#leyte landing memorial

[marinesfromaroundtheworld]

[blogcontent2-tcm3k4]

BLOG: WEEK 12 (BISAYA)

Leyte

Sa rehiyon sa Sidlakang Kabisay-an sa Pilipinas mao ang lalawigan sa Leyte. Nailhan kini tungod sa talagsaon nga mga baybayon, talagsaon nga kinaiyahan, ug talagsaon nga lokal nga kultura. Daghang makasaysayanon nga mga lokasyon ang makit-an sa tibuuk nga probinsya, lakip ang Leyte Landing Memorial Park, nga nagpasidungog sa lokasyon sa bantog nga pag-landing ni Heneral Douglas MacArthur sa Ikaduhang Gubat sa Kalibutan.

Nailhan usab ang probinsiya tungod sa mga lagsik nga pista niini, sama sa Leyte Kalipayan Festival ug Kalanggaman Island Festival, nga parehong nakadani og liboan ka mga turista kada tuig. Ang probinsya usab adunay daghang mga natural nga atraksyon, sama sa matahum nga mga baybayon sa Samar Island ug ang limpyo nga busay sa San Juanico Bridge.

Ang probinsya kay gipuy-an usab sa daghang lain-laing klase sa linutoan, apil na ang sikat nga "Kinilaw" nga hilaw nga putahe sa isda nga gi-marinate sa suka ug mga panakot. Ang ubang popular nga mga pagkaon naglakip sa "Lechon Kawali", usa ka piniritong karne sa baboy, ug ang "Humba", usa ka linat-an nga baboy nga giluto sa gatas sa lubi.

Ang Leyte usa ka maayong destinasyon alang sa mga magpapanaw nga nangita og usa ka talagsaon nga kasinatian sa kultura ug usa ka higayon sa pagsuhid sa natural nga mga katingalahan sa rehiyon. Kung baybayon ang hisgutan, ang Leyte adunay pipila sa labing matahum ug lainlain nga mga baybayon sa nasud. Ang San Juanico Strait usa ka maayong lugar alang sa paglangoy, snorkeling, ug pagpangisda. Kini usab ang pinuy-anan sa daghang matahum nga mga isla, lakip ang Kalanggaman Island ug Capul Island, nga pareho nga sikat sa ilang matahum nga mga baybayon ug matahum nga mga coral reef.

[thedalatribune]

© Paolo Dala

MacArthur’s Landing (1981) Anastacio Caedo Leyte Landing Memorial (Palo, Leyte, Philippines)

MacArthur And The Second Coming

On March 11, 1942, a month before Bataan fell, President Franklin Roosevelt, knowing the American troops would soon be forced to succumb, ordered MacArthur to leave the last stronghold at the island of Corregidor. The order surely fell on the proud and loyal MacArthur all the more heavily because he knew he hadn’t acted quickly enough in the wake of Pearl Harbor, leading to devastating losses that had crippled their defenses. What might have been if he had reacted quicker? How many of his men’s lives might have been spared?

MacArthur and his family rode by boat to an airstrip 560 treacherous miles away, barely surviving the rough seas and Japanese gunfire. As the general sailed away from what may have been the greatest loss in American history, knowing what the brave men he left behind would now suffer, he resolved, “I shall return” - a promise he would repeat over and over again. When his plane touched down in Melbourne, Australia, he gave a now-famous speech, declaring,

“When I landed on your soil, I said to the people of Philippines whence I came, “I shall return.” Tonight, I repeat those words: I shall return. Nothing is more certain than the ultimate reconquest and liberation from the enemy of those and adjacent lands.”

MacArthur did return, two and a half years later, on October 20, 1944. Today marks 75 years since the day he landed on the shore of Leyte, with 280,000 soldiers under his command, to recapture and finally liberate the Philippines, a story that reverberates with an even deeper and more epic victory.

“I shall return.” The words have taken on greater meaning for me personally since I married into a Filipino family, who, like many Filipino families, remembers General MacArthur fondly. My in-laws were born in the Philippines a little more than a decade after he had fought admirably to secure their independence. MacArthur’s words, however, echo something far deeper and more meaningful still, because they echo an even deeper, more intimate reality. Jesus, in the very hottest moments of the war of God against sin, says to his disciples, “I will come again” (John 14:3).

To feel the weight of his surrender on the cross or the significance of his promise, we have to face the awful tyranny of sin in the world - and in us. As cruel as the Japanese bayonets were, they could not reach where sin pierces; they could not maim like our own wickedness could (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-20). Sin, a far worse enemy, caused mankind to pierce “themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:10). The death march, as gruesome and inhumane as it was, could only hint at the wide gate that leads to destruction and the millions marching over its cliff (Matthew 7:13). Camp O’Donnell in all its terror will look like sanctuary next to the righteous wrath awaiting those who refuse to be forgiven. As fearsome as the Japanese were, Jesus says, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). Sin reigned in our bodies, while the whole world laid in the hands of evil (Romans 6:12; 1 John 5:19). Into this mayhem, God landed in a manger, taking on a body that could and would be killed.

Unlike MacArthur, Jesus never fled. He buried himself in the furnace of conflict, absorbing the nuclear storm we deserved in obedience to the Father (Philippians 2:8). No portrait of the cross could ever communicate the extent and intensity of its warfare. Unlike MacArthur, he was not forced to surrender, but laid down his arms of his own accord (John 10:17-18). Unlike MacArthur, he was not motivated by selfish gain or vainglory, but by the joy set before him (Hebrews 12:2). Unlike MacArthur, the moment which seemed to be his greatest defeat was, in fact, his greatest victory.

But like MacArthur, before Jesus mounted the cross, plunging himself into enemy lines, he promised he would return. “I will come again” (John 14:3). On this side of the cross, and empty tomb, we know that our Commander and King “will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:28). And when he returns, the sin remaining in us will be forced to surrender once for all, because “we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

Jesus did not gloss over the suffering we would face between now and then: “In the world you will have tribulation” - you will suffer opposition, persecution, the awful futility of creation, and even physical death. “But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). He also did not leave us to fend for ourselves on the battlefield, but came to live in us and with us by his Spirit, saying, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). We have far more than a promise of his return. We have him - until he comes again to end all our warring.

Marshall Segal “I Shall Return”: MacArthur And The Second Coming

[kurayzeee]

Samar at Leyte: Ang Makasaysayang Paglalakbay

Sa dinami dami man ng nalibot ko, hinding hindi ko makakalimutan ang paglalakbay ko sa Samar at Leyte. Ito ang probinsyang hindi ka magsasawang libutin at magsaya sa iba’t ibang tanawin nito. Ang Leyte ay ang panagtlo sa pinakamalaking pulo sa Pilipinas samantalang ang Samar ay pangpito. Ang mala-paraisong mga pulo na ito ay kilala na bilang isang taglay ng probinsyang ito.

Ang pagbiyahe papuntang Samar o Leyte ay maaaring maisagawa sa pamamagitan ng pagsakay sa bus at ferry, sariling sasakyan, o pagsakay ng eroplano. Hindi hamak na mas matagal ang biyahe sa daan kaysa sa pagsakay ng eroplano. Pero sa pagbibiyahe sa daan, mararanasan ng mga turista ang mahaba at magagandang tanawin habang nasa biyahe pa. Hindi lang ito, mararanasan pa ng mga turistang sumakay sa isang ferry na papuntang pulo ng Samar o Leyte.

At dahil sabik na sabik akong makapunta sa isla, ako ay sumakay ng eroplano. Mahigit isang oras na lipad mula Maynila hanggang Tacloban, Leyte. Kahit na ilang beses na akong nakapunta sa Samar at Leyte, ngayon palang ako makakapaglibot sa mga magagandang tanawin na patok sa mga turista.

Paglapag ng eroplano, agad agad akong nagtungo sa isang hotel na malapit sa Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport upang mag-iwan pansamantala ng gamit at maging lugar sa aking pagtulog sa unang araw ng aking paglilibot sa Leyte.

Kinabukasan, una kong pinuntahan ang Leyte Landing Memorial na matatagpuan sa Red Beach, Barangay Candahug ng Palo, Leyte. Ito ay isa sa makasaysayang lugar sa Pilipinas sapagkat dito dumating si Gen. Douglas MacArthur na nagpalaya sa mga Pilipino sa mga Hapon. Bilang isang turista, ako ay namamangha sa mga nagawa ng mga Amerikano sa ating bansa.

Pagkatapos, ako ay nagtungo sa Lintaon Peak, medyo nakakapagod man pero sobrang ganda ng tanawin na makikita mula sa taas. Tanaw na tanaw mula rito ang dagat na masarap tignan sa mata, at lalong gaganda tignan ang tanawing ito kapag palubog na ang buwan. Hindi bale nang kakaunti lang nag litrato, ang mahalaga ay nakapagsaya sa tanawing ito!

