Signal Day on Oct. 18 in Tolosa, Leyte is a special event for the town's residents, for it was there, 80 years ago, when three brave nationalist scouts saved thousands of Waray lives from bombardment by both Japanese and American warships.
During the Leyte Landing towards the end of World War 2, American ships off the coast of Leyte were sending bombs at random to Japanese positions, not knowing where the enemy was. This carpet bombing threatened the lives of Filipino civilians in Tolosa and nearby towns.
Valeriano Abello, Antero M. Junia, and Vicente Triston used their scouting signal skills, particularly hand flags, to communicate with the Americans. Their heroism saved Tolosa and nearby towns from devastation, and generations of residents honored them through the years.
Leyte Gov. Jericho Petilla was a guest speaker in the town during the commemoration of Signal Day last Friday. In his message, Governor Petilla talked about the need for young Tolosans to be aware of their town's history and culture, which was rich and glorious as it is.
Tolosa is the hometown of First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, the mother of President Bongbong Marcos. The town also produced two Speakers of the House of Representatives: Daniel Z. Romualdez and the current speaker, Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
The natives of Tolosa are also proud of Fortunato Catalon's sports achievements. Catalon was a sprinter, actually the fastest in the world during his time, and the most decorated individual athlete at the Far Eastern Championship Games in 1924.
Young Tolosans exhorted
The governor of Leyte said the youths of Tolosa should be inspired by the heroism of the Signal Three, and proposed that further documentation and a documentary should be made to preserve the historic event and also the rest of the colorful history and culture of the town.
OpinYon 8 publisher Ray Junia, a native of Tolosa, informed the governor as he was leaving that the network of community papers has started to do this by establishing the Tolosa Library and Museum in the town.
Junia wanted to inspire the youth to be the best they can be, and to try to emulate the achievements of successful Tolosans who have brought honor and prestige to the municipality.
Among the positive proposals aired at the commemorative program was the inclusion of Signal Day in the curriculum of schools, and the promotion in the province of scouting, which has proved its relevance and importance 80 years ago and in the decades that followed.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYonNews #Tolosarising