TACLOBAN CITY (CIO) – The City Government of Tacloban under Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez paid tribute to its surviving World War (WW) II veterans at the Price Mansion, Saturday, October 19, coinciding with the 75th Liberation Anniversary Celebration.

Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez was represented by Atty. Ivy Carba, the OIC City Administrator who gave an inspirational message to the 12 surviving WW II veterans of the city.

During the tribute program, the veterans were given a plaque of recognition, token and cash gifts amounting to P3, 000 as a way to recognize their contribution and service to attain the liberty that we are having today.

In attendance during the celebration were the 10 surviving war heroes of the city namely; Jose Acuna Acedillo, 99; Eduardo Aguilar Bermudo, 95; Pablito Arana Candela, 90; Aquila Gallego Closa, 91; Ramon Ocampo Medina, 92; Margarito Baclayo Olguera, 94; Maxima Aviles Satorre, 98; Xerxes Alisbo Abadiano, 99; Epistemia Redona Rama, 92 and Paciencia Kempis Tripoli, 92.

Meanwhile, the two other living veterans namely Teresa Olino Malpas, 91 and Remegia Cruzada Tomol, 97 were represented by their family.

To let the future generations remember what happened in 1944, Ramon Ocampo Modina, one of the war veterans gave a testimonial speech and thanked the city government for recognizing them every year.

“This celebration of the 75th Liberation Anniversary is very significant to us for after the war, we still survived and witnessed the event. I am very much thankful that each year we are given recognition and honor. It only shows that we are not forgotten,” Modina said.

On the other hand, the Australian Ambassador Steven James Robinson also graced the occasion to pay tribute to the said war veterans.

In his speech, he expressed his gratitude to those war heroes who sacrificed their lives to provide a secure and prosperous future for the nation and the region as well.

The Ambassador also vowed that Australia and the Philippines’ bilateral and defense relations will remain grounded in friendship, solidarity, and cooperation for the betterment of the nation and its people.

Also present during the occasion were Vice-Mayor Jerry Yaokasin, the officials from the Philippine Army, the Philippine National Police, and other uniform services. City Government officials were also there to witness the event along with Shawn Capuncion and Luningning Lariosa, who respectively read the messages of House Majority Leader Congressman Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Tingog Party-list Representative Yedda Marie Romualdez.

October 19 has been declared locally as the Tacloban City World War II Veterans day through City Ordinance No. 2007-9-65. Under the ordinance, the family of a deceased World War II veteran is entitled to burial assistance amounting to P10, 000 from the city government. – C. Merin/CIO

#CIOUpdates
#VeteransDay2019
#75thLiberationAnniversary

Photos: K. E. Napala/CIO