Sunod nito, ang paglalabay patungong Sambawan Island ay isa sa mga inaabangan kong tanawin dahil sa dami ng pwedeng makunan ng litrato sa bawat sulok ng islang ito. Kabi-kabilang magagagandang tanawin ang makikita rito sa islang ito. Isa nanamang lugar na nakakaakit ng turistang katulad ko na mahilig maglibot sa iba’t ibang parte ng isang isla.

Paalis sa Leyte, makikita ang San Juanico Bridge na kilala dahil sa estraktura ng tulay na ito, nakapahugis S malapit sa Samar samantalang may hugis L naman malapit sa Leyte. Isa lamang ang masasabi ko, huwag na huwag kumurap dahil ito ay isa sa tanawin na pabago bago depende sa direksyon ng iyong tinitignan o yung taas ng tubig sa dagat.

Pagkadating na pagkadating sa Samar, maaari nang malibot ang Apiton Island na isa sa mga kilalang isla sa Samar na mayroong magagandang “rock formations” at “cave tour”. Mula sa San Policarpo, mga 15 na minutong pagsakay sa bangka at mararating na itong napakagandang isla na ito. Ang tanawin mula dito sa islang kilala din dahil sa hitsura ng isla sa pagsikat at paglubog ng araw.

Pagdating sa kainan, hinding hindi mawawala ang mga Waray na pagkain. Isa na riyan ang chocolate moron na laging inihahanda tuwing may okasyon. Mayroon pang binagol, isang kakanin hugis niyog na naglalaman ng matamis tamis na surpresa para sa iilan na magbubukas nito. Syempre, hinding hindi magpapatalo ang balisongsong na gawa sa malagkit na bigas na hinaluan ng gata, asukal, at ginayod na niyog. Kung ulam naman ang pag-uusapan, nariyan ang pagkaing-dagat tulad ng alimango, isda, at seaweed.

Para sa akin, sa dinami rami man ng mga napuntahan natin sa iba’t ibang parte ng mundo, iba pa rin ang pinapahalagahan ang magagandang tanawin rito sa Pilipinas.  Hinding hindi mawawala sa Pilipinas ang magagandang tourist spots, kaya naman kahit isang beses lamang ay makapunta tayo para makita ng ating dalawang mata ang kagandahan ng ating bansang kinalakihan. Ang kinagandahan nito ay mayroon tayong iba’t ibang memorya noong tayo’y nagpunta o naglibot sa iisang lugar na inaabang abangan nating lugar.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 2.17

1370 – Northern Crusades: Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Teutonic Knights meet in the Battle of Rudau. 1411 – Following the successful campaigns during the Ottoman Interregnum, Musa Çelebi, one of the sons of Bayezid I, becomes Sultan of the Ottoman Empire with the support of Mircea I of Wallachia. 1500 – Duke Friedrich and Duke Johann attempt to subdue the peasantry of Dithmarschen, Denmark, in the Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 – On his way to be burned at the stake for heresy, at Campo de' Fiori in Rome, the philosopher Giordano Bruno has a wooden vise put on his tongue to prevent him continuing to speak. 1621 – Myles Standish is appointed as first military commander of the English Plymouth Colony in North America. 1676 – Sixteen men of Pascual de Iriate's expedition are lost at Evangelistas Islets at the western end of the Strait of Magellan. 1739 – The Battle of Vasai commences as the Marathas move to invade Portuguese-occupied territory. 1753 – In Sweden February 17 is followed by March 1 as the country moves from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. 1801 – An electoral tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr is resolved when Jefferson is elected President of the United States and Burr, Vice President by the United States House of Representatives. 1814 – War of the Sixth Coalition: The Battle of Mormant. 1819 – The United States House of Representatives passes the Missouri Compromise for the first time. 1838 – Weenen massacre: Hundreds of Voortrekkers along the Blaukraans River, Natal are killed by Zulus. 1854 – The United Kingdom recognizes the independence of the Orange Free State. 1859 – Cochinchina Campaign: The French Navy captured the Citadel of Saigon, a fortress that was manned by 1,000 Nguyễn dynasty soldiers, en route to conquering Saigon and other regions of southern Viet Nam. 1863 – A group of citizens of Geneva founded an International Committee for Relief to the Wounded, which later became known as the International Committee of the Red Cross. 1864 – American Civil War: The H. L. Hunley becomes the first submarine to engage and sink a warship, the USS Housatonic. 1865 – American Civil War: Columbia, South Carolina, is burned as Confederate forces flee from advancing Union forces. 1867 – The first ship passes through the Suez Canal. 1871 – The victorious Prussian Army parades through Paris, France, after the end of the Siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War. 1904 – Madama Butterfly receives its première at La Scala in Milan. 1913 – The Armory Show opens in New York City, displaying works of artists who are to become some of the most influential painters of the early 20th century. 1919 – The Ukrainian People's Republic asks Entente and the US for help fighting the Bolsheviks. 1933 – Newsweek magazine is first published. 1944 – World War II: The Battle of Eniwetok begins: The battle ends in an American victory on February 22. 1944 – World War II: Operation Hailstone begins: U.S. naval air, surface, and submarine attack against Truk Lagoon, Japan's main base in the central Pacific, in support of the Eniwetok invasion. 1949 – Chaim Weizmann begins his term as the first President of Israel. 1959 – Project Vanguard: Vanguard 2: The first weather satellite is launched to measure cloud-cover distribution. 1964 – In Wesberry v. Sanders the Supreme Court of the United States rules that congressional districts have to be approximately equal in population. 1964 – Gabonese president Léon M'ba is toppled by a coup and his rival, Jean-Hilaire Aubame, is installed in his place. 1965 – Project Ranger: The Ranger 8 probe launches on its mission to photograph the Mare Tranquillitatis region of the Moon in preparation for the manned Apollo missions. Mare Tranquillitatis or the "Sea of Tranquility" would become the site chosen for the Apollo 11 lunar landing. 1968 – In Springfield, Massachusetts, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame opens. 1972 – Cumulative sales of the Volkswagen Beetle exceed those of the Ford Model T. 1974 – Robert K. Preston, a disgruntled U.S. Army private, buzzes the White House in a stolen helicopter. 1978 – The Troubles: The Provisional IRA detonates an incendiary bomb at the La Mon restaurant, near Belfast, killing 12 and seriously injuring 30 others, all Protestants. 1979 – The Sino-Vietnamese War begins. 1980 – First winter ascent of Mount Everest by Krzysztof Wielicki and Leszek Cichy. 1991 – Ryan International Airlines Flight 590 crashes during take off from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, killing both pilots, the aircraft's only occupants.[6] 1992 – First Nagorno-Karabakh War: Armenian troops massacre more than 20 Azerbaijani civilians during the Capture of Garadaghly. 1995 – The Cenepa War between Peru and Ecuador ends on a ceasefire brokered by the UN. 1996 – In Philadelphia, world champion Garry Kasparov beats the Deep Blue supercomputer in a chess match. 1996 – NASA's Discovery Program begins as the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft lifts off on the first mission ever to orbit and land on an asteroid, 433 Eros. 1996 – The 8.2 Mw  Biak earthquake shakes the Papua province of eastern Indonesia with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). A large tsunami followed, leaving one-hundred sixty-six people dead or missing and 423 injured. 2006 – A massive mudslide occurs in Southern Leyte, Philippines; the official death toll is set at 1,126. 2008 – Kosovo declares independence from Serbia. 2011 – Arab Spring: Libyan protests against Muammar Gaddafi's regime begin. In Bahrain, security forces launched a deadly pre-dawn raid on protesters in Pearl Roundabout in Manama, the day is locally known as Bloody Thursday. 2015 – Eighteen people are killed and 78 injured in a stampede at a Mardi Gras parade in Haiti. 2016 – Military vehicles explode outside a Turkish Armed Forces barracks in Ankara, Turkey, killing at least 29 people and injuring 61 others.

[kkelchu-blog]

Leyte Landing Memorial (MacArthur Park)

The MacArthur Leyte Landing Memorial National Park (also known as the Leyte Landing Memorial Park and MacArthur Park) is a protected area of the Philippines that commemorates the historic landing of General Douglas MacArthur in Leyte Gulf at the start of the campaign to recapture and liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation on 20 October 1944. This event led to the largest naval battle of World War II (Also the world's largest naval battle in terms of gross tonnage sunk) and Japan's eventual defeat and surrender after almost three years.

Where did General Douglas MacArthur land when he returned to the Philippines to “liberate” the country from the Japanese invaders?

It’s in the Imeldific island of Leyte, where a park, formerly called the MacArthur Park, was erected to commemorate the historic day. The bronze statues tower over everyone, including the larger-than-life statues of President Sergio Osmeña and General Carlos P. Romulo, who were with the landing party of Gen. MacArthur.

