Honor our Heroes, Celebrate their Heroism

T he Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) and Seniors 4 PACE (S4PACE), as co-sponsored by the “Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA)” will hold the 2nd Philippine National Heroes Day on Tuesday, August 30, 2011, at 5:00 p.m.

The event will be held  at  the SIPA Multi Purpose Hall at 3200 W. Temple St. (Corner Dillon St.), Los Angeles, CA 90026.

Invited guest are Vice Consul Juan G. Reyes, who will represent Consul General May Aragon, S4PACE President Errol Santos, Ago Pedalizo of JFAV, SGS Vice Commander Jack Vergara and KmB Chair Ernest Tamayo.

Filipino-American youth and students organizations will participate as well as the different veteran’s organizations like the Society of Guerillas and Scout (SGS), the UFAV, AWARE-LA  and the VFP-USA.

Second National Heroes Day in the US

T he JFAV initiated the commemoration of Philippine National Heroes Day that is celebrated every August 31, every year since the 1930s. It is a national holiday in the Philippines. It is the day that the Filipinos collectively honor their heroes. This is not celebrated or commemorated in the United States before 2010.

August is a memorable month for Filipinos. It was on August 23, 1896, that the Philippine Revolution against the 333 years of Spanish rule began with the Cry of Pugadlawin. On August 29, 1896, the first battle of the Philippine Revolution was fought against Spain in Pinaglabanan, San Juan.

And on August 21, 1983, Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. was assassinated in Manila when he arrived at the airport. This event eventually led to the downfall of the much hated US-supported Marcos regime in 1986 by the People’s Power Revolution at the EDSA.

NHD in Historic Filipinotown

F or the JFAV and the Filipino-American community of Historic Filipinotown, this commemoration serves to honor the living heroes of the Philippines and the Filipino-American community in the United States. Most especially the remaining men and women who fought during the Second World War in the Philippines. There are less-than 40,000 living veterans  and widows both in the US and the Philippines.

The Historic Filipinotown and San Francisco (California) have the highest concentrations of Filipino World War II veterans as of now. The JFAV, S4PACE and SIPA will honor these living and departed heroes with a simple program to given to them by the youth and community leaders.

For more information please call Al P. Garcia  of JFAV at (213) 241-0995 or Ernest Tamayo at SIPA (213) 382-1819. You can also e-mail us at agarcia@peoplescore.net  or jfav_us@yahoo.com  or  etamayo@sipa.org.

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