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Ifugao Commemorates 80 Years of Triumph and Peace
Prominent as the home of the breathtaking, world-famous Rice Terraces– a renowned marvel recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Website– the province of Ifugao boasts a landscape shaped by generations of native farmers. Beyond its natural appeal and cultural heritage, the Ifugao also bears historical significance, having silently saw the significant last chapters of the Second World War, which concluded 80 years earlier.

Dalipog as a symbolic sign of surrender at the commemorative program.” width=” 700″ height=” 335″/ > Ifugao Triumph Day (1): A Japanese soldier historic reenactor turn over a millitary saber to General Romeo Brawner Jr. and Ifugao guv Jerry Dalipog as a symbolic sign of surrender at the commemorative program. On September 2, 1945, General Tomoyuki Yamashita, leader of the Imperial Japanese Army’s 14th Area Army, formally gave up to American forces in the aftermath of World War II. The surrender occurred in Kiangan, a remote town in Ifugao province, deep in the rugged mountains of northern Luzon, Philippines. After months of unrelenting Allied offensives, General Yamashita and his troops– who had retreated from Manila– were relentlessly pursued by a combined force of Filipino guerrilla fighters and American soldiers.< figure id=" attachment_162754" aria-describedby=" caption-attachment-162754" class=" wp-caption aligncenter" >< img loading=" lazy" class=" size-medium wp-image-162754" src=" https://outoftownblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ifugao-Victory-Day-2-700x512.jpg" alt=" Ifugao Triumph Day( 2): General Romeo Brawner Jr, Kiangan mayor Raldis Andrei Bulayungan, Ifugao governor Jerry Dalipog, and PVAO deputy administrator Domingo Carbonell Jr. lead the tayao Ifugao neighborhood dance." width=" 700" height=" 512"/ >
Suffering lacks of food, ammunition, and medical products, Yamashita’s forces withstood constant attacks and were pushed into progressively desperate protective positions. Filipino guerrillas played a crucial role by releasing consistent raids, blocking escape routes, and cutting off products, making it almost impossible for the Japanese to regroup or counterattack. Recognizing the futility of further resistance following Japan’s official capitulation on August 15, 1945, and with his position illogical, General Yamashita formally gave up to agents of the United States Army at a section of the Philippine Military College in Kiangan. His surrender marked the reliable end of Japanese military resistance in the Philippines, closing a significant chapter in the Pacific War.

The two-day celebratory event, themed “Saluting the Guardians of Valor, Saluting Their Valor,” took place at the The second world war National Shrine in Kiangan, Ifugao, which is preserved by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO). This memorial honors the courageous Filipino soldiers who battled to free the Philippines from Japanese profession during The second world war.

of the Kiangan Central School, now the Peace Museum, where Yamashita gave up.” width=” 700″ height=” 462″/ > Ifugao Success Day( 4) The newly-restored Home Economics Building of the Kiangan Central School, now the Peace Museum, where Yamashita surrendered. The Victory Day program included a number of crucial events, consisting of the traditional wreath-laying and military honors, commanded by
guest of honor and speaker, Army Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. The occasion concluded with a 21-gun salute, commemorating the fallen heroes of the war. In his keynote address, Brawner highlighted that the observance serves as a dual function: it not just commemorates the impressive courage and sacrifices showed by our ancestors who fought bravely for the country’s freedom throughout The second world war but likewise underscores our withstanding commitment to the pursuit of peace, specifically as we continue to navigate continuous territorial disputes in Southeast Asia.
On the other hand, Ifugao guv Jerry Dalipog used wholehearted recognition to a number of crucial towns in Ifugao province that played critical functions in the concluding stages of the war. He highlighted Mayoyao, which was the site of the last major fight in the area before the Japanese surrender; Hungduan, whose rugged mountains offered refuge to Japanese soldiers making their last stand; along with Banaue and Lagawe, which both served as vital processing centers for prisoners of war as the conflict waned.
An unique homage throughout the program was provided to Pedro Indunan, who at 112 years of ages, is among the province’s few living World War II veterans. His existence was a poignant suggestion of the withstanding spirit and strength of those who defended the country’s liberation.
Another emphasize of the observance was the inauguration of the newly-restored Peace Museum, previously the Home Economics Building of Kiangan Central School– the historic website where Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita and his personnel surrendered to the Allied forces on September 2, 1945, efficiently ending The second world war in the Philippines. The remediation of the school building was headed by the Kiangan local government, with support from regional volunteers, and is now monitored by the National Museum– Ifugao.
The museum showcases classic pictures, war relics, and memorabilia unearthed from field of honor around Kiangan, along with original audio-visual equipment and a collection of historical documents related to the Japanese profession and the surrender. Its exhibitions continue to expand, aiming to preserve and inform future generations about the pivotal moments of wartime history in the area.

” 1050 “/ > 112-year vintage War 2 experienced Pedro Indunan Sr. A distinct feature of this year’s commemorative program was a symbolic reenactment: a historical reenactor, representing World War II Japanese forces, ceremonially turned over a military sword to Philippine Army Chief Romeo Brawner Jr. and Ifugao Governor Jerry Dalipog, symbolizing Yamashita’s surrender. This event was staged by the Republica Filipina Reenactment Group, whose members were carried to the place by Coda Lines bus business.
Including vibrancy to the commemorative event was a rich socio-civic and cultural program, which highlighted performances by dancers from the Ifugao Intangible Heritage Performing Arts Society, a group devoted to maintaining and showcasing Ifugao conventional dances and routines. The occasion also consisted of Veterans Night, honoring military servicemen and women, as well as organizational activities collaborated by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Workplace (PVAO).
General Tomoyuki Yamashita, referred to as the “Tiger of Malaya” for his successful military campaigns in Southeast Asia during The Second World War, was subsequently brought by Allied Forces to the US High Commissioner’s Home at Camp John Hay in Baguio City. There, on September 3, 1945, he officially signed the instruments of surrender, marking the official end of Japanese occupation in the Philippines and adding to the conclusion of World War II in the Pacific.
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Ifugao Commemorates 80 Years of Success and Peace
Melo Villareal
Out of Town Blog site