EDITORIAL - The Day of Valor 80 years on

Today marks 80 years since the surrender of the combined Filipino and American forces in Bataan during World War II, which also ended the formal resistance of the Philippines to Japanese aggression, apart from the resistance put up by various guerrilla groups around the country.

Those familiar with history know what happened next; the defeated troops were marched more than 150 kilometers away to a prison camp. Already starving and sickly, many prisoners died along the way.

But because it is more important to focus on the courage of our soldiers and their American allies rather than dwell on the defeat they suffered in fighting against Japanese superiority in terms of arms, supplies, and numbers, we have chosen to name this day the Day of Valor instead.

Rather than link this year’s celebration of the Day of Valor to our laborers or healthcare workers, or to the coming elections exactly a month away, why not just appreciate it for what it is; the day many of our troops and their allies fought until they could fight no more.

The problem with many of us Filipinos is that we don’t appreciate our own history. We tend to forget those to whom we owe so much, even if those people are our own fathers, grandfathers, or great-grandfathers.

We can’t even remember what some politician did during his or her term; which is one reason why we keep voting into office those people who don’t deserve to be there anymore. But, again, away with the politics. 

This Day of Valor spare a thought or better yet a prayer for those Filipinos and their allies who did more than what was demanded of them, who took up arms despite the overwhelming enemy, and eventually made the ultimate sacrifice. All this for the chance to defend our country against a foreign invader.

Eighty years on, let the courage of our forebears still inspire us. We can say Bataan actually represents many of the kinds of struggles every Filipino faces today; seemingly always against an enemy that is better-armed, better-supplied, and overwhelming.

Because like the Filipinos of then, the Filipinos of now will always fight to the point until they are no longer able to do so.