Filipinos hear from Quezon on Memorial Day

Title

Language

English

Source

Philippines 3 (4) June 15, 1943

Year

1943

Subject

Quezon, Manuel Luis, 1878-1944. Speeches

Speeches, addresses, etc.

Bataan, Battle of, Philippines, 1942

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

Memorial Day address broadcast to the Philippines by President Quezon who paid tribute to the memory of the Unknown Soldier whose story of "unflinching courage and
loyalty unto death ... is written in blood, in the forests and hills of Bataan and on the rock that is Corregidor."

Fulltext

Filipinos Hear from Quezon Ou l\'lemorial Day IN a Memorial Day address broJdcasr to the Philippines. President Quezon paid tribute to rhe memory of the Unknown Soldier whose story of "unflinching cour,1ge :ind lcp.lty unto death ... is wrirren in blood. in the forests and hills of Bltaan and on the rock that is Corregidor." The President said: "l\femorial Day this year tinds us still engaged in the grim task of winning the war. Behind us are memories of blood and suHering, of battles fought and lost. Ahead of us is the hope and~ promise of cerr~in victory. \Vnile we move steadily forward ro that certain day, it is well for us ro pause a moment and pay tribute to the memory of the Unknown Soldier. From his gallant ex:;mple we must gather srrengrh and vision for rhe giant, grim rask that lies ahead oi us. His was unflinching courage, his was loyalty unro death. His srory is written in blood, in the forests and hills of Bataan and on the rock that is Corregidor. "Ir is a story of supreme sacrifice. He and his comrades fought to the bitter end, knowing rhar they rhemselves had no hope. They were a lost battalion-men doomed ro cumin defeat. And yet, when the Barrie of rhe Philippines was over, Secretary of State Cordell Hull could say co the world: "Corregidor and Bataan stand for reverses that are but preludes to victory.' For there is such a thing as losing in victory, and winning even in defeat. Our soldiers fought a forlorn-hope battle, and they losr. Bur nor in vain. For with their blood they have earned for us the respect of the world, the undying friendship of America, the comradeship of thirry-one United Nations. Shoulder to shoulder with these gallant allies we shall, in God's good rime, march onward to vicrory." CoNT~TUING, he reminded our coumrymen in the Philippines that the same promise of independence given by Premier Tojo during his visir to Manila was given to cht men of Bataan and Correigidor, who paid no heed to it because they knew what had happened to China, Manchukuo, and Korea. "Nor many weeks ago, on the anniversary of the Fall of Corregidor, Premier Tojo came to Manila to reiterate Japan's promise of independence. Thar same promise had been given to the men of Bataan and Corregidor. Bur there was only one answer, and that answer was sounded at ihe mcuth of their guns. Those men knew history. They have read it as it is written on che face of China, Manchukuo and Korea. They knew that surrender to Japan could only mean one thing-the surrender of our human freedom and digniry-the death of our ancestors' dream of a free and independent Philippines. ''That is why they fought though they knew that they d1emselves had no hope. And though we mourn over their graves today, though our country groans under the iron heel of the invader, still we know in our heart of hearts ( Contint1ed on page 7) 6 Alberto N:warette . . • Japanese pbnes followed. And so, tcmporariiy .tt lc:asr. •lll was quiet again on 1bc Ihtaan eastern front. Capt. Navarrete. the hero of chis brief encounter. is a slender and tall. handsome bd, so bashful and un;\ssuming that rhc honor char came upon him as his due as a resul1 of this intrepid action. muse h;\\'C embarrassed him no liulc. He was only doing his duty w;\s his self-effacing remark. Born in Pangasin:rn ;rnd educated in Philippine public schools, he