ILOILO CITY —The number of surviving World War II veterans in the islands of Panay and Guimaras have dwindled to just 46, the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) records show.
“Unfortunately, many of our veterans have died,” said Glenn Castañares of PVAO-Iloilo at the Friday ceremony for the 77th Victory Day for Panay, Guimaras and Romblon Islands held in Iloilo City.
“But the numbers of surviving veterans may even be less. The 46 are based on our records as of January 2022. Some may have already died, but their families may not have reported the deaths to PVAO yet,” Castañares told Manila Bulletin.
The 46 is almost half of the number of reported surviving veterans last March 2021 when it was still at 94.
The COVID-19 pandemic still restricted the March 18, 2022 ceremony that marked how the joint Filipino and American forces liberated the three Visayan islands from the Japanese Imperial Army.
There was only a wreath-laying, a Eucharistic mass, and a film showing at the Balantang Memorial National Shrine.
None of the living World War II veterans was in attendance and only a few of their families attended the ceremony.
Most of those who attended were veterans of post World War II or those who served the Philippine Constabulary before it became the Philippine National Police.