Part two
Impressed by the first Capas Freedom March, the Department of National Defense/Philippine Veterans Affairs Office declared this event as an official part of the annual celebration of the Veteran’s Week (April 8 to 11).
This year the event was made more meaningful, engaging and worth remembering with the theme “March for a Veteran.” More than 2,000 participants marched to honor a veteran of their choice.
But what was interesting to see, joining the march are members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, like Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan, the Middle East and others. Understandably, the Capas Freedom March is being positioned as a place to symbolize the universal value of democracy, human dignity, equity and respect for human rights.
Former President Fidel V. Ramos began the march with a “gun start” at 5 a.m. and by 8:30 a.m. all the marchers were at the Capas National Shrine. Each marcher got a dog tag after reaching the finish line.
Breakfast was served and each partook of delicious bananas that were provided by Tagum Agricultural Development Co., Inc. and especially flown in by Philippine Airlines.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) band was on hand to provide their famous award winning pieces as marchers arrived at the finish line.
We salute all those who joined the 10 kilometer march. march from the People’s Park to the Capas National Shrine. What was amazing, too, were the military bands, Philippine Air Force, 7th Infantry Division and the Training and Doctrine Command, which played during the entire length of the march.
The program began with a precision performance of the manual of arms and the silent-drill proper by an all-women candidate soldiers. Seen watching intently the performance of the group were the US Navy Seals from Thailand and Guam and the members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that provided the security, spectator and traffic control during the event.
The Capas Barangay Captain welcomed the participants and noted the bigger attendance of this year’s marchers.
Lt. Gen. Ernesto Carolina, AFP (Ret.), Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), Administrator in his opening remarks correlated the Capas Freedom March saying that this is only one-tenth of the actual sacrifices of our veterans.
Ramos urged everyone to look over the names of veterans listed at the shrine, as he himself found the names of at least six relatives. He enjoined other Filipinos to join the yearly march and to bring their families, especially those whose names were on the list. He commended the boy scouts and girl scouts who were present saying this was the kind of activities the youth should engaged in.
Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Restituto Aguilar, AFP (Ret.), Deputy Administrator, PVAO announced the start of fund-raising activities that will help build a replica of the concentration camp in Capas that will also house the museum.
A tour of Tarlac followed with groups exploring the typical food of Tarlac.
See you in Capas next year, April 11, 2017!
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Mabuhay and congratulations, Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte as the newly elected President of the Republic of the Philippines! The No. 1 enemy of tourism is lawlessness and criminality. If this is addressed, tourist arrivals and job opportunities will increase, and the first beneficiary will be the communities where the best tourism sites are located.
Dr. Mina T. Gabor was the Founder and President of the Center for International Trade Exhibitions and Missions, Inc. (CITEM) of Department of Trade and Industry, and the Secretary of the Department of Tourism from 1996-1998. She continues to work on her passion of promoting the Philippines through trade and tourismas the President of the International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST), as Founder and President of the Philippine Small and Medium Business Development Foundation, Inc. (PHILSMED), and the President of the Automobile Association of the Philippines Travel Agency. For any feedback, please contact this writer at minagabor2010@gmail.com.