was a third year engineering student at the Mapua lnsiiture of Technology when he enrolled as cadet in the Philippine Constabulary Academy from which he gradua1ed in 1935. Where his brmher-in-arms Capt. Molina w.1s gay .ind full of life, Navarrete was pensive, and muth to<l serious for his young years. He is nored for bis pleasing personal1ty and quier efficiency. The last rime be was heard from-it was the latter pan of February-he and his men in their frail, speedy Q-!3oats were still patrolling the coasts of Manila Bay, hoping co make good and real ro the bitter end that linle phrase of a song, Navarrete and his men learned in school and knew by heart: "Ne'er shall invaders Trample 011r saaed shores" Pedro Q. Molina .•• Capt. Molina, or P. Q. as he was popularly known, is a choroughly progressive )'Oung Filipino. Nearly si.x feet rail, naturally arhlecic, well-built, and fair complexioned. he held his own among all officers of the corps. With his genial camaraderie and winning personality, he made friends among officers and enlisted men. Educated ac the Areneo de Manila, he joined the Philippine Army a few years after the passage of the National Defense Ace, and in 1938 came to the United Scates to srudy. He rook up flying at Randolph Field, Texas and lacer enrolled for advanced instruction in Kelly Field. He also underwent training in Chanute Field, Illinois. He remrned to the Philippines in the spring of 1940 with his American wife, a former army nurse in Texas, Miss Virginia James Dickson. She is a native of Oklahoma. Incidentally, the Captain is a nephew of President Quezon. It is presumed that Capt. Molina is now a prisoner in one of the Japanese prison camps somewhere in the Philip· pines. But wherever he may be, those who know him well and remember him with fondness, believe that he muse be spreading cheer and hope among his fellow prisoners, for a prison camp does not kill the spirit of a soldier like P. Q. PHILIPPINES Filipinos l\lay Now Become Officers In U. S. l\Ier~hant l\'lariue SvccESSFlJL negotiations h.l\'e just been ,onduded b1· the Philippine Resident Commissioner with the Secrer,u)· of the :1'\,1Yy. through the Departmcnr of the Interior. w allow qualified Filipinos to become ot'ficers in the Cnired Sures Merclunt Marine. :\ yc:ir ;1go the Resident Commissioner obtained from the Secretary nf the ::'.\:.in· a waiver of the srarnton· citizenship requireml'm "to p~rmit citizens or subjec;s of the Philippine lsbnds to be employed as unlicensed members of the crew of vessels of the United States. irrespective of the limit.ltion of rhe starnre :is to the percentage of aliens who may be so employed." SooN afrer rhc acceptance of the Philippine Independence Act or on June 25. 1936. Congress p:issed the Merchant Marine Act, which in effect included Filipino seamen among those classified as aliens by nor permitting them to sen·e in American vessels, cargo or passenger, except within the limitation of the 25 per centum quota, allowed to aliens. On June 29, 1936 another l\Ierchanr Marine Acr was passed under which Filipino seamen were further excluded from serving in subsidized American cargo vessels. Under chis act, Filipino seamen were permitted employment only as members of the Stewards' Department in subsidized American passenger vessels if ther fell within the limited percentage of aliens allowed for employmenr. The perrinent provisions of the Merchant Marine Act of June 29, 1936, are as follows: "Seaion 302 <a) All licensed officers of vessels documented under the la\\'S of the Unired Scares, as nO\\' required by law, shall be citizens of the United States, native-born or complerely naturalized; and upon each deparrure from the United States of a cargo vessel, in respecr of which a con· suuction or operation subsidy has been granted, all of the crew (crew including all employees of me ship) shall be ( Co11tin11ed from page 6) chat their answer