BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines – All systems are in place for tomorrow’s commemoration of the 64th anniversary of the surrender of Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita, whose eventual fall in Ifugao province also marked the end of World War II in the country.
The leader of the Japanese Imperial Forces in Southeast Asia, Yamashita, known as the Tiger of Malaya during the war, surrendered to the Allied Forces in Kiangan, Ifugao on Sept. 2, 1945, which Ifugaos said should be celebrated as a national Victory Day.
For the first time, the celebrations will be spearheaded by the provincial government led by Gov. Teddy Baguilat, himself a native son of Kiangan, the oldest town in the central Cordillera province.
Highlighting the celebrations will be the dramatization of the surrender of Yamashita and his men at the actual surrender site at the Kiangan Central School’s home economics building which during the war was reportedly adjacent to a Japanese army barracks.
According to Baguilat, this street drama, which will summarize the events leading to the eventual surrender of Yamashita, called the Tiger of Malaya for his winning exploits in the said area during World War II, will be conducted with the technical assistance of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).
“We want our younger people to see and understand what actually transpired during the said event in order to inculcate in them the lessons concerning the bravery of our people, since many of them do not know anymore the significance of this event that happened so many decades ago. Aside from this, we are able to highlight for a change a victory instead of a defeat,” the governor said.
Expected to grace the Sept.2 event includes Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Local Waterworks and Utilities Administration chairman Prospero Pichay.
“We also expect veterans from various places, including US and Japanese veterans to attend,” he said. – Charlie Lagasca