Marathoners commemorate Death March

SAN FERNANDO, Pam­panga – For over two decades now, a group of marathoners have been honoring survivors and other heroes of the Death March during World War II. Tomorrow, they will again retrace the steps of the infamous march that started on the same date, exactly 66 years ago.

“It will again be a tribute run for World War II veterans and those of them who are still alive will honor us anew by starting the marathon at the Mariveles marker where the actual Death March started,” said marathoner Ed Paez, founder of the San Fernando Runners Unlimited Inc. (Safer RUN).

Paez’s group is now on their 22rd year of commemorating the Death March, which happened after the fall of Bataan into the hands of Japanese invaders in World War II.

“The relay marathon is the oldest and longest-running tribute run honoring our World War II veterans,” Paez said.

Dubbed “Araw ng Kagi­tingan Ultra-Marathon,” the two-day, 102-kilometer run, launched by Paez’s group in 1986 after People Power I, will start with a “Walk with the Heroes” program at the Death March marker in Mariveles.

Paez said 87-year-old Veterans Federation of the Philippines post commander Abra­ham Regala and Mariveles Mayor Jesse Concepcion will lead the first 10-meter stretch as a send-off to the mara­thoners. Regala will then pass on the symbolic torch to Paez.

Paez said the torch, along with the flags of the Philippines, Japan and the United States, will be carried up to the final destination at a Death March marker at a railway site in San Fernando.

The runners will retrace the actual course of the Death March through nine towns of Bataan and will spend the night in Lubao, Pampanga before moving on the following day to Guagua, Bacolor, and finally to San Fernando where Mayor Oscar Rodriguez will welcome them.