Ifugao is home to some of the country’s living cultural landscape.

The landlocked province is synonymous with the Banawe Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is sometimes called the eighth wonder of the world by Filipinos because of its ancient engineering feat that bears the cradle of Cordillera culture and history.

There’s also the Hanging House, literally a house on the edge of a cliff, approximately 12 kilometers away from Banaue Town (Poblacion) and near Bangaan Rice Terraces.

But, beyond these iconic wonders, this charming province has been a mute witness to the last months of the Second World War in the Philippines almost 80 years ago.

The Province of Ifugao and the Municipality of Kiangan recently held the 79th Victory Day, a commemorative event to observe the Surrender of Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita which ended Second World War in the archipelago.

The two-day observance was held at the Kiangan National Shrine, a Philippine Veterans Affairs Office military memorial which marks the spot where Yamashita surrendered on 2 September 1945 after successive defeats of the Imperial Japanese Army in the North Luzon and Cordillera regions in the hands of Filipino guerillas, US troops and Ifugao bolomen.

Monikered the “Tiger of Malaya,” Yamashita formally signed the instruments of surrender on 3 September at Camp John Hay in Baguio City where he was flown by the Allied Forces.

The Victory Day commemorative program highlighted by the traditional military honors, 21-gun salute to the war dead, and a socio-civic and cultural program which featured dancers from the Ifugao Intangible Heritage Performing Arts Society.

Activities included flower and candle offering at the Peace Museum, a historical forum on Ifugao heritage, veterans forum and medical mission, and reception evening for veterans and Ifugao generals in active service in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Victory Day is also supported by the PVAO, the Veterans Federation of the Philippines, and the Philippine Veterans Bank, which brought in World War 2 historical reenactors as part of its corporate social responsibility in keeping the heroism of veterans alive.

According to Ifugao governor Jerry Dalipog, the event is both a celebration of the uncommon valor of our forebears, and a continuing quest for a lasting peace among nations.

He added that the province will prepare for a bigger and grander observance next year, with more diverse activities, including a possible production of a historical video documentary for the event’s 80th anniversary.

The old provincial capital of Ifugao, Kiangan is home to the Nagacadan Open Air Museum which is included in the country’s rice terraces inscribed in the Unesco World Heritage List.

Another significant place during the war is Mt. Nagchajan in Mayoyao where last major battle took place from 25 July to 7 August where Japanese forces were defeated by the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines-North Luzon. Also known as the Battle of Mayoyao Ridge, the victory is remembered locally as Lenong Ad Majawjaw or Peace Festival on 8 to 9 August.

Other towns, which figured in the war’s closing chapter are Hungduan whose mountains became Japanese holdouts, and