The Department of National Defense (DND) on Saturday commemorated the 75th anniversary of the end of World War 2 (WW2) which is regarded as the bloodiest human conflict in the history of mankind.
In a statement, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also paid homage to Filipino soldiers who fought to defend the country against foreign invaders.
"Today (Saturday), we mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War 2 -- the bloodiest conflict in the history of humankind wherein tens of millions lost their lives and countless more suffered. We also remember those who fought in defense of our freedom and pay homage to their sacrifice and heroism," he said.
Lorenzana assured that living Filipino war veterans and the widows of those who have departed will continuously be taken care of by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO).
"Let us honor the memories of those who are no longer with us by emulating their spirit of patriotism in our daily lives," Lorenzana said
Further, the Defense Chief hopes that the event will be a reminder to all nations "to continue to work for peace, settle differences amicably, and reject war as an instrument to further their national interests."
The WW2 was a global war which began in 1939 after a power struggle broke out between leading countries that wanted to invade other nations, historical records said.
It resulted to the creation of two opposing parties: the "Allies" and the "Axis." The Philippines, which was at the time under the colony of United States, became part of the Allies.
In December 1941, Japan, which was part of the Axis, launched various coordinated attacks against US-controlled nations including the Philippines as it tried to establish an empire in the Pacific region.
Joint American and Filipino soldiers resisted the Japanese invasion in the Philippines until Tokyo conceded on August 15, 1945 after suffering massive defeat. It signaled the complete victory of countries associated with the Allies in Asia.