Presence of 76 US veterans is highlight of Bataan Day rites

A special feature of the 60th anniversary celebration of the Fall of Bataan on Tuesday is the presence of at least 76 American veterans and survivors of the Bataan Death March from the group known as the Battling Bastards of Bataan (BBB). The Department of Tourism said it is the largest group of American tourists to have traveled to the Philippines in years.

The BBB is dedicated to the “pursuit of the truth” which tries to clear up and debunk many of the depths that have grown around the Battle of Bataan.

The organization is in the forefront of the movement to convince the US congress to give Filipino veterans their due and to help enact congressional bills helping other WWII veterans in the Pacific. The BBB is presently under the stewardship of Retired Major Richard M. Gordon, a namesake of Secretary Gordon.

During the welcome dinner at the Manila Hotel, Tourism Secretary Richard J. Gordon thanked the US war veterans for coming to the Philippines. He said, “we’re very happy to get the liberty that we cherished.”

He also presented a Philippine book to his namesake Richard M. Gordon whose roots he traced and discovered that they were cousins.

Beyond the mission of commemorating their stint as ally soldiers, the group will also be touring the country. Among the places they are scheduled to visit are Corregidor Island; Clarkfield, Pampanga; Subic and Olongapo; Lamao, Bataan and Capas, Tarlac.

Gordon said attracting the foreign veterans would greatly benefit the country. And there is also no doubt that domestic tourism promotion would grow at a faster pace by encouraging youth movements in battle and shrine sites.

He also challenged the private sector especially the tour operators to put together a tour program to attract veterans, their sons and daughters to come back to the Philippines on a sentimental journey and to attract locally-based veterans and their families to travel around the country for an enhanced experience.

Gordon said domestic tourism can serve as a buffer for international tourism. He also expressed the importance of the national advocacy on the Filipino perspective of World War II especially among the youth for an appreciation of military history and our greatness as a people.

Gordon said the visits of the foreign war veterans to the Philippines will increase tourist arrivals to the regions and generate income among local communities.

Meanwhile, more than 2,000 Japanese nationals are expected to make a sentimental journey here to mark the 100th anniversary of the Japanese presence in Davao City this coming June. Along with their relatives, the Japanese war veterans are scheduled once again to trace the path of their forebears and revisit Japanese cemeteries and shrines in Davao City. (PNA)