The final, most important of these events, the Liberation of Manila (a battle which lasted from February 3rd to March 6th and cost by some estimates 300,000 civilian lives) will be observed with a series of events beginning in early February.

On February 9th, the Friends of Intramuros and the Memorare Foundation jointly held a mass at San Agustin, to commemorate "A day of Remembrance, Recognition and Resolution'' which was followed by a floral offering at the beautiful Memorare monument adjacent to the church.

On February 16th, the Corregidor Foundation will hold an all day anniversary program on the Island to celebrate the re-taking of Corregidor, which will include floral offerings, a tour of the newly-renovated Museum and the Malinta Tunnel Sound and Light show.

Veterans, their families and journalists are coming from abroad to attend these memorial services.   The Battling Bastards of Bataan will arrive April 1st, and begin their commemoration with a dinner at the Manila Hotel, before they set out to visit the World War Two sites in Bataan and Corregidor and follow the trail, by car, bicycle or on foot, of the infamous Death March from Mariveles, Bataan to Capas, Tarlac. On April 2nd, the Battling Bastards will hold a memorial service at the Manila American Cemetery in Makati.

The Santo Tomas Children, whose families were interned at Santo Tomas during the Japanese occupation, will also be here, as well as veterans and their families from abroad.  For many, this will be the last time they make the trip to the battlefields of the Philippines.

On May 6th, which is the anniversary of the Fall of Corregidor, an all-day tour and ceremony will be led by Secretary of Tourism Dick Gordon.   A group of surviving veterans and descendants of veterans is coming to the Philippines, from California, led by Valor Tours director Bob Reynolds, who arranges annual visits to the historic memorials of the Philippines.

FAME, the Philippine-American Memorials Endowment organization, which is charged with maintaining tangible reminders of World War Two, selected as its project for this year the restoration and standardization of the kilometer markers along the 142 km Death March route from Mariveles, Bataan, through Pampanga, to Capas, in Tarlac.   In coordination with the Corregidor Foundation and the local government of Mariveles, and the National Historical Institute, a five-foot concrete obelisk type marker designed by the Historical Institute architect, serves as a model for Death March markers.   The first model marker was placed at kilometer 00 in Mariveles last December, and will serve as a model for the others.

Previously, the markers were left to the individual towns and barangays to preserve, with the result that they were all different, as was the setting and decoration around them.   Now, FAME hopes to see the model marker available with proper signage along the entire route.

Individual events that happened along the Death March are indicated, such as when Americans and Filipino prisoners were shelled by "friendly fire" from Corregidor at Cabcaben, when they received their first meal at Balanga.   When prisoners were shot trying to get water at Limay. Where an American POW was beheaded at Luban, and where the prisoners were herded onto freight cars at San Fernando, to complete the journey to Camp O'Donnel, where two thousand died.

Since FAME has no budget to cover more than the initial cost, interested individuals and companies are encouraged to "adopt" a marker at a site of their choosing, which will be duly credited.   The markers cost P25,000 or US$500 each. FAME offices are located at the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Corinthian Plaza, Makati, Tel. 818-7911.

Considering the personal history and dramatic importance involved in the Bataan Death March, this will be a vital adjunct for visitors from abroad and local people who are interested in Philippine history.   It will also reverse the sad neglect of the past.   Some of the original markers have disappeared completely and are reputed to have been sold off as souvenirs.   The new design, of the five-foot concrete obelisk with its appropriate inscription carved (not attached) will preclude such vandalism in the future, and save the markers for posterity.   At this point in time, FAME's plans are to install 20 markers at the most historically significant sites, which they hope to have in place for the April 9th 60th anniversary of the beginning of the infamous Death March at Mariveles.

Courtesy: Pete Brozowski