BLOG #165: Day of Valor

Posted on 08 April 2015 at 13:56

Today, April 9, celebrates Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valor or Bataan Day or Bataan and Corregidor Day. It was in April 1961 that this day was called Bataan Day. In June 1987, this was revised and named Araw ng Kagitingan .

April 9, 1942 was the fall of Bataan. Filipinos and Americans captured by the Japanese during that time were forced to march 140 kilometers from Bataan to Camp O’Donnell in San Fernando. Thousands of these prisoners died during this march due to starvation, dehydration, diseases and untreated wounds. This march was then called the Bataan Death March.

Bataan and Corregidor slowed down the advance of Japanese troops and they could have quickly captured every US base in the Pacific. Thousands of Filipinos and Americans fought bravely side by side and stood strong before Bataan fell to the hands of the invading enemy.

It was in February 8, 1945 when Filipino and American forces retook Bataan Peninsula.