The Day of Valor

Freedom, Strength, and Valor. These are the words that I can use to describe what happened in the Fall of Bataan. Our need for freedom is what drove countless Filipinos and soldiers to have immense strength and valor to resist and fight back against an invasion. Despite all the pain they had to endure, they still stood up with valor against the enemy. 

In the Battle of Bataan, strength and valor are displayed. This is wherein more than 76,000 Filipinos and Americans surrendered to Japanese troops in the Bataan Death March. Thousands died from dehydration, heat prostration, untreated wounds, and wanton execution. Only 54,000 reached their destination; the exact death toll is difficult to assess. But although tortured, beaten, and humiliated, most still fought and endured the pain to live and achieve their freedom. 

They say that freedom is not for the weak and timid. The soldiers that day were everything but weak and timid. The Bataan Death March shows that the soldiers and us, Filipinos, are worthy of every bit of freedom that we have. The Araw ng Kagitingan is set to commemorate the strength and valor that was displayed by the soldiers during the Fall of Bataan.

References:

https://m.facebook.com/PRRDPENAMFED/photos/a.169132023595304/186708431837663/?type=3&source=48

https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/lifestyle/2015/04/09/Bataan-fall-death-march-history.html