The Leyte Landing Memorial commemorates the historic return of the flamboyant general, together with hundreds of thousands of men and hundreds of ships, on October 20, 1944. It was the start of the end of Japanese occupation in the Philippines. October 20 is celebrated every year, as the anniversary date of the Leyte Landing. The marker of the National Historical Institute placed at the park reads:

Leyte Landing Memorial, located at the Red Beach, Palo, Leyte. Just in case you go past the Memorial and gaze at the sea, you’ll notice that the beach brown to black — not red. The “red” in Red Beach doesn’t refer to the natural color of the sand, but its color after being drenched in blood.

The town of Palo is adjacent to, and the Memorial is a few minutes from, Tacloban City, the capital of the province of Leyte. There are no taxis in Tacloban City, so you could hire a tricycle, a ubiquitous mode of Philippine public transportation that resembles the famous German sidecar, in going to the park.

Gen. MacArthur had to leave the Philippines during the height of the Japanese attack. Upon reaching Australia, Gen. MacArthur uttered the phrase that is forever remembered by Filipinos: “I shall return“. Contrary to some misconceptions, these famous lines were uttered not when Gen. MacArthur left the Philippines, from his headquarters in Corregidor. Upon his return, General MacArthur issued a Proclamation, etched at the Leyte Landing Memorial. 

PROCLAMATION

To the People of the Philippines:

I have returned. By the grace of the Almighty God our forces stand again on Philippine soil — soil consecrated in the blood of our two peoples. We have come, dedicated and committed to the task of destroying every vestige of enemy control over your daily lives, and of restoring, upon a foundation of indestructible strength, the liberties of your people.

At my side is your President, Sergio Osmena, worthy successor of that great patriot Manuel Quezon, with members of his cabinet. The seat of your government is now therefore firmly re-established on Philippine soil.

The hour of your redemption is here. Your patriots have demonstrated an unswerving and resolute devotion to the principles of freedom that challenges the best that is written on the pages of human history. I now call upon your supreme effort that the enemy may know from the temper of an aroused and outraged people within that he has a force there to contend with no less violent than is the force committed from without.

Rally to me. Let the indomitable spirit of Bataan and Corregidor lead on. As the lines of battle roll forward to bring you within the zone of operations, rise and strike. Strike at every favorable opportunity. For your homes and hearths, strike! strike! For future generations of your sons and daughters, strike! In the name of your sacred dead, strike! Let no heart be faint. Let every arm be steeled. The guidance of Divine God points the way. Follow in His Name to the Holy Grail of righteous victory!

One of Tacloban City news reports – The country celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Leyte Gulf Landings on October 20 which the Leyte Provincial Government has announced.

Historians consider the victory of the Allied Forces against the Japanese Forces in the Battle of Leyte Gulf as the greatest naval battle in history, and proved to be the turning point of the Pacific war.

The 75th Leyte Gulf Landings anniversary has the theme: “Keeping Alive the Valor of the Heroes of World War II.” The city mayor explained that this was to honor the veterans for their bravery and courage, when they fought for freedom and peace against the Japanese invaders 75 years ago.

Photos were taken during the celebration of the 75th Leyte Gulf Landings anniversary.

[carousel-under-the-rain]

Memento Vivere: A Wanderer's Perspective

“Live your life by a compass, not a clock.”

─Stephen Covey

Travelling is really one those things that I enjoy the most. Going to different places, meeting new people and discovering their stories are truly fascinating. I’ve always dreamed to set on a journey for the sole purpose of wandering. The idea of learning a place’s cultures, beliefs, language and history gives fuel to my wanderlust. I guess what drives my love for travelling is my thirst and passion for discovery.

The quote above was said by Stephen Covey an American educator and a keynote speaker. I saw a video of his talk about “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” in YouTube two years ago, which later on I realized was actually from his own book. Hearing that short line from his talk was captivating because I share the same belief when it comes to my outlook in life. I agree that a person should live his life through a compass that doesn’t only represents going to different directions but also about the memories and the people you would encounter all throughout your personal voyage. Though the clock somehow symbolizes the limited chances we have, it also teaches us to give importance with the things we experience and to live at the moment.

Being given a task in our course Language, Culture and Society that requires embarking on a journey within our local towns made me excited. The fact that I have a soul of a wanderer was an obvious reason why but the assignment of promoting that municipality through our travelogue. The class was divided through our respective places of residence. I was part of the group of people coming from the second district of Leyte (which includes Jaro and Barugo). We were a group consisting of four members where the first two are from Jaro while my other classmate and I are from Barugo. Due to our even number of members we held a discussion about which place should we go and eventually we picked Barugo as our destination. Originally, I’m not really from Barugo but it has been my residence for four years already. The decision of choosing my current residence was great because I am hitting two birds with one stone at the same time, I would have the chance to finally go home and to enjoy our travelogue.

Barugo is a 4th class municipality in the province of Leyte. It might be a humble town but is known for being the home of Sanggutan Festival and one the original makers of tuba or coconut wine earning its nickname “Land of the Coconut Wine”. Despite of living for almost four years in that town, there are a lot things that I still don’t know about the place which is also a challenge for me and to my group mates as well. It was during the holy week when we start working on our task and we agreed to meet up in Robinsons Marasbaras’ Terminal. After an hour and a half travel from Tacloban we arrived at Barugo and went to our house first to plan our itinerary. After planning we first decided to focus and discover things in poblacion (the central of the town). We went to the municipal office and interviewed some people who could help us learn about the background and history of the place. We also took pictures of important details that could be found from the office. The people from the municipal’s office that helped us were one of the main contributors of information for our travelogue making. We also visited the local church that dates way back Spanish colonization and the store run by a women’s association which makes the town’s local delicacies: roscas and torta. Our second day was full of adventures, we went to a few barangays and experienced the wonders of nature through mountain climbing, trekking and swimming.

I could say that we really had fun and accomplished our task within two days. But of course we also faced various obstacles that challenged our journey. First, the lack of means of transportation especially when we are in the far barangays. Second, the dangerous paths we take through walking to reach our respective destinations. Third, unlike other groups we were only a small group. There are times that one member would need to sacrifice so that there’s someone who will shoot the videos and take the photos. Lastly, it was also exhausting at some point but it was all worth it. In spite of these minor challenges we have encountered, our group were able to deal with it through quick response and solutions with the situations. While when it comes to the memorable parts, I would say that my favourite was when we climbed Mt. Sampaw. The trek up there was not easy but the feeling you get when you reached the top is beyond any words. I loved that remarkable breathtaking view which overlooks some coastal barangays of the town, some parts of Carigara and ─the peaceful ocean.

My contribution to the group was being one of the resource person of our travelogue. I used my advantage as a resident of the town to assist my members. I was also an instant tour guide and pseudo-historian during our two day travelogue. Working in a group made the task easier and more enjoyable especially there were only four of us. Through accomplishing this task, I also discovered a lot of things I didn’t know before, finally understood some things I get confused about and some additional knowledge about the town. As a language student, it made me come up with few realizations. We are actually missing out a lot of good things if we won’t pay attention or at least observe. This journey proved that language, culture and society are correlated and inseparable. Furthermore, we need to help our local municipalities to recognize and preserve these rich culture and history. As a professional, in the future I would like to encourage the local government unit to engage on research works and I would still support my previous suggestion of pushing our local officials to contribute something to the society by preserving and promoting these unique features.

The trip was not only something we have done because it was our task in school but also something that we would treasure us a beautiful memory. As for me it is one of my unforgettable experience as a college freshman. It also served as our outlet and stress-reliever from all the hectic class schedules and demanding school deadlines. In conclusion, this activity did not only act as requirement in school but an immersion that taught as few lessons we do not simply learn at school and some discoveries about our locals. When I was younger I’ve always wonder how other countries looked like and wished to travel around the world but this experience made me write another goal in my bucket list. In the future, I would love to travel our local places first and learn new things. I shall live a life of a compass and the clock as my guide. Si gue adelante!

[demospectator]

Heroism and Devotion:  Medal of Honor Recipient Francis B. Wai

“It is not sweet to die for one’s country. It is bitter. But it can be noble.”  --  Noel Annan

Given what by then had been a bitter, 60-year legacy of racial exclusion from the US, the military draft of the first true, native-born generation of Chinese Americans represented the final, cruel chapter of racial injustice perpetrated against the Chinese in the US.

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, coupled with cruel anti-miscegenation laws, assured that the American legal system produced a Chinese American population that disproportionately reflected a male, single, and childless population and, hence, a prime demographic for military service. How better to accomplish the legislative scheme that had been calculated to extinguish the Chinese presence in the US once and for all than to place Chinese America's men in harm’s way?  The onset of the Second World War presented the very real prospect that the genocidal dreams of Denis Kearney’s 19th century sandlot agitators would become reality.

