DAGUPAN CITY – Sen. Grace Poe and Mayor Belen Fernandez on Monday, Feb. 24, led the groundbreaking for the MacArthur Memorial building in honor of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's landing at Bonuan Blue Beach here in 1945.
SEN. Grace Poe and Mayor Belen Fernandez lead the groundbreaking for the MacArthur Memorial building in Dagupan City on Monday, Feb. 24. (Liezle Basa-Inigo)
MacArthur Memorial Museum archivist James Zobel said according to his 16 years of research, the famed World War II general and his troops landed at Bonuan Blue Beach on Jan. 9, 1945 to start the liberation of the Philippines. Days later on Oct. 20, 1945, MacArthur made the historic landing in Leyte Gulf in Palo, Leyte.
Fernandez said that the museum on a 600-square meter lot is a testament to the courage and bravery of MacArthur and his troops who paved the way for the liberation of the Philippines from Japan.
Construction will begin next month and the first phase of building will cost P60 million.
Fernandez thanked Sen. Grace Poe for allocating funds for the museum.
"Of course, this project would not have been possible without the help of our long-time friend in the Senate, Sen. Grace Poe. Her generosity made this museum concrete and feasible."