Department of National Defense (DND) Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. led the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Leyte Gulf Landings on Sunday, Oct. 20, with a commitment that the national government will protect the country’s national security, territorial integrity and freedoms that war veterans fought for in the past.
In his speech during the commemoration in Palo, Leyte, Teodoro conveyed his utmost support to all initiatives that aim to ensure that the lessons and legacy of the Leyte Gulf Landings "are preserved, shared and lived with current and future generations."
“On behalf of the Department, let me reiterate our commitment to fulfilling our mandate under the leadership of His Excellency, the President [Marcos Jr.], of protecting our national security, territorial integrity, and the freedoms that our veterans have fought so hard for,” he said.
The commemoration featured a re-enaction of the historic landing of United States General Douglas MacArthur in Palo on Oct. 20, 1944 together with President Sergio Osmeña and Gen. Carlos P. Romulo.
This marked their return to the Philippines after their escape and departure in Corregidor in 1942 during the World War II Japanese occupation -- where MacArthur uttered his famous words, “I shall return” -- to go to Australia and ask for support for the planned liberation of Manila.
The arrival of MacArthur not only fulfilled his promise to the Filipinos, but also sparked the Battle of Leyte Gulf, an invasion of Allied forces in Leyte to liberate the country from Japanese invaders. This battle is deemed as the largest naval battle of World War II as it involved more than 200,000 naval personnel and spanned 100,000 square miles of sea.
Teodoro represented Marcos during the ceremony as the latter is in Jakarta for the oath-taking of new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
According to Teodoro, Marcos “is a son of Leyte as much as he is a son of our area in the north.”
“And it is providential because as a continuum and as honoring the sacrifice of the veterans here, to include his father, he continues the legacy of building national defense and resilience, not only against those who would want to occupy our territory or to abuse our territorial integrity, sovereignty, and to take over our sovereign rights, but also building resilience against natural disasters and calamities,” he noted.
“And we do this not only with the synergy between the legislature and the executive department, but also in cooperation with like-minded nations,” he added.
Meanwhile, in a message delivered by Teodoro, Marcos paid tribute to the World War II veterans for paying the ultimate sacrifice to free the Philippines from Japanese occupation.
“To our veterans, words will never be enough to express the depth of our gratitude. What you gave us goes far beyond what we could ever repay. You have shown us that courage is about carrying the weight of sacrifice, about standing firm in the face of overwhelming odds, and trusting that your struggle would bring freedom to others,” Marcos said in his message.
The commemoration, which carried the theme: "Bayani ng kahapon, Dakilang Huwaran ng mga Kabataan Ngayon", was also graced by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Other attendees were Leyte Gov. Jericho Petilla, Vice Gov. Sandy Javier, Palo Mayor Remedios L. Petilla, Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya, Australian Ambassador Hae Kyong Yu, and senior DND and military officials among others.