According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and researchers at the Oakland Museum, 13,499 Chinese American men fought in the armed forces. (Community estimates range as high as 20,000.) Approximately 75 percent served in the US Army, with ground units such as the 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions in Europe and the 6th, 32nd and 77th Infantry Divisions in the Pacific. 25 percent of the total Chinese Americans under arms served in the Navy. Still others served in specialized units, such as the all-Chinese American 1157th Signal Corps, part of 14th Air Service Group that would join the fight against Imperial Japan in the CBI theatre of operations.

Counted together, those who served in the armed forces during WW II represented 20 percent of all Chinese American men in the continental U.S. In the words of historian Iris Chang, "ethnic Chinese men gave their lives disproportionate to their presence in the country."

As the memorial plaque in St. Mary's Square (located in San Francisco Chinatown) attests to this day, too many of those who served would never return.  

On this Memorial Day, we consider the case of Captain Francis Brown Wai who fell on Red Beach at Leyte and received the Medal of Honor for his conspicuous gallantry.

The son of a Chinese father and a native Hawaiian mother, Wai grew up surfing with Duke Kahanamoku. He attended the Punahou School and Sacramento Junior College before enrolling in UCLA  where he had earned varsity football letters for the UCLA Bruins from 1937 to 38.

After enlisting in the Hawaii National Guard he was called to active duty at the outset of WW II. After attaining the rank of captain, which was rare for any Asian American, Wai was assigned to the US Army’s 24th Infantry Division (motto:  “First to Fight”).

For his extraordinary heroism in action during the landings in Leyte on October 1944, Capt. Wai received the Distinguished Service Cross. his  decoration was upgraded to a Medal of Honor in 2000 after a Department of Defense study concluded that his, and other minority soldiers’, combat decorations had been unfairly downgraded during the war. The amended citation reads as follows:

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Captain (Infantry) Francis B. Wai, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Headquarters, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy on 20 October 1944, at Leyte, Philippine Islands. Captain Wai landed at Red Beach, Leyte, in the face of accurate, concentrated enemy fire from gun positions advantageously located in a palm grove bounded by submerged rice paddies. Finding the first four waves of American soldiers leaderless, disorganized, and pinned down on the open beach, he immediately assumed command. Issuing clear and concise orders, and disregarding heavy enemy machine gun and rifle fire, he began to move inland through the rice paddies without cover. The men, inspired by his cool demeanor and heroic example, rose from their positions and followed him. During the advance, Captain Wai repeatedly determined the locations of enemy strong points by deliberately exposing himself to draw their fire. In leading an assault upon the last remaining Japanese pillbox in the area, he was killed by its occupants. Captain Wai's courageous, aggressive leadership inspired the men, even after his death, to advance and destroy the enemy. His intrepid and determined efforts were largely responsible for the rapidity with which the initial beachhead was secured. Captain Wai's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.

Requiescat in pace.

24th Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia, with Taro leaf

[asentistajad3]

Land Trip!

We used to spend our holidays at the comfort of our home but last year we have our own twist-and-turn travel story.

That year, our family chose to spend the holidays at the camp base of my brother in Clark Airbase, Pampanga. But before we had our Merry Christmas to a Happy New Year , we encountered unforgettable memories along the way.

Although we already planned to travel up north through land travel along time ago, but we didn’t expect that it will be happening this early. We immediately prepared our mind, energy, baggages, google maps (since it was our first time to travel by land and we have any idea of the roads we will be taking), along with our finances for a short period of time (two days) to have the most memorable memory of land travel. As I prepared for it, I had a strange feeling of excitement and nerves at the same time. I had all sorts of thoughts and doubts.

We quickly travelled the Davao-Surigao route up north last December 21,2021, about 4 days before Christmas and almost 1 week after the devastation of Bagyong Odette. We are very optimistic to encounter scenic and amazing views along the way but it was another way around. We have seen the anger of nature as we’ve witnessed the devastating situation of the people and area after this typhoon. Through these scenes, it was disheartening to go on with the travel because we also learned that time that the port are damaged. We have a quiet moment on the car as we tried to think a hundred times to continue not knowing what will be the situation in the next phase of our travel. But we have high hopes and positive spirit because our aim now is to keep on going.

The situation in the port was more discouraging. You will definitely realized how hard to travel by land and sea during typhoons. It was quite eye-opening experience to meet different behaviors of the locals during this tragedy. Some are taking advantage of the situation instead of helping the stranded travelers. Honestly, I had conversations everywhere just to have some ideas and options how to cross the islands. Determined, we waited for almost half day for rescue boats and ships to let travelers travel across the islands of Mindanao to Visayas.

There were only couple of ships available that are able to cargo our car, we tried our luck and to our surprise before the day ends we are already sailing through the Pacific.

Again, it was a tough journey as we set sail to Visayas since it was also devastated by the typhoon Odette. It was hard to ignore all the damages and heart breaking scenes in our way; landslides, wrecked homes, bald mountains, cracked roads, and of course the grieving community of some parts in Leyte. We just let our hearts pray in silence as we witnessed all of these.

As we arrived in Tacloban, we take a day of rest in a hotel since we are physically and mentally drained. We recharged our bodies and minds as we take again the roads up north the next day. To ease our worries, we took a quick posed in the famous bridge of San Juanico that connects the islands of Leyte and Samar. With positive minds, we pray to have a safe and happy travel as we take the roads of Samar. Thankfully, we reached the highest part of the island at noon and we managed to secure another ferry ride across the other side of the country- the Islands of Luzon.

Nature and sunny days were a blessing when it was so cold and dark in Visayas. This time we are able to enjoy the fresh air, green mountains, and pristine beaches of the provinces of Luzon. Our eyes are full since we already viewed and take a quick stop over in the majestic Mount Mayon where I just met in textbooks and social media. I’ve enjoyed the different delicacies offered by the locals as we stopped by for our meals like the legit Bicol express, Laing, Tinapa (fish cooked in banana leaves) and Pili nuts. The coastal roads are amazing and we’ve met people who have different dialects that we approached for directions. We travelled the south Luzon to Pampanga for almost 24hours without sleepovers but rather have a quick stop overs for rest and meals.

At exactly 6pm on the 24th of December, we arrived safely in Pampanga. My brother was very glad to see us safe and happy on our trip. We celebrated the Noche Buena with thankful hearts despite all that we have encountered along the way. We included the affected people in our prayers to ease their pain and worries.

We spent the next days of our vacation exploring the province of Pampanga. We joined the excitement of holiday rush and spending the night in the festive grounds of Clark Airbase. We also visit all the famous landmark in Pampanga, Manila and the neighboring cities and wowed by the busy streets and tallest buildings.

This trip- a two weeks escape to North side of the Philippines- was the first trip of our family. For me travel is always about the family; always thinking of who would enjoy what. It’s about family time and bonding. It’s about creating memories and travel stories together. It’s all so wonderful.

[qaizercubianjamaluddin]

Reflection Paper

The historical site that I’ve personally chosen is MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park which is located in the city of Palo, Leyte. Overall the entire experience was great even though it is only a virtual. It is even located at the seaside which compliments the whole beauty of the park. In actuality the statues are not in human scale which is something that I presumed would be base on the pictures. I’ve also discovered that the park doesn’t only feature the statue of MacArthur’s landing site, but it also showed a lot of historical information through murals. The park was also beside other areas where you can explore more about the history of the city of Palo. In its modern state you definitely see that the government of Palo put in the effort of preserving the greatest histories of our country.

[phgq]

3 cities, 3 provinces in E. Visayas reopen to tourists

#PHnews: 3 cities, 3 provinces in E. Visayas reopen to tourists

TACLOBAN CITY – At least three cities and three provinces in Eastern Visayas have opened their doors to domestic tourists after a year-long movement restriction due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Based on the advisory released by the Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office Friday, these areas have reopened to regional and domestic tourists following the National Inter-Agency Task Force Resolution No. 101 uniformed protocols for land, air, and sea travels.

These areas include Biliran, Southern Leyte, and Eastern Samar provinces; Catbalogan City in Samar, Tacloban City in Leyte, and Maasin in Southern Leyte, said DOT Eastern Visayas regional director Karina Rosa Tiopes.

Requirements for the entry of tourists vary for each province and city.

In Biliran, regional and domestic tourists who would want to visit the place would need to present a valid identification card (ID), and have to undergo health assessments upon arrival in the province.

Those who will stay for 24 hours or longer have to present proof of booking from an accommodation facility or proof of sponsorship from a Biliran resident where he or she would stay.

Those without proof of booking will be facilitated by the tourism assistance booth at the provincial border.

Biliran province takes pride in its tourist destinations such as the Sambawan Island in Maripipi Island, the shifting sand and the sunken chapel at Higatangan Island, and various waterfalls like the Tinago and Tomalistis Falls in Caibiran town, and the Ulan-ulan and Recoletos Falls in Almeria.

The province has also DOT-accredited farm-tourism sites such as SofTea Garden in Bato village, Biliran town, and Canaan Hill Farm and Honey Garden in Uson village in Caibiran.

