TACLOBAN CITY – The Leyte provincial government will stage a reenactment of a 1944 war event during the 80th Leyte Gulf Landings commemoration on Oct. 20, the first of its kind in the past 30 years.
Antonio Cinco, consultant of the provincial tourism office, said Thursday that joining the reenactment are 120 cast members, including some foreigners and cadets.
‘We need events like this since this maybe the last celebration that we still have living veterans of the World War II present during the commemoration,’ Cinco told reporters.
Of the 14 living World War II veterans, only three have confirmed their attendance. Others will be represented by their sons and daughters.
Cinco admitted that the reenactment is costly and requires a lot of preparations, that is why it was not pursued in the past anniversaries.
‘The reenactment now is different than in the 50th anniversary where it was based on the narratives of US soldiers. This reenactment is based on the perspective of veterans from Leyte. We also want to
convey a message that we should always choose peace and not war,’ Cinco added.
The event will highlight the commemorative program for the 80th Leyte Gulf Landings at the MacArthur Landing Memorial Park in Palo, Leyte.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro is expected to deliver his commemorative message. Other expected guests are dignitaries from embassies of Australia, Japan, and US.
A video message of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will also be played during the event.
Leyte Gulf Landings is commemorated every Oct. 20 of the year to remember the return of US Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
It was on Oct. 20, 1944 when MacArthur together with President Sergio Osmeña and Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, again set foot on Philippine soil, their first after they left Corregidor in 1942.
Their arrival started the Battle of Leyte Gulf that spanned 100,000 square miles of sea; and was fought for three days, from Oct. 23 to 25, 1944, during the invasion of Leyte by the Allied forces.
It signaled the fulfillment of Gen. MacArthur
‘s famous words, ‘I shall return,’ after going to Australia to muster support from the Allied forces in the quest to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation.
Source: Philippines News agency