was the only answer to the challenge of freedom-for only chose are fir to Jive in freedom, who are nor afraid to die for freedom." Concluding his address in Tagalog, he reiterated our determination to keep faith with the honored dead, and our hope of fi.nal allied victory. · "Mga kababayan: Ang araw na ito ay iniuukol 1a mga namatay sa pagtatanggol ng kanilang bayan at ng kalayaan. Tayung mga Filipino ay dapat sumttmpa min1an pa nt1 hindi tayo ti#gt,il hangang hindi 1nata1110 ang mithi ng at;ng mga kapatid at anak na namatay sa Bataan at Corregidor. Ang araw ng ating tagumpay ay darating. Umasa kayo." I N rhe same broadcast, Mrs. Quezon addressed herself co JUNE 15, 1943 <.:iuzcn:<. of the United State,, n~\tl\"(:-horn or l.."ompletdy n.H· 11r.1lized. .. I b I Fl)f ,l l,L'(Jt1d (ll 01ll' y<.:.tr .drer the· (.'JkUl\'C." date O! this An. UJX)ll l'ad1 dcp.uturL' fro1n the UnircJ Srntc:s ol a p.1~sc..·n~er \'l'SS<.:I, an f<.'-'-Pnt of \\h1th .1 t.on,truuion or opcrat1t.ln sub!>idy h.1, b{'L·n ,i.:r.llllbl. ~di li«·m(,:~{ 011"11..o~ sh.iii b{' ntizcn~ of du: L!nitc..·(I '.'\r,1tL', .1~ lk11ne\I .1hnH', J.nd no h:\S th.an ~O per l en tum ol th~ l r<.~w ! t n.:w intlu\lin,i.: .111 mun be re. of the sl11() other ch.111 olliler•>1 '\l1.1ll hl' ... 1<11.tns ul rhc: linHcll States. n;U1''{'-born or 1.ompkrl'h· n.Hur •. d11.t·d. jn.J tht'rc.:.1icer. the pcn .. L·ntagc of Ctt11ens ~lS dctrnc-... 1 .1hove '>h.dl he irn n. .. i~t·d '5 per cemum rer annum. until t)t) {'t:r lt:mum oi rht· cm1n: ne". including, all l1tc11std olliu.:r' of ~inv -.Lhh n~"'c:I. ~lull J .. c: Citizens of th(: Un1tc.f St.itt''.'-, n.H1\C·l~orn or f..fimpk·tcl~· naruralizcd. " ( c) An~· Jll(•mbN ot th(' t fl'\\" not rc:-quHcJ hy tl11~ SC'ttion ro he citiz(·ns ot the: l!nire ... I Sratb. rnJ.\ be .111 ~llien onh· if he 1s in possession tif .1 \'.d1J 1k1.IJr.1trr.•n ol inrc.:nClon ,;, hecomt.· cic1zt'n ot the lJnHCtl ~r.UC:'>. nr ortu:r cv1Jt Utt' ol legal aJm1ssion to chc· Un11c·d S1.uei; !or perm.1m'nt r('~1dcntt' Su<.h alien as defrnL·d ,)bu\'(: m.1y hC' t·mpl1>~(·1l nnh- in tlw scewards' dc:pMtmc:nt on p4~,en.l!C-r \'t·,<.<:I' · S1NCE the enactment of rhis Acr. thuus.1ml> of Ftl1p1nu able seaman, who have served Ill the United St.ues l\frrcham Marine vessels for many years. h.1d been rcmowd from the service, being neither citizens of the United Stares. nativeborn, nor completely naturalizeJ. Ir is apparent that the suspension of rhe provisions of rhis Act as they affect Filipinos, has been nude possible through the Second War Powers Acr, 191i2, whkh gives the Secretary of rhe Navy the authority to waive compliance with rhe navigation laws to the extent deemed necessary in the conduct of the war. Furthermore, this suspension br the Secrerarr of the Navy, of the citizenship requirements for ollicers and unlicensed seamen on the United Stares Merchant Marine vessels, has opened a new avenue for Frlipino Seamen toward further participation in the all our war efforts of rhe United Scates. "the mothers of the Philippines, espcciallr those who lose their sons" during the war. She said: "We are the Guardians of rhe home. In chis holy citadel we must resolve to preserve at whatever cost our Christian ideals, our Christian culture, our Christian way of life. We must preserve the Filipino home, as our soldiers in Bataan and Corregidor would want us to-as the symbol of all chat is true and beautiful, of all that is worth fighting for and dying for." Father Pacifico Ortiz, of the President's staff, also spoke co the Filipino people. He said char in honoring the memory of rhe Unknown Soldier, "we honor each and every one of our soldiers who died for our country." He stated chat it was "tragic" that "we should call him rhe Unknown Soldier," for "he is not really unknown to you, he might have been your own son, father, husband or sweetheart.'' 7

pages

6-7

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