Starting tomorrow, March 13, Cagayan de Oro will celebrate the 75th anniversary of General Douglas MacArthur’s breakout from Corregidor to Australia via Cagayan de Misamis and Diklum,Tankulan. A series of activities are lined up for the whole week, beginning with the re-enactment of General MacArthur’s arrival in Macabalan Pier, and the convoy to Tankulan. Other exciting activities, such as free screenings of WWII films, will unfold from Tuesday (March 14) to Friday (March 17).

Resolution No. 12548-2017

Last January, Committee on Tourism chair, Councilor Jay Roa Pascual, filed Resolution No. 12548-2017, which declared March 13 to 17 as General Douglas MacArthur Week. This year’s commemoration will be extra special as it is the 75th anniversary (Diamond Jubilee) of the breakout. As such, the Cagayan de Oro City Historical & Cultural Commission (HisCom), led by Chairperson Dr. Erlinda M. Burton, has coordinated with different groups and organizations in coming up with several significant activities.

MacArthur

Schedule of Activities

General Mac Arthur, his family, and his men arrived in Cagayan de Misamis on March 13, 1942 at 7am. The group then went to Del Monte, Tankulan (now Manolo Fortich), where they waited for four days before flying to Australia on board two B-17E bombers. This is what will be re-enacted by talented Kagay-anon artists tomorrow, March 13, at Macabalan Pier.

Here is the complete list of events for the 1st General Douglas MacArthur Week here in CDO:

  • Monday, March 13 – Re-enactment of Gen. MacArthur’s Arrival, Macabalan Pier, 7am/Convoy to Tankulan (The convoy will showcase World War II vintage vehicles along with vintage weapons and the military uniforms used at the time of the breakout. The convoy will pass Julio Pacana, C.M. Recto, and Sayre Highway.)
  • Tuesday, March 14 to Friday, March 17 – Free screenings of World War II films “Unsurrendered 2” and “Valor: The Legacy of Col. Emmanuel V. De Ocampo”, Centrio Mall Cinemas, 8am and 10am. (These films are directed by Kagay-anon Bani Logroño. The documentaries are about the forgotten Filipino guerillas of WWII.)
  • Tuesday, March 14 – “Guerilla Daughter”, a symposium featuring Virginia Hansen Holmes, President of the American Guerillas of Mindanao Descendants group.  Centrio Activity Center, 10am.
  • Wednesday, March 15 – A Lecture on Wendell Fertig and His Guerilla Forces in the Philippines, also by Virginia Hansen Holmes, Centrio Activity Center, 10:30am. (This is an interesting opportunity for those who want to learn more about the guerilla resistance movement in Mindanao during World War II.)
  • Wednesday, March 15 – Finding Our Heroes, a presentation by Marie Vallejo about The Brig. General Francisco Licuanan, Jr. Memorial Collection Philippine Guerilla Files from the U.S. National Archives. 2pm, Centrio Activity Center
  • Wednesday, March 15 – Launching of MacArthur Breakout Exhibit, 10am, 3rd floor foyer, Centrio Mall.
  • Thursday, March 16 – An exhibit featuring Mindanao Guerillas and Local Heroes like Col. Fidencio Laplap, the Tiano brothers, Montalvan brothers, Pastor and Jake Ilogon, Busran Kalaw, Maj. Angel Limena, and Salipada Pendatun, among others.
  • Wednesday, March 15 to Thursday, March 16 – Eyesight 20/20 Optometric Mission (FREE eye care medical mission led by Dr. Chris Buniel, president of the Optometric Association of the Philippines. 10am to 4pm, J.R. Borja Memorial General Hospital. This is for a maximum of 300 patients. Eyesight 20/20 is sponsored by MMM (Montero Medical Missions), in partnership with the Cagayan de Oro Eyesight Board, the CDO Chapter of the Optometric Association of the Philippines, the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro Mother Club, J.R. Borja Memorial General Hospital, and the PVAO SFEO-10 office.
  • Friday, March 17 – Thanksgiving and 75th Jubilee Commemorative Program, St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral and Casa Real, VIP Hotel.

General Douglas MacArthur Week CDO

 

For more insights about this historic event, check out these special features by my friend, Mike Baños:

http://www.kagay-an.com/general-douglasmacarthur-weekbsp-council-honor-scout-met-macarthur-macabalan/

http://www.kagay-an.com/gendouglas-macarthur-weekveterans-benefit-optometric-mission/

 

See you at these events, Kagay-anons!

 

Sources:

http://www.kagay-an.com/sked-set-general-douglas-macarthur-week/

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1461485161180/march-13-17-is-gen-douglas-macarthur-week-in-cdeo#sthash.Ja6SPL7Q.gbpl

 

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