This Monday, February 3, Biñan City, Laguna is set to commemorate a milestone in its history.
On that day, Biñanenses will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of what was then the municipality of Biñan from the occupying forces of the Japanese Imperial Army, on the last year of World War II.
And for this year's Liberation Day, Biñan City has planned a lineup of activities to "re-create" – without the bloodshed, of course, as Biñan City Culture, History, Arts and Tourism Office (BCHATO) head BJ Borja candidly explained – one of the defining moments of the city's rich history and cultural heritage.
Ceremonial march
To mark the 80th anniversary of Biñan’s liberation, Borja told OpinYon Laguna, several groups will re-enact the “triumphal march” of the guerilla groups from nearby Carmona City, Cavite to Biñan City.
These groups will represent the 47th Division - 48th Regiment of the Hunters ROTC Guerillas, one of the best-known guerilla groups in the Philippines during World War II, the BCHATO head added.
Among other exploits, the Hunters ROTC Guerillas under the leadership of Cadet Eluterio “Terry” Adevoso led the daring raid at the Japanese POW camp in Los Baños, Laguna that led to the liberation of American and Filipino prisoners-of-war, as well as the liberation of other towns in Laguna province.
The ceremonial march will culminate with the usual commemoration and wreath-laying activity and the “Pasasalamat sa mga Beteranong Biñanense” at the Los Maduros Heroes Memorial in Barangay San Antonio.
February 3 or 5?
At this point, Borja also shared a bit of “historical revision” – or rather, “correction” – made by the BCHATO in 2016 concerning the actual date of Biñan City’s Liberation Day.
Under Republic Act No. 9427, which was enacted on 2007, Biñanenses had always celebrated Liberation Day on February 5.
However, when Borja took over the BCHATO in 2016, he found some archival evidence that raises doubts on the “enacted” date of Biñan’s Liberation Day.
On September 7, 2016, Borja wrote to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) for clarification on the matter.
Later that month, the NCHP's Maria Serena Diokno wrote back, affirming that according to a book, Terry's Hunters ROTC: The True Story of the Hunters ROTC Guerillas by Proculo Mojica (also an ROTC Hunters member), it was February 3 that was the actual date of Biñan’s Liberation Day.
According to Mojica's book, the Hunters ROTC guerillas led by Col. Emmanuel de Ocampo "attacked and destroyed the 80-man Japanese garrison at Biñan on 3 February 1945."
The date February 5 came from the fact that on that date, the Hunters ROTC guerillas "doubletracked" from nearby San Pedro, which they also liberated, back to “Free Biñan,” which they used as a staging point to attack the nearby town of Santa Rosa.
"Nang ipa-correct ko yung date, maraming tumutol dahil 'tradisyon' na sa Biñan na i-celebrate ito ng February 5," Borja told OpinYon Laguna. "Pero naniniwala ako na history, as it is, is not static. Yung ipinagdiriwang natin ngayon na February 3, pwede pang mabago iyan kung may lalabas pang mga available data, and the available primary source data so far shows na February 3 talaga ang Liberation Day ng ating lungsod."
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