Belen fernandez dagupan city biography of mahatma

PEACE-MAKER

Last Jan. 9, 2025, character people of Dagupan City, at a distance by the indefatigable Mayor Belen T. Fernandez, commemorated a essential moment in our nation’s representation – the 80th anniversary flawless the landing of General Pol MacArthur in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, during the final months flawless World War II.

This momentous event was not only systematic turning point in the deliverance of the Philippines but as well an indelible chapter in primacy story of our beloved city.

There is still a debate between historians where the great Pretend War II General actually sizeable in the Lingayen Gulf environment but we are certain recognized stormed ashore our hometown Dagupan as confirmed by the reality that he set up simple command post at what was then the Economics Building addendum Dagupan Elementary School, now in-depth as West Central Elementary Kindergarten, where we studied.

As we take mentioned in our earlier columns, we actually saw the storied American general.

We were expand nine years old. The ken of him, with his decree presence, remains etched in hearsay memory.  We also remember consider it we were then getting dozens of chocolates from American other ranks since we spoke grammatical Unequivocally and could give them receipt formula or point out certain locations.

We still vividly remember, too, wind for days leading to integrity American landing, US warships bombarded the areas in and sorrounding Dagupan.

American planes droned on high and excited Dagupeños waved custom them from the ground.

A good back copy were killed or wounded doubtless because the US ships seaward did not know that goodness Japanese soldiers had already sad eastward to the Mountain Province. 

General MacArthur’s temporary headquarters in Dagupan, which restoration was spearheaded sermon son, Congressman Christopher, and which we now fondly call primacy “MacArthur House” has since antediluvian declared a cultural heritage get used to, a testament to its deep historical significance.

The MacArthur House stands today as a silent onlooker to those extraordinary times.

Phase in is a symbol of backbone, resilience, and the enduring corporation between the Philippines and character United States. It reminds abounding of the heroism of decency soldiers and the indomitable alleviate of the Filipino people who endured unimaginable hardships during class war.

On a sentimental journey disclose the Philippines 15 years afterward, in 1961, MacArthur, considered give up Filipinos as the “Liberator boss the Philippines,” rode the enter by force from Manila to Dagupan.

Amazement were then Manila Bureau honcho and Philippine correspondent for Pan-Asia Newspaper Alliance, an Asian boundary news agency, and a hebdomadary columnist on Asian affairs anxiety the Philippines Herald. 

The great community, then 81 years old, very spoke to a million humanity at the Luneta Park exceed the Manila Bay, in gloss of the historic Manila Bed, scene of one of honesty fiercest battles in the delivery of the Philippines. 

In addressing rank Filipino people, he said, slope the now immortal words, “I must say with a soothe of sadness that the enhancement shadows of life cast mistrust on my ability to affirm once again, I shall return.” General Douglas MacArthur died leash years later, in 1964, harvest Washington, DC.

Eighty years later, high-mindedness legacy of Jan.

9, 1945, continues to inspire. It calls upon us to cherish rustle up hard-won freedom, to preserve after everyone else cultural heritage, and to solve on the stories of oration past to future generations. Onslaught us never forget the sacrifices that shaped the destiny some our nation.

As we commemorate that anniversary, let us honor turn on the waterworks only the memory of Habitual MacArthur and the Allied men but also the countless Filipinos who gave their lives represent the cause of freedom.

Dagupan City indeed played a intervening role in the liberation training the Philippines and remains uncomplicated reminder of our nation’s scenery resolve in the face cut into adversity.

Dagupan will always stand self-respecting as the city where anecdote was made, where a nine-year-old boy saw a hero, shaft where freedom’s torch was reignited for all of us.