December 18, 2007 | 12:00am
I forgot who wrote this phrase, “If we need to move forward to the future, we should never forget our past.” But I strongly believe this. If American soldiers are fighting and dying in Iraq or in Afghanistan today in what is known as the War on Terror, it is because Americans learned their bitter lessons in history during the Civil War where five million Americans perished in American soil. If you combine all the wars that the United States have fought in all the wars that they participated, from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the figures for American deaths is not even close to the figures of Civil War deaths.
This is why today; America would rather send its soldiers to fight their wars in foreign soil. Their military doctrine is simple, it is better to send soldiers to fight and die in a foreign country because this means that they are not fighting a war in American soil. Hence, we should all learn from what the Americans learned from their history. But what about us? There’s a lot of history that happened here that’s not even written in the history books.
This is why I fully support the move and effort by Talisay Councilor Shirley Belleza to identify historical sites and preserve them for future generations. I’m glad that she mentioned that the Talisay train station was still intact as it would have sent a reminder to Talisaynons that once upon a time, Cebu had its own railway. The train station in Carcar is also intact, but it is along the main road near the RUSI motorcycle dealerships. But I don’t know if it now belongs to a private person.
Speaking of Carcar, I dropped by the Sta. Catalina Church (this was finished by my great grandfather Fr. Manuel Rubio Fernandez) and lo and behold, the angels that used to stand with lights along the main columns of the church are now on the floor. Call it neglect if you want, but I dare the parish priest to do something to restore the former glory of Sta. Catalina Church and put those Angels where they used to belong. That these Angels are now on the floor is quite very tempting as it could easily be stolen or worse, someone might sell them to unscrupulous antique collectors.
As for Carcar’s Dispensary, this historic edifice is in a sorry state. Hobos and homeless people live within its confines making it all the more filthy and dirty. I just hope that Carcar officials, especially the Carcar Conservation Society would wake up and realize that they can still intervene to preserve these historical buildings for posterity and tourism. Like what I wrote before, perhaps Carcar officials should go and visit the City of Vigan in Ilocos Sur and see for themselves what Vigan did to preserve its cultural heritage and create its own unique tourism program.
I never get tired of visiting Vigan because whenever I go there, it brings me back in time during the Spanish era. Its main street of cobblestones is clean and only calesas or horse-drawn carriages are allowed passage into that street. That means, no motorcycles, tricycles or motorized contraptions are allowed on that street. Even the Philippine National Police (PNP) foot patrol wears the uniform of a Guardia Civil. Of course there is a modern side of Vigan. This is where the City of Carcar can learn by opening up areas for modern urban development, while keeping all its centuries-old buildings or residences well-preserved.
This brings us back to Cebu City where until now, we don’t even have a monument to Col. James M. Cushing who was Cebu’s only hope for freedom while the rest of the population cowered in fear under the Japanese Imperial Army. Col. Cushing virtually run a group of Filipino guerrillas who earned the reputation of being able to capture the highest ranking Japanese Naval Officer in the whole Pacific Theater. This historic episode was written by my uncle Col. Manuel F. Segura in the “Koga Papers” where Rear Admiral Shigeru Fukudome, Chief of Staff of Adm. Mineichi Koga Commander in Chief of the Combined Japanese Fleet who took over from Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto on April 21, 1943 after the latter was ambushed in Rabaul.
Alas, we were told that we should not glorify foreigners in our own soil. But then, we do have the statues of Gen. Douglas MacArthur in Palo, Leyte. So what’s keeping us from honoring a man who fought for Cebu during the darkest days of World War II? You can also read this story in the book “The Rescue” by Robert Trent Smith.
At least the Province of Cebu has earmarked P11 million to collate historical accounts so it can be placed on a book. But we are seriously lacking in monuments that depict our history. Around the Ecotech area, 200 Japanese soldiers died in a three-day battle that destroyed a Sherman tank yet there are no historical markers to remind us of that great battle in the heart of Cebu City.