For Southern Leyte province, requirements include valid ID, Southern Leyte QR Code, and health assessment upon arrival.

The province is popular for its diving sites located along Sogod Bay. These dive sites stretch from the town of Macrohon to the historic island town of Limasawa, then across to the towns of San Francisco and Pintuyan in Panaon Island.

Another popular destination in the province is the twin islands of San Pedro and San Pablo in Hinunangan town.

Those who want to visit Eastern Samar should present their valid ID to explore their popular tourist destination such as Calicoan Island, Sulangan Island for pilgrims, Minasangay Eco-Park in Balangkayan town, Canhugas Nature Park and Guinduyanan Cove in Hernani town, and Divinubo and Ando Island in Borongan City.

In Catbalogan City, visitors are required to show valid ID, local QR code, and health assessment upon arrival.

Catbalogan, the capital of Samar, is known for waterfalls, caves, and beaches.

In Tacloban, requirements include valid ID, local QR code, and health assessment upon arrival.

Attraction in the city includes the San Juanico Bridge, the Yolanda Memorial Sites, and Sto. Niňo Shrine, Price Mansion, and the Leyte Provincial Capitol.

Some of the top hotel or accommodation facilities and restaurants are also located in the city.

A local cruise operator in the city also offers a sunset excursion at the San Juanico Bridge via boat ride.

In Maasin City, requirements include local QR Code, valid ID, and health assessment upon arrival.

Must-see destinations in the city are pilgrims’ sites such as the Monte Cueva Shrine, Our Lady of Assumption Statue, and the Maasin Cathedral built in the 1700s.

“To give due consideration to the new carrying capacity, we highly advise that a pre-booking be secured through the provincial and city tourism offices before traveling,” Tiopes stated in the advisory.

The contact number of provincial and city tourism officers are posted on their official Facebook pages and DOT Eastern Visayas social media account.

Tiopes added that Leyte, Northern Samar, and Samar are not yet included in the list as they have not yet issued executive orders for the entry protocols and on allowing tourists to enter their respective provinces. (PNA)

***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "3 cities, 3 provinces in E. Visayas reopen to tourists." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1133445 (accessed March 13, 2021 at 01:13AM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "3 cities, 3 provinces in E. Visayas reopen to tourists." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1133445 (archived).

[randomnotesnet]

Reflections of My Life – VI

— The Marmalade, November 14 1969, March 1970 – YouTube

The room was humming harder

As the Ceiling Flew Away …

— “A Whiter Shade of Pale” – Procol Harum, May 1967 – Promo Video on YouTube

Ripping Off the Roof: The Risks of Following Jesus | InterVarsity

« … »

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man in Capernaum

— The New Testament – Jesus Christ, circa 32 AD

The 1,2,3 Tidings of Palu: Ruins, Golden Words, Back to Life. The historic 1944 landing of General Douglas MacArthur in Leyte Gulf on the Philippines and its memorial, after and before Typhoon Yolanda.

Some men came carrying a paralyzed man but could not get inside, so they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and then lowered the man down.

— Jesus Christ – circa 32 AD – The New Testament – Luke 5:17-39, Mark 2 – Healing the paralytic at Capernaum – Wikipedia

The Pool of Bethesda was a pool in Jerusalem known from the New Testament story of Jesus miraculously healing a paralysed man, from the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John, where it is described as being near the Sheep Gate, surrounded by five covered colonnades or porticoes.

— Pool of Bethesda – Wikipedia

Jesus tells him to pick up his bed or mat and walk; the man is instantly cured and is able to do so.

— Jesus Christ – circa 32 AD – The New Testament – John 5 – Healing the paralytic at Bethesda – Wikipedia

« … »

Da fliegt mir doch das Blech weg

Da fliegt mir doch das Blech weg

My tin sheets flies off and away!

— Spliff, 1982

I see a smart black man, he tells me: Come on, get up, on the floor.

Shake what you have, ’cuz you’re not a wood stock, while he grins at me like an auto grille.

He’s the spitting image of James Brown. That’s where my tin [shack’s roof] blows off and away!

—

Ich seh einen schicken schwarzen Mann Er sagt: Komm steh auf, geh auf's Parkett.

Schüttel was du hast, denn du bist kein Brett! Er grinst mich an wie ein Kühlergrill …

… und sieht genau aus wie James Brown. Da fliegt mir doch das [Wellb]lech[dach] weg!

— “Das Blech” – Spliff, 1982 – Genius Lyrics

Cat on the Hot Tin Roof

— Tennessee Williams, 1955

# 096

[ericgamalinda]

Sod Manila!

From EMPIRE OF MEMORY, 1992 / 2014

AT HALF PAST THREE in the afternoon of July 5, 1966, a mob hired by President Ferdinand Marcos chased the Beatles out of Manila International Airport. I remember the jittery footage of the scene being replayed over and over on The News Tonite on Channel 5. A grim-looking commentator was saying the Fab but Discourteous Four had shamelessly humiliated the First Lady and her children by refusing to pay a courtesy call at Malacañang Palace. Imelda Marcos herself hastily issued a statement saying the Beatles were to be treated humanely despite the snub, but this was said after the fact—after the Beatles had been kicked, spat at, cursed, and chased into a waiting jet.

     Julian Hidalgo, known by the nickname Jun, took me and my sister Delphi to the Beatles’ concert at Rizal Memorial Stadium. At that time he was courting my sister and was hoping to win me over by playing the older brother. They were both nineteen, and the rituals of this older generation meant nothing to me beyond free passes to a number of movies, where I had to chaperone Delphi. The three of us would witness, not by accident, the Beatles being beaten up at the airport, and for some time we would bond in a special way—conspirators mystically united by an adventure whose significance would only dawn on us long after the event had passed. Jun explained a few details about this incident to me eighteen years later, when, in the ironic twists of fate that coursed through our lives during the dictatorship, he and I became colleagues once again in the censorship office in Malacañang. But in 1966 we were young, brash, and bold with hope, and like the entire country, we seemed on the verge of a privileged destiny.

     Three days before the concert, Jun rushed to our house with three front-row tickets. Delphi’s eyes widened like 45s. “Where did you get the money this time, ha?” she asked incredulously.      “The First Lady gave them to me,” Jun said proudly. And, in response to our howls of disbelief, “Well, actually, this reporter from the Manila Times gave them to me. The First Lady was giving away sacks of rice and tickets last week. This reporter owed me for a tip I gave him years ago, the one that got him the Press Club award. He wanted the rice, I asked for the tickets. He was one of those Perry Como types.”      Imelda Marcos had flown in friends and media to celebrate her birthday on her native island of Leyte. There was roast suckling pig and a rondalla playing all day. She herself obliged requests for a song with a tearful ballad in the dialect, “Ang Irog Nga Tuna,” My Motherland. To commemorate the sentimental reunion, each guest went home with the rice and tickets.      “Now that’s style,” Delphi said. Then, upon reflection: “They won’t let Alfonso in.”      “Of course they would!” I protested. I was just thirteen but I was already as tall as she was.      “That’s not the point,” Jun said impatiently. “I’m going to get myself assigned to cover the Beatles and we can talk to them ourselves.”      “All the other reporters will beat you to it,” I said. Jun was stringing for the Manila Times and was convinced that getting an exclusive interview would land him a job as a staff reporter.      “All the other reporters listen to nothing but Ray Conniff,” he said. “Besides, nobody knows where they’re staying. But I do.”      Jun’s modus operandi wasn’t going to be that easy. He managed to get stage passes for the three of us, which turned out to be inutile. It was the official pass, printed and distributed in London, that we had to wangle if we were to get near the Beatles.      “Go ahead and do your job,” Delphi told him icily. “We’ll see you at the stadium.”      “I can still get you the pass,” Jun said. “Somehow.” He was beginning to realize that concert security would directly affect his personal relationships. But not even his religious coverage of pre-concert press briefings seemed to help. Local promoters announced that the Beatles’ only press conference was going to be held at the War Room of the Philippine Navy headquarters, and that the concert was being staged, not by coincidence, on the fourth of July as a birthday gift to the Republic (July 4th) and the First Lady (July 2nd).      Other questions were left unanswered. Had the Beatles secretly arrived by submarine? “That’s confidential.” Were they actually going to stay at the Palace? “That’s confidential.” In the end somebody asked if the Beatles actually existed, and the joke was that that, too, was confidential.      The excitement was further fueled by a series of wire stories the dailies ran on page one, including coverage of the Beatles’ world tour, warnings of possible riots all over the world, and a rare discordant moment in Tokyo, where a reporter asked the group, “What are you going to be when you grow up?” The reply: “If you grow up yourself you’d know better than to ask that question.”      Radio stations kept playing the Beatles’ hits (most requested: “Yesterday” and “Help!”), and DZUW, Rainy Day Radio, preempted everyone and began playing the new single, “Paperback Writer.” The Philippine Security Corporation created the biggest stir when it insured the Beatles for a million pesos. Two hundred Philippine Constabulary troopers, seven hundred policemen, detachments from the Pasay City and Parañaque police, the Civil Aeronautics Administration, the Bureau of Customs, and the Marines were on red alert. The First Lady bought fifteen hundred tickets and distributed them to volunteer recruits to Vietnam, who were going to be the show’s guests of honor. Pro-Beatle fan clubs were staging rallies, counterpointed by anti-Beatle demonstrations where placards said, “No one is more popular than Jesus!!!” Government bureaucrats had to drive away contractors who were bribing them with concert tickets. On the eve of the Beatles’ arrival, a young colegiala threatened to jump off the roof of the Bank of the Philippine Islands building unless she was granted a private audience with the band.      Backstage at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, an air-conditioned dressing room was hastily installed a day before the concert, complete with state-of-the-art TV monitors and audio equipment. Quarter-page ads appeared in the dailies for a week, announcing concert schedules and sponsors. Finally, on July 3, the day of the Beatles’ arrival, a full-page splash appeared in all the dailies:

