BICOL UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND PHILOSOPHY

Daraga, Albay

REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS ON
MAPALAD ANG INYONG
MGA APO

Submitted by:

Aculan, Omar L.
AB Political Science – 1B
 Reflection on MAPALAD ANG INYONG MGA APO

Sulat Para Kay Lolo at Lola Beterano

By Professor Michael Xiao B. Chua

This letter written by Chua is dedicated to our heroes who are not popular and unknown to
us by name. Whenever someone mentions their occupation, some are even appalled because they
were unaware that the likes of them ever existed. They were the war veterans of the Second World
War who forsook their young and normal lives in exchange of defending our country either by
military means or through civic service. It is disheartening to imagine how they are no longer being
celebrated or recognized by today’s generation. Even the television, radio, and news outlets do little
justice to revive and reminisce their struggles. Teachers and professors would often pass by them
in class discussions, since they are considered to be of lesser importance in contrast to the likes of
Andres Bonifacio, Jose Rizal, or even a foreigner like General MacArthur himself. As a matter of fact,
they must be entitled to countless rewards, recognitions, and most of all reasonable incentives from
the government, yet they do not receive much to compensate what is indeed an immeasurable
sacrifice.

If we were to recall the history of the Philippines, we will be able to deduce that the likes of
Andres Bonifacio, Jose Rizal, and other heroes whose names were known to us and personal
information recorded, were not the only ones who made steps and reforms in order to bring forth
freedom. A large fraction of the success of the revolution must be attributed to the unsung heroes
or those who were forgotten through the years—the unnamed, the ordinary Filipino who chose to
sacrifice his own life in order that the generations to come shall bear the fruits of independence. I
have encountered a Facebook post with a similar concept. We must not make a single individual a
symbol or the face of whatever advocacy there are fighting for—equal rights for women, accessible
education to all, social justice and equity among others. In other words, let us not cage ourselves
into thinking that the only people who contributed to our freedom and sovereignty are the likes of
the aforementioned, reiterating what Chua had said about giving credit to MacArthur as the
Filipinos’ knight-in-shining-machine guns against the oppressive Japanese.

Through Chua as the secondary source of information, I was able to reimagine the
experiences of our ancestors during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. From being mere
children who had no sense of reality of the world they lived in, they were compelled to face their
adversaries using a few bullets and guns to defend our land and their own lives. One must not
forget the commitment to serve and fealty to the motherland that the war veterans displayed.
Despite being betrayed by the Americans when they left us starving to death and fighting an already
lost battle, they did not surrender and endured the pain in the name of our freedom. The evidence
lies on the fact that we were the last troops to surrender to the Japanese officials throughout Asia-
Pacific. In addition to the treachery done by MacArthur, was Quezon’s abandonment of the Filipino
people. If anything else, they could have easily given up right from the start when they knew they
could not make it and emerge triumphant. However, the spirit of Filipino resilience was vividly
evident in their bloods, which could be traced even in the earliest times of resistance.

The Filipino armed forces played a huge part during the battle, which included soldiers,
marine officers, cadets of the ROTC, and ordinary citizens who chose to render service. Because of
them, it was easier for the Americans to set us free from the chains emplaced by the Japanese
imperial regime. Instead of giving them due recognition and compensation for their act of bravery
and valor, they were treated only second to the Americans, who took most of the credit. In reality,
had it not been for our fellow Filipinos, they wouldn’t have succeeded. Even the popular media
painted a sour image of the Filipino soldiers. This injustice is a classic example of racial
discrimination and a proof of the ill-intention behind the colonization of the United States. They
wanted us to look at them as our protectors and messiah, not just mere allies in times of peace or
conflict.

We must set our war veterans as role models and make their bravery and heroism our
inspiration. It is not necessary that we must also participate in war as soldiers as frontmen in order
to defend our country, for we can do so even in our own little ways. Many of today’s generation
seem to lose the sense of patriotism and love for our country. They would rather travel abroad,
where foreigners benefit from their skills and services. The present status quo in the Philippines
brings out both the desirable and unbecoming qualities of a Filipino, which consequently led to a
huge division and disparity among ourselves. In times like these, we must remember and recollect
the sacrifices and sufferings of the people who dedicated their lives for us. If it were not for them,
we wouldn’t be enjoying whatever it is that we have today. We can still emulate them and show our
love for our country by being aware and critical of the current issues our society is facing. Let us be
the voice of truth and integrity. Most of the older generation, especially those occupying key
positions in the government, are furious and threatened of the progressive and responsive youth.
They notice the birth of new ideologies founded on the love for one’s country and defense of human
rights, which pose serious danger to their selfish interests. Based on my perspective, this is what we
can do in order to pay back even in small means all the sacrifices of our veteran forefathers—to
water and nurture the seed of nationalism that they planted on the Chosen Land or Lupang
Hinirang decades ago.