Remembering the brave in the Fall of Bataan" Retrieved March 17, 2022.  https://army.mil.ph/home/index.php/featured-stories/1226-araw-ng-kagitingan-remembering-the-brave-in-the-fall-of-bataan