LIVE! THE BEST IN THE WORLD! THE BEATLES IN MANILA With Asia’s Queen of Songs Pilita Corales Carding Cruz and his Orchestra The Wing Duo The Lemons Three Dale Adriatico The Reycard Duet and Eddie Reyes & The Downbeats!

     Early that morning, Jun called us up. “Get dressed, both of you. We’re meeting the Beatles at the airport.”      “What do you mean, we?” Delphi asked.      “I told you we’d talk to them, didn’t I?” Jun said. “Did I ever break a promise?”      On many occasions, yes, but this was one promise for which Delphi was willing to risk her life—and mine, if need be. She drove our parents’ 1964 Ford to the airport as though she wanted to mow down everything in our way, laughing as irate motorists yelled obscenities at us.      When we finally met Jun at the parking lot, he handed us a pile of obviously used porter uniforms. “I paid the guy twenty pesos to rent them,” he said proudly.      “Does this guy know what you’re renting them for?” Delphi asked, crinkling her nose as she daintily held her uniform away.      Jun held up a bootleg 45, pressed in Hong Kong, in red vinyl. “If I get an autograph, we get a refund.”

THE CATHAY PACIFIC jet swooped in at half past four. The airport was jam-packed with the biggest crowd I had ever seen in my life: girls in bobby socks and leatherette miniskirts and boys in seersucker suits, all perspiring and scrunched against a chain-link fence. This was definitely the wrong place to be. As the jet taxied in, we tore ourselves away from the crowd and wormed our way to one of the departure exits, just in time to catch a baggage trolley rattling toward the plane. Jun hopped on, and Delphi and I awkwardly clambered after him. I was afraid Delphi’s bobbed hair would spill out of the cap she was wearing and blow our cover. But, having regained her composure, she stood handsomely in the last car, gripping the rail; it was no wonder Jun risked life, limb, and career for her.      The trolley rattled past armored cars, fire trucks, riot squads, and troops of motorcycle police who were wearing special cowboy hats for this occasion. As soon as the trolley cranked to a stop under the jet, Jun hopped off. He was about to head toward the stairs when a limousine careened and cut him off. Three official-looking men dressed in formal barong Tagalog got off the limousine and rushed up to the plane. What followed was an interminable, bated-breath pause. Jun walked up the stairs and saw the officials arguing with passengers near the plane’s exit. Somebody was saying, “Is there a war going on?”      Finally, one official tentatively walked out of the plane. This was enough to excite the increasingly impatient crowd, and immediately a cacophony of screams burst from the viewing deck. The screams grew louder as other officials and soldiers walked out of the plane. By the time Brian Epstein groggily stepped out, the screaming had reached earsplitting level—no matter that the soldiers surrounded the Beatles from jet to limousine and we caught glimpses of them only through spaces in the cordon sanitaire: George Harrison, his hair tousled by the humid wind, his red blazer flashing like a signal of distress, Ringo Starr in peppermint stripes and flapping foulard, Paul McCartney, round-eyed and baby-faced, and John Lennon, hiding behind dark glasses.      Jun hurried down the stairs and motioned for us to follow him.      “What happened in there?” Delphi asked him.      “I don’t know,” Jun said. “All I heard was a lot of words your folks wouldn’t want you to hear.”      “What does that mean?” Delphi asked.      “Nothing we can’t find out,” said Jun.

THE MANILA TIMES ran a story about the press conference at the War Room. Jun fumed over his colleague’s story, saying, “This idiot did little more than transcribe the Q&A.” It turned out, however, that the Beatles’ replies would be uncannily prophetic.

     THE BEATLES! YEAH!      By Bobby Tan

     When did you last get a haircut?      In 1933.      Would you be as popular without your long hair?      We can always wear wigs.      How much taxes do you pay?      Too much.      What attracted you to your wives?      Sex.      Do you feel you deserve the Order of the British Empire?      Yeah. But when you’re between 20 and 23, there are bound to be some criticisms.      How will you solve the Vietnam War?      Give it back to whoever deserves it.      What’s your latest song?      “Philippine Blues.”      Mr. Lennon, what did you mean by Spaniard in your latest book?      Have you read it?      No.      Then read it.      If there should come a time when you have to choose between the Beatles and your family, whom would you choose?      We never let our families come between us.      What is your favorite song?      “God Save the King.”      But it’s the Queen now.      “God Save the Queen” then.      What will you be doing ten years from now?      Why bother about ten years from now? We don’t even know if we’ll be around tomorrow.

ON THE EVE of July 4, Philippine-American Friendship Day, President Ferdinand Marcos urged Filipinos to “recall the lasting and valuable friendship between America and the Philippines” and issued a statement saying a revamp of the government bureaucracy was imminent. “Heads Will Roll!” the dailies shrilled, their bold prediction thrust audaciously by homeless street children against car windows along Highway 54. At the Quirino Grandstand the next day, the President sat in the sweltering heat as troops paraded before him. Three stations covered the Friendship Day rites, but Channel 5 ignored it completely, running instead a 24-hour update on the Beatles. Marcos seethed on the grandstand, and cameras caught the expression on his face that might have said: Damned Trillos, they really get my goat. The Trillos owned the Manila Times and many broadcast stations and refused to accommodate the First Family’s whims. But Marcos had the last laugh. On this very afternoon, back at the Palace, Imelda and the children would be having lunch with the Beatles. All television stations and newspapers had been invited for a five-minute photo opportunity—all, that is, except the Trillo network. Marcos tried to stifle a smirk as he saluted the troops. Proud and dignified in his white suit, he stood out like some sartorial titan: people said you could tell he was going in for a second term.

CALLA LILIES were brought in at nine by Emma Fernandez, one of the Blue Ladies, so-called because Imelda Marcos had them wear nothing but blue. The flowers adorned the corridors of the palace all the way to the formal dining hall, where about a hundred youngsters, ages three to fifteen, listlessly waited for the Beatles. Imee, the eldest of the Marcos children, sporting a new bobcut hairdo, sat at the head of the table. Her younger sister Irene sat beside her, reticent and uncomfortable in Sunday clothes. Ferdinand Junior, master Bongbong to one and all, was wearing a bowtie and a starched cotton shirt, and his attire apparently made him restless, as he kept sliding off his seat to pace the floor. Around them were children of ministers, generals, business tycoons, and friends of the family, sitting under buntings of red, white, and blue and paper flags of the United States and the Philippines.      Imelda Marcos walked in at exactly eleven. Emma Fernandez approached her, wringing her hands, and whispered in her ear: “They’re late!” Imelda brushed her off, an imperceptible smile parting her lips. She kissed the children one by one, Imee dodging and receiving instead a red smear on the ear. She inspected the cutlery, the lilies, the nameplates: two R’s each for Harrison and Starr, check; two N’s for Lennon; and no A in Mc. She scanned the room proudly, deflecting the grateful, expectant faces, the small fingers clutching cardboard tickets to the concert.      At half past eleven the children began complaining, so breadsticks and some juice were served. Imelda walked around the hall, stopping to strike a pose for the palace photographers. “Good shot, Madame!” The photographers were the best in the field, plucked out of the newsrooms to accompany her on all her itineraries. They had been sufficiently instructed on which angle to shoot from and which side to take, and anyone who took the wrong shot was dismissed posthaste, his camera and negatives confiscated. The children were more difficult to shoot: bratty and impatient, they always came out pouting, with their chins stuck out. It was always best to avoid them.      Unknown to this gathering, a commotion was going on at the lobby of the Manila Hotel. On hand were Brian Epstein and members of the concert crew; Colonel Justin Flores and Captain Nilo Cunanan of the Philippine Constabulary; Sonny Balatbat, the teenage son of Secretary of State Roberto Balatbat; Captain Fred Santos of the Presidential Guard; Major Tommy Young and Colonel Efren Morales of the Manila Police District; and local promoter Rene Amos.      “We had an agreement,” Colonel Flores was saying. “We sent a telegram to Tokyo.”      “I don’t know about any fucking telegram,” Epstein replied.      “The First Lady and the children have been waiting all morning.”      “Nobody told them to wait.”      “The First Lady will be very, very disappointed.”      Brian Epstein looked the colonel in the eye and said, “If they want to see the Beatles, let them come here.”      At the stroke of noon, Imelda Marcos rose from her chair and walked out of the dining hall. “The children can wait,” she said, “but I have more important things to do.”      As soon as she was gone, Imee pushed back her chair, fished out her ticket, and tore it in two. The other children followed, and for a few seconds there was no sound in the hall but the sound of tickets being torn. Bongbong hovered near the plate that had been reserved for John Lennon. “I really much prefer the Rolling Stones,” he said. Photographers caught the young master at that moment, his eyes wide and blank. Imee looked at him and remarked, “The only Beatles song I liked was ‘Run for Your Life.’” She looked around the hall defiantly. She had never been so embarrassed in her life. People always said that among the three Marcos children, she was the sensitive one. That morning she seemed she was about to cry.

