It was 4 a.m. when we arrived at the converging place. I instantly felt the cool morning air starting to diminish as the hour inched its way to sunrise. Members of the Philippine Armed Forces, war veterans, their families, socio-civic groups, government employees, Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) members, and dedicated volunteers quickly filled the grounds of People’s Park in Tarlac.
While the revving engines of military AUVs and heavy footsteps of army boots sounded off, a familiar and highly respected figure took to the stage and was handed a microphone to officially address the crowd. It was then I caught sight of former Philippine President and Korean War veteran, Fidel V. Ramos (FVR). Still brimming with energy, he quickly boosted the crowd from a state of half-awakening into a lively, spirited mood by leading a morning exercise and joyfully reenacting his iconic EDSA People Power jump, to the raucous cheer of the crowd.
Retracing the Last 10 Kilometers of the Bataan Death March
Still retaining that jovial, yet commanding presence, FVR encouraged the crowd, composed of eager civilians and active military personnel, to join him in the Capas Freedom March to the Capas National Shrine and solemnly commemorate the 75th anniversary of World War II’s infamous Death March.
Themed “March for a Veteran”, Ramos firmly reminded the audience of the ultimate sacrifices made by WWII veterans. As their numbers continue to rapidly dwindle through the years, he pointed out the profound importance for the younger generation to continue remembering their heroism. “Bravery runs in our blood,” FVR passionately told the crowd.
3rd Capas Freedom March
Now on its third consecutive year, the Capas Freedom March actively retraces the last 10 kilometers of the brutal 106-kilometer ordeal endured by more than 75,000 Filipino and American soldiers after the historic fall and surrender of Bataan.
Flagellated and violently forced to walk by the Japanese Imperial Army, the surviving allied troops witnessed the tragic deaths of numerous brothers in arms along the dusty way from Mariveles, Bataan, to San Fernando, Pampanga, where they were then hauled and packed like sardines into small train coaches and mercilessly transported to their final destination: Camp O’Donnell in Capas, Tarlac.
Organized cooperatively by the Department of National Defense-Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, AAP, Department of Tourism, and the Tourism Promotions Board, in direct partnership with the province of Tarlac and the municipality of Capas, this year’s event further eternalizes the undeniable bravery and sacrifices of the Filipino WWII veterans.
A Nation of the Brave
As the commemorative march started and the multitude of participants paced the long streets, FVR—even with his advancing age—led the walk for the first few hundred meters before he safely boarded a military truck. The 10-kilometer distance seems relatively short on paper, but it proved to be an exhausting physical test, especially under the scorching heat of an April morning sun. One can only imagine the truly torturous, death-defying trail the WWII veterans endured in that tragic month of April in 1942.
Almost a couple of hours later, we, the exhausted marchers, finally reached the Capas National Shrine—where a towering 70-meter obelisk, deeply surrounded by black marble walls etched with the thousands of names of the fallen soldiers of WWII, looms imposingly, pointing silently to the heavens.
Stronger US Ties
In his keynote speech, Ramos reiterated the critical need for a closer diplomatic alliance with the US, despite the latest news surrounding President Duterte’s sharp criticisms of the meddling of the US in the country’s war on drugs.
“He [Duterte] may not know it, but I’m sure he will know it very quickly that the Americans have always been our most sincere, devoted, patriotic, and fearless allies in war and peace,” Ramos said, as he officially acknowledged the historical role played by our country’s longest ally since WWII. Ramos also explained that in the ensuing peacetime years, the US remained our biggest economic, security, and diplomatic partner.
According to Ramos, the real war today is no longer exclusive to armed terrorism. He actively cited the clear and present threat of global warming, mass poverty, and the rising menace to human health as the critical wars we must wage against with the cooperative help of the global community.
A Special Landmark
AAP Travel Chairman and former Tourism Secretary Dr. Mina Gabor underscored the deep historical significance of the Capas National Shrine as a special national landmark and expressed her strong hopes that this annual commemoration of WWII veterans will quickly snowball into bigger, more heavily attended events in the future.
She explained how this year’s Capas Freedom March successfully integrated with two other Philippine Veterans Affairs Office-sanctioned events: the Bataan Freedom Run and the Padyak Para sa Kagitingan. Gabor also encouraged the audience and organizers to aggressively continue to support the annual Capas Freedom March not only to raise awareness about the unmatched bravery of our WWII veterans but also to proactively promote domestic, heritage-based tourism.
Encircling an area measuring 54 hectares of lush parkland, the Capas National Shrine serves not only as a highly fitting memorial to our country’s fallen heroes but also as a stark reminder of our glorious and courageous past. Surrounded by 35 hectares of reforested land—with long rows of trees specifically planted to honor each of the demised World War II veterans—the Capas National Shrine should be visited by every Filipino at least once in their lifetime.
“This memorial is dedicated to the brave men and women who defied the might of the invaders at Bataan, Corregidor, and other parts of the Philippines during World War II. Thousands died in battle, during the Death March, and while in captivity. Thousands more endured inhuman conditions at the prison camp in Capas, Tarlac. They suffered in the night so that their countrymen would wake to the dawn of freedom,” the somber marker at the foot of the obelisk reads.
Reciting these poignant words at a time when our modern freedom isn’t actively threatened, nor our lives in imminent danger of being taken away by a brutal foreign invader, one can only surmise the unmatched valor displayed by the greatest generation our country has ever seen during WWII.
They lived through every bit of the gruesome horrors of war—for us—so that the successive generations will never have to experience even a single minute of it. A visit to the Capas National Shrine to humbly honor our war veterans who passed on is the absolute least we can do to express our eternal gratitude.
