History is kind of brutal in a way that it barely leaves any room for the “supporting characters” in someone else’s story.
A mountain of effort is always exerted before being able to find one.
This conundrum could not be more apparent once you dig deeper into the local history knowledge of every town and city.
Tales of researchers hitting a dead-end are never-ending, and it’s mainly because of limited and lackluster resources.
Just how many residents of today can confidently say they are familiar with their local history?
Answers are probably not a lot but it won’t be the be-all and end-all.
Luckily, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) is leading the charge to rectify the mistake—and the local government of San Pedro is among its active participants.
Commemoration
Following City Ordinance No. 2024–12, a ceremony to celebrate the 81st San Pedro Liberation Day was held on Saturday, February 7, at San Pedro City Plaza.
It was spearheaded by the San Pedro City Tourism, Culture, and Arts Office (CTCAO) along with the Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP) - San Pedro Post, which aim to commemorate the sacrifices of Filipino guerillas against Imperial Japan during World War II.
As part of LHCN, San Pedro CTCAO must adhere to the fulfillment of the primary thrusts to conserve, promote, popularize history and cultural heritage: research and publication of local history; documentation and preservation of local history sources; including oral and community traditions and practices; promotion and popularization of local history and public history engagement; protection and development of cultural heritage and national symbols.
The ceremony was also attended by representatives from VFP Laguna 1st District, members of VFP Sons and Daughters Association (VFP SDAI) San Pedro, uniformed personnel of San Pedro City Police Station and San Pedro City Jail, and representatives of the Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) - Muntinlupa Branch.
Descendants of Hunters ROTC Guerrillas Inc. President Rosela de Ocampo served as the key speaker that day, who emphasized the importance of commemorating the heroes of World War II to the younger generation.
According to de Ocampo, honoring the brave soldiers is the way to love our country.
Local history
According to CTCAO Officer Michael Tabuyan, such ceremony is a great reminder on how San Pedro City was once captured then liberated by the efforts of “C” Company, Blue Lake Battalion, 48th Regiment, Hunters ROTC 47th Division.
“Hindi naman tayo darating sa ganitong punto ng ating buhay kung wala yung mga ganun pangyayari, ‘di ba? It's also a way to really recognize yung mga tumulong sa liberation efforts sa San Pedro,” Tabuyan explained in an interview with OpinYon Laguna.
When it comes to World War II stories, the spotlight remains focused on Bataan and Manila.
Although this is justified for how terribly they all turned out, it should not diminish the other atrocities that happened in other parts of the Philippines.
This is why government efforts like the Local Historical Committees Network (LHCN) are critical for promoting lesser-known stories and local history.
“Most importantly, yan din ay pagpapakilala ng kwento ng San Pedro sa mga younger generation. Lalo, hindi naman lahat ng nakatira dito ay taga-San Pedro talaga,” he added.
(Photo courtesy of the San Pedro City Public Affairs and Information Office)
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