     The Beatles: Mass Hysteria!      By Jun Hidalgo

     Eighty thousand hysterical fans cramped into Rizal Memorial Stadium to watch the Beatles, the largest crowd Manila has seen since the Elorde-Ortiz boxing match in the same stadium.      While traffic snarled to a standstill along Dakota Street, 720 policemen, 35 special detectives and the entire contingent of the Manila Fire Department stood guard as the Liverpool quartet performed their hits before thousands of cheering and screaming fans, many of whom had waited to get inside the stadium since early morning…

WHEN THE GATES finally opened, all hell broke loose. I held on to Delphi, who held on to Jun, and the three of us braved the onslaught as we squeezed past security and found ourselves, miraculously intact, on the front row beside the Vox speakers.      “I don’t want to sit here,” Delphi protested. “We’re going to blast our ears off!”      “Relax,” Jun said. “Everybody’ll be screaming anyway. We have the best seats in the house.”      Everyone in the stadium was a mophead, except the Vietnam volunteers sitting in our row, whose heads had been cleanly shaved. They were young men plucked from the provinces, and many of them were never coming home again. I was so relieved I had grown my hair longer that summer. My hair was a clear sign that, despite my young age, I had gained honorary membership in the exclusive cabal of this generation. You could tell who the pigs were: they were the ones who roamed around, their ears pink and their heads shaved clean like the Vietnam volunteers. Some of them had guns under into their belts; they had been warned that a riot could break out.

     …Soaked in sweat, Beatles fans impatiently heckled the opening acts, and emcees had to threaten the crowd that the Beatles would not perform until the audience simmered down.

And when the Beatles finally opened with “I Wanna Be Your Man,” you could feel the excitement ripping through you, a detonation of such magnitude your entire being seemed to explode. I couldn’t hear anything except a long, extended shrill—the whole stadium screaming its lungs out. I looked at Delphi. She was holding her head between her hands and her eyes were bulging out and her mouth was stretched to an 0, and all I could hear was this long, high-pitched scream coming out of her mouth. I had never seen Delphi like that before, and I would never, for the rest of her life, see her as remorselessly young as she was that afternoon.

THE MORNING AFTER the concert, Jun asked Delphi if we could take the Ford to Manila Hotel.      “Why do you have to take us along?” Delphi asked him. It was clear that for her the concert had been the high point of our adventure.      “We still have to get that interview, don’t we?” Jun reminded her. “Besides,” he added, “I need you to cover for me,” Jun said.      “Cover?” asked Delphi. “As in war?”      “Looks like war it’s going to be,” said Jun.      Jun had bribed someone from room service to let him take a snack to the Beatles. I was going to pose as a bellhop. Delphi was going to be a chambermaid. Apparently our plan was to swoop down on them in the name of impeccable service, with Jun secretly recording this invasion with the help of a pocket-sized tape recorder. As usual, he had the uniforms ready, rented for the day for half his month’s wages. “The hotel laundry boy’s a childhood friend of mine.”      “You’re the company you keep,” Delphi teased him, because she knew it tortured him whenever she did that.      I wore the monkey suit perfectly, but somehow it still didn’t feel right. I looked at myself in the men’s room mirror and knew I was too young for the role. And Delphi looked incongruous as the chambermaid: her bob cut was too in.      As it turned out, all my misgivings would be proven true. We crossed the lobby to the service elevator. Jun walked several paces ahead of us, nonchalantly jiggling the car keys, but I kept glancing nervously around.      “Hoy, where you going?”      Jun didn’t seem to hear the house detective call us, or maybe the detective didn’t notice him walking past. I felt a hand grab my collar and pull me aside. Immediately, Delphi was all over the detective, hitting him with her fists: “You take your hands off my brother or I’ll kick your teeth in!” Struggling out of the detective’s chokehold, I could see Jun hesitating by the elevator. I motioned for him to go. The detective dragged Delphi and me out to a backroom where several other detectives were playing poker. “Oy, got two more right here!”

AS HE RECALLED LATER, Jun wheeled the tray into Suite 402 expecting to find telltale debris of a post-concert party (and hence an excuse for us to mop up). What he came upon was something less festive.      “Compliments of the house, sir,” he announced cheerfully as he came in.      George Harrison and Brian Epstein were sitting on the sofa, and Paul McCartney was precariously perched on the TV set, brooding. The three of them apparently had been having an argument and they all looked up, surprised, at the intruder.      “All right,” Epstein said, curtly. “Bring it in.”      “I’ll have to mix the dip here, sir,” Jun said, to prolong the intrusion. “House specialty.”      Nobody seemed to hear him. George Harrison continued the conversation, “We came here to sing. We didn’t come here to drink tea and shake hands.”      “That’s precisely the reason we’ve got to pay customs the bond for the equipment,” said Epstein.      “Let them keep the money then,” Paul said. “Everyone says here come those rich mopheads to make more money. We don’t care about the money.”      “We didn’t even want to come here,” George reminded them.      “The only reason we came here,” added Paul, “was because these people were always saying why don’t you come over here? We didn’t want to offend anyone, did we? We just came here to sing. You there,” indicating Jun, who jumped with surprise. “Do you speak English?”      “Fairly well,” replied Jun.      “Does the government control the press here, as they do the customs people, the airport managers, and the police?”      “Not yet,” said Jun.      Paul then observed that everything was “so American in this country, it’s eerie, man!” He also remarked that many people were exploited by a wealthy and powerful few. Epstein wanted to know how he knew that, as the others had simply not heard of the country before, and Paul replied that he had been reading one of the local papers.      “What are we supposed to do?” he asked. “Show up and say, ‘Well, here we are, we’re sorry we’re late!’ We weren’t supposed to be here in the first place. Why should we apologize for something that’s not our fault?”      At that point John Lennon and Ringo Starr, who had been booked in the adjacent suite, walked in. Ringo, sweating and tousled, plopped into the sofa between Epstein and George Harrison. John Lennon, wearing his dark glasses, walked straight to the window and looked out. “We’ve got a few things to learn about the Philippines, lads,” he said. “First of all is how to get out.”

THE MANILA HOTEL DETECTIVES deftly disposed of Delphi and me with a push via the back door, where a sign said THROUGH THIS DOOR PASS THE MOST COURTEOUS EMPLOYEES OF MANILA.      We walked back to the Ford in the parking lot and waited for less than an hour when Jun, struggling out of the hotel uniform and back to mufti, sprinted toward us and hopped into the driver’s seat. “Get in!” he shouted. “We’re going to the airport!”      “Did you get the interview?” Delphi asked.      “Better,” Jun said. “The Beatles are going to try to leave this afternoon. They’re paying something like forty-five thousand dollars as a bond or something. Customs is charging them so much money in taxes for the concert.”      “Wait a minute,” Delphi protested. “Is that legal?”      “Who cares?” Jun said. “All I know is they’re paying the bond and now all they want to do is to get out. But they think something’s going to happen at the airport. There’s been talk of arrest and detention.”      “Who said that?” Delphi asked.      “John Lennon, I think. I don’t know. I was mixing that stupid dip.”      We were driving toward the south highway now, past the mammoth hulls of ships docked at Manila Bay. “You know all those people who’ve been trying to get the Beatles to go to the palace? You know why they were so keen on bringing the band over to Imelda’s luncheon?”      “Can’t waste all that food, right?” Delphi said.      “Bright girl, but no. There’s going to be a major revamp soon. It’s all over the papers, if you’ve been paying attention. All these guys are going to get the top posts. Well, most of them were, until the Beatles screwed everything up.”      “What guys? Who?”      “That Colonel Fred Santos, the one who led the group to talk to Epstein, he’s being groomed to head the Presidential Guard. Real heavy-duty position, accompanying the First Family all over the world, luxury apartment at the Palace, the works. There’s one Colonel Flores, Justin Flores I think, who’s bound to be chief of the constabulary. Then there’s Colonel Efren Morales, most likely head of the Manila Police.”      “But these are junior officers,” Delphi said. “Marcos can’t just promote them to top posts.”      “That’s the point. Marcos is going to bypass everybody and build up an army of his own. All these new guys will be licking his boots and there’s nothing the generals can do about it. That young mophead, the son of Balatbat, he was there for his father, who’s going to be reappointed secretary of state. And if I’m not mistaken, Salvador Roda, the airport manager, wants to take over customs. The man’s going to be a millionaire, kickbacks and all.”      “How do you know all that?” Delphi demanded.      “Homework,” Jun said, swerving the car toward the airport, his reply drowned out by the droning of jets. “I’m the best damned reporter in the city, and everybody’s going to find out why.”

