The Day of Valor, officially known as Araw ng Kagitingan, is a Philippine national holiday commemorating the fall of Bataan to Japanese forces during World War II. It is observed on April 9, however, it was moved to April 6 in 2009 to avoid clashing with Maundy Thursday. Prior to the 2000s, the celebration was known as Bataan Day because of Bataan's importance in World War II. The holiday is observed in Maywood, Illinois, in the United States, where it is known by its previous name.
The president of the Philippines
signed Republic Act No. 3022 into law in April 1961, designating April 9 as
"Bataan Day". In June 1987, Executive Order No. 203 revised all
national holidays in the Philippines, renaming the April 9 holiday "Araw
ng Kagitingan (Bataan and Corregidor Day)". Less than a month later,
another executive order (No. 292) revised the holidays once more, renaming the
April 9 holiday "Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan and Corregidor Day)." Since
2008, the holiday has been known as "Araw ng Kagitingan," and it has
been observed on the nearest Monday. In 2009, the same procedure was followed.
The holiday was still known as such in 2010, however it was observed on April
9. In 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, the holiday was simply referred
to as "Araw ng Kagitingan," instead of being moved to the nearest
Monday, as it had done in previous years under President Benigno Aquino III's
administration. In 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, President Rodrigo
Duterte's administration followed Aquino's nomenclature and calendaring of the
holiday.
Mount Samat National Shrine in
Pilar, Bataan is usually the focal point of the celebration. The President of
the Philippines, the Governor of Bataan, the US and Japanese diplomats, and
surviving veterans groups are frequently in attendance. Only 2,952 Bataan
defenders were still alive in 2021.
In conclusion, we must never
forget to remember and celebrate “Araw ng Kagitingan” because it symbolizes the bravery of our ancestors.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_Valor
Hi! I agree that Araw ng Kagitingan is a special day for it is a time when we commemorate, and be thankful that people like them fought hard and sacrificed themselves to win our country back. Your blog is very informative, keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteHi there! I like your post on how our countrymen fought in war, just to commit independence. You really expounded the history on the way our countrymen did their very best in order to fulfill their dreams on independence.
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