Bataan and Corregidor, 1942: What it means today

Last 9 April, we observed our “Araw ng Kagitingan” (Day of Valor). Years back, this day was officially called “Bataan and Corregidor Day” to commemorate the defense of the last Filipino and American bastions against the invading Japanese forces in 1942.

A military historian recognizing the valor of the Filipinos and Americans who fought in Bataan and Corregidor wrote:

“They had no armor, no air support, and little hope, but the American and Filipino troops on Luzon and the Bataan peninsula waged a fighting retreat that was the longest and most gallant in US military history.

“Its outcome was a foregone conclusion from the start, but the defense of the Philippines was a tribute to the gallantry and stoicism of the officers and men involved. It delayed the Japanese strategic timetable for five critical months, during which an unready America was rallying its military and industrial resources.”

The Filipinos and Americans who fought, suffered, and died in World War II did so to defend the country against Japanese aggression. It was a fight for freedom and, upon deeper reflection, to provide peace, independence, and prosperity for themselves and future generations.

Fast-forward to a free Philippines in 2024. What is our political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, ecological, and military situation?

In the political field, the Freedom in the World 2023 Country Report rates the Philippines as 58/100 “Partly Free.” Though we have regular elections and an orderly transfer of presidential power every six years, with EDSA 2 as the exception, merit, and fitness are not generally what get people into elective and appointive positions in government. Money, influence, popularity, and political networks are more the rules in getting into government.

The report also states that corruption is endemic, that those critical of the government can be in danger, and that there are still extrajudicial killings.

As to the economy, the Philippines had a 5.6 percent GDP growth rate in 2023, better than other economies in the region, such as China (5.2 percent), Vietnam (5 percent), and Malaysia (3.8 percent). Inflation in March 2024 was 3.7 percent, roughly half of March 2023’s 7.6 percent. Though the macroeconomic figures look good, I think we can all agree that this does not mean much to many Filipinos who are bearing the high prices of basic goods and commodities. The Social Weather Stations survey of December 2023 placed self-rated poverty at 47 percent.

Money, influence, popularity, and political networks are more the rules in getting into government.

On the socio-cultural aspect, independent surveys highlight a pressing educational crisis. Our competitive advantage of having well-educated, English-proficient Filipinos may be lost in the coming years.

Though our information and technology sector has grown considerably in the last several decades, we are still far behind other countries in the region. There is also a huge digital divide between socio-economic groups.

On the environmental side, the country was ranked 158th out of 180 countries in the 2022 biennial Environmental Performance Index. We ranked fifth lowest among selected East and Southeast Asian countries and below the global and Asia-Pacific median scores.

Our military is strengthening itself. In terms of internal security, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is on top of the situation. It is the external security threat, particularly in the West Philippine Sea, that should concern us all. We should have an immediate, whole-of-nation approach to this.

Given all of the preceding, let us ask ourselves whether the present state of the nation is what our forefathers who fought in Bataan and Corregidor suffered and died for. Personally, I believe that it is not.

Today, there is no invading army. The battle is internal. Let us muster the gallantry of our forefathers who fought in Bataan and Corregidor and do what is necessary to have a truly free, peaceful, and prosperous Philippines.