SALVADOR RODA was briefing the press agitatedly at the VIP lounge of the airport that afternoon, explaining why the republic was withdrawing security for the Beatles and why customs had slapped a hundred-thousand-peso tax on Liverpudlian income. “Too much Filipino money wasted on such a paltry entourage, gentlemen of the press, and not one centavo of the profits going to the nation. Puta, that doesn’t make sense, di ba?”      We walked up the escalators to the second floor to change into our porter uniforms, which we had lugged in backpacks.      “This airport gets worse every time I come here,” Delphi complained. “Nothing’s working.”      “And there’s nobody around,” observed Jun. The entire second floor was deserted. “Lucky for us,” he said, pushing Delphi into the ladies’ room and then pulling me into the adjoining gents’. We changed into the uniforms and stuffed our clothes above the water tanks.      “You think there’s going to be trouble?” I asked Jun.      “Will you guys back out if I told you there might?”      I had to give that some thought. In the past Jun had taken Delphi and me on some insane adventures, mostly juvenile pranks that left us breathlessly exhilarated, but with no real sense of danger. For the first time I was afraid we were up against something, well, real.      “We’ll stick around,” I said, tentatively.      He put his arm around me and said, “Kapatid! That’s my brother!”

JULY 5, 2 P.M. THE BEATLES arrived at the airport in a Manila Hotel taxi. They weren’t wasting any time. They ran straight up the escalators, their crew lugging whatever equipment they could carry. At the foot of the escalators a group of women—society matrons and young college girls—had managed to slip past the deserted security posts and, seeing the Beatles arrive, they lunged for the group, screaming and tearing at the band’s clothes. Flashbulbs blinded the band as photographers crowded at the top of the stairs. It would have taken a miracle for the band to tear themselves away from the mob and to reach, as they did in a bedraggled way, the only booth open for passport clearance, where Roda had been waiting with the manifest for Flight CX 196.      “Beatles here!” he hollered imperiously, and the band followed his voice meekly, almost contritely. Behind the booth a crowd that had checked in earlier restlessly ogled.      “Those aren’t passengers,” Jun observed as we stole past a booth. “They look like the people we saw earlier with Roda.”      “Beatles out!” Roda boomed.      And then it happened.      As the Beatles and their crew filed past the booth, the crowd that had been waiting there seemed to swell like a wave and engulfed the band, pulling them into an undertow of fists and knee jabs. There was a thud—Epstein falling groggily, then being dragged to his feet by security police. Someone was cursing in Tagalog: Heto’ng sa ‘yo bwakang inang putang inang tarantado ka! Take that you m*#f@%ing*@^*r!!! Paul McCartney surfaced for air, his chubby face crunched in unmistakable terror. He pulled away from the crowd, and the other three staggered behind him. Somebody gave Ringo Starr a loud whack on the shoulder and pulled at John Lennon, who yanked his arm away, tearing his coat sleeve.      That was when we started running after them—the three of us, and the whole mob.      The crowd overtook Delphi, who was shoved aside brusquely. They were inching in on me when the exit doors flew open into the searing afternoon. From the view deck hundreds of fans who had been waiting for hours started screaming. The band clambered up the plane. I kept my eye on the plane, where Jun was already catching up with John Lennon.      “Please, Mr. Lennon,” he pleaded. “Let me help you with your bags!”      At the foot of the stairs a panting John Lennon turned to him and said, “A friendly soul, for a change. Thanks, but we’re leaving.”      “I’m sorry,” Jun said, trembling.      John Lennon bolted up the stairs. At the top he stopped and took off his coat and threw it down to Jun.      “Here,” he said. “Tell your friends the Beatles gave it to you.”

A FEW WEEKS after the Beatles’ frantic egress from Manila, Taal Volcano erupted, perhaps by way of divine castigation, as happens often in this inscrutable, illogical archipelago. The eruption buried three towns and shrouded Manila in sulfuric ash for days. A month later a lake emerged from what had been the volcano’s crater—a boiling, putrefied, honey-yellow liquefaction.      The Beatles flew to New Delhi, where they were to encounter two figures that would change their lives and music: the corpulent, swaying Maharishi, and the droning, mesmerizing sitar. Back in London later, a swarm of fans greeted them carrying placards with mostly one message:

SOD MANILA!

     Manila’s columnists took umbrage, and the side of the offended First Lady. Said Teodoro Valencia, who would later become the spokesman of the Marcos press: “Those Beatles are knights of the Crown of England. Now we have a more realistic understanding of what knights are. They’re snobs. But we are probably more to blame than the Beatles. We gave them too much importance.” And columnist Joe Guevarra added: “What if 80,000 people saw the Beatles? They’re too young to vote against Marcos anyway!”      Imelda Marcos later announced to the lavishly sympathetic press that the incident “was regrettable. This has been a breach of Filipino hospitality.” She added that when she heard of a plot to maul the Beatles, she herself asked her brother, the tourism secretary, to make sure the Beatles got out of the airport safely.      But her magnanimity did little to lessen the outrage. The Manila Bulletin declared that Malacañang Palace had received no less than two hundred letters denouncing the Beatles by that weekend. Manila councilor Gerino Tolentino proposed that the Beatles “should be banned from the city in perpetuity.” Caloocan City passed an ordinance prohibiting the sale, display, and playing of Beatles records. And Quezon City passed a law declaring the Beatles’ music satanic and the mophead hairstyle illegal.      Jun Hidalgo wrote his story about the Beatles’ departure, with insider quotes taped, as an editor’s introduction to the story revealed, “while undercover as a hotel employee.” A few weeks later he was accepted into the Manila Times, where he played rookie, as was the custom then, in the snake pit of the local press: the police beat. He gave John Lennon’s coat to Delphi, who dutifully mended the sleeve, and they went steady for a while. But like most youthful relationships, the series of melodramatic misunderstandings, periodic separations, and predictable reunions finally ended in tears, and many unprintable words. My sister, older and more healthily cynical, later immigrated to the United States, from where she sent me postcards and books—and once, a note replying to one of my continuous requests for records, saying she had lost interest in the Beatles when they went psychedelic. I myself, being the obligatory late bloomer, only then began to appreciate the magical, mysterious orchestrations and raga-like trances of the band.      Delphi left John Lennon’s coat with me, and I became known in school as the keeper of a holy relic. Like the martyrs, I was the object of much admiration and also much envy. One afternoon, armed with a copy of an ordinance recently passed in Manila, directors of the school rounded up several mophead boys, including myself. In one vacant classroom we were made to sit on hardboard chairs as the directors snipped our hair. I sat stolidly under the scissors, watching my hair fall in clutches on the bare cement floor.      Back in my room that evening, I stared at myself in the mirror for a long time. Then I folded John Lennon’s jacket tightly, stuffed it in a box, and tucked it under my books and clothes. I felt no bitterness at all. I knew that something irrevocable in my life had ended.

[trendingph]

86 living war vets in PH to get P10,000 each Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla led the 76th Leyte Gulf Landings anniversary at the MacArthur National Memorial Park in Palo town on Tuesd... https://trendingph.net/86-living-war-vets-in-ph-to-get-p10000-each/?feed_id=161946&_unique_id=5f8ea11e5b63c #living #p10000 #philippinenews #philippinesnews #trendingph #vets #war

[partyjetsetgo]

The I-Shall-Return scene 😎 #Project81 #Tacloban #Leyte 🇵🇭 #Instagood #Travel #TravelDiaries #Instatravel #Travelgram #Travelblogger #Traveling #Travelbug #PinasMuna #Travelstoke #itsmorefuninthephilippines #summer #life #adventure #fun #funtimes #me #love #travelporn #travelpics #traveladdict #philippines #pinasmuna #pilipinas #choosephilippines (at MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park)

[19superearly94]

We live captured by the giants that haunt our nation

~MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park, Palo, Leyte Philippines