Panawagan: Magtayo ng Museo ng DIGMAANG PILIPINO-AMERIKANO

Ang pagkiling nga naman ng Pamahalaan ng Pilipinas para sa Kalbong Agila. Nakikita sa mga itinayong istrakturang pangkasaysayan. No wonder Leftists consistently dub GPH as "tuta ng Kano."

Imagine the partiality for World War II battles and soldiers over the longer, bloodier, and more important Philippine-American War (1899-1914). We have much of Corregidor as WW II national shrine whereas there a re so few shrines and landmarks dedicated to commemorate the Fil-Am War. Dapat nga ay mas pagtuunan ng pansin ang Digmaang Pilpino-Amerikano kaysa sa paglaban sa Hapon noong Pangalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig dahil mas mahaba, mas madugo, at mas mahalaga ang una.

 

 

The Fil-Am War was way much longer because, having lasted from some 14-15 years, with the last battles fought around 1913 compared to World War II's Japanese rule that lasted for a mere three years. The Fil-Am War's about as bloody as the Japanese Occupation bloodier because some estimates put the total direct and indirect Fil-Am War (Filipino) deaths at a million--about the same figure as in World War II. The Fil-Am War is more important by virtue of our status as combatant country--the Philippines was an independent nation battling the imperialist United States, compared to us being a mere U.S. colony fighting against Japanese Occupation during WW II.

Sa totoo, mas maraming national shrines/landmarks/ monuments patungkol sa Himagsikan laban sa Kastila, kabilang ang pook ng labanan, katulad na lamang ng Pinaglabanan Shrine. At dapat lamang. It is just so anomalous that what's in-between the Revolution and World War II seems largely forgotten. Or glossed over.

Meron din namang patungkol sa Digmaang Pilipino-Amerikano subali't kaunti lamang ito. Ang Tirad Pass National Shrine ay kung saan napatay si Hen. Gregorio Del Pilar. Nandiyan din ang Bantayog ni Ricarte o Ricarte National Shrine na nagpapahalaga kay Hen. Artemio "Vibora" Ricarte, lumaban mula Himagsikan at hindi sumuko sa mga Amerikano. Ang Miguel Malvar Historical Landmark ay maisasali na dahil si Hen. Malvar na lumaban din mula Himagsikan ay isa sa pinakahuling heneral na sumuko sa imperyalistang kaaway.

Subali't ihambing sa dami ng patungkol sa Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig. Kabilang riyan ang Dambana ng Kagitingan o Mt. Samat Shrine (Shrine of Valor) na nasa Mt. Samat, Pacific War Memorial Museum at ang Corregidor National Shrine na mga nasa Bataan. Ang Paggunita sa Capas o Capaz National Shrine na nasa Tarlac. Ang Bantayog Sa Kiangan na matatagpuan sa Ifugao province at kung saan sumuko si Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita. Nandiyan din ang Bantayog ng Balantang (Balantang Memorial Cemetery National Shrine) na nasa Panay. At pati ba naman ang pagdating ni Hen. Douglas McArthur sa Leyte--ang McArthur Landing Site. Sabihin pa, nandiyan ang Battling Bastards of Bataan Memorial na para lamang sa mga Amerikanong sundalong at nasa loob na Camp O'Donell sa Tarlac.

Even at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB), the lack of appreciation for Fil-Am War patriots/soldiers is apparent. While there is a pylon for Philippine World War II Guerillas and also for Vietnam War Memorial and Korean War Memorial, there is none for Philippine-American War freedom fighters.

Sixty-four years (64) after our supposed independence from the Bald Eagle nation, and 112 years after the Filipino-American War, the Philippine government still acts subserviently before the imperialist Americans. Bahag pa rin ang buntot natin sa Kano? Kesehodang mabaluktot ang ating kasaysayan.

Nakakaawa ang mga bayani nating lumaban sa imperyalista at rasistang Amerikano. Mas lalong nakakaawa siguro ang maraming henerasyon Pilipino na napailalim sa "brainwashing" o colonial miseducation kung kaya't naiwaksi ang pait at katotohanan ng pananakop ng, at marubdob nguni't nagaping paglaban natin sa kaaway na, Estados Unidos.

Mas mahaba pa sa Himagsikan ang pakikipaglaban natin laban sa Amerikano. It is possibly even the most important because our freedom fighters then fought with us having the status of a free nation. Time to have more Fil-Am War shrines and landmarks, including one about the Republic of Katagalugan/Gen. Sakay. Dapat din tayong magkaroon ng Museo ng Digmaang Pilipino-Amerikano.


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Photo art: Jesusa Bernardo

Raw Photo credits:

http://server.pvao.mil.ph/militaryshrine.html

http://www.bukisa.com/articles/94123_famous-historic-shrines-and-monuments-in-the-philippines

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Philippines/Province_of_Cavite/Corregidor_Island-1402136/Things_To_Do-Corregidor_Island-TG-C-14.html

http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2005/11/paying_due_resp.html


References:

Gordon L. Rottman. War 2 Pacific island guide. Illustrated Edition. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002

DECLARING NATIONAL SHRINES AS SACRED (HALLOWED) PLACES AND PROHIBITING DESECRATION THEREOF
http://www.chanrobles.com/presidentialdecrees/presidentialdecreeno105.html

A Soldier of Courage and Compassion
http://www.nhi.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75&Itemid=10

Shrines and Landmarks
http://www.nhi.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=1&id=9&Itemid=10

Famous Historic Shrines And Monuments in The Philippines
http://www.bukisa.com/articles/94123_famous-historic-shrines-and-monuments-in-the-philippines

National Parks in Luzon
http://www.visitphilippines.org/guide/8_0_37_1_National-Parks-in-Luzon-.:-VisitPhilippines.org-a-Best-Destination-Travel-Guide-by-Travelindex.html

Corrigedor Island Tour
http://trailsntravelogues.com/2008/02/corrigedor-island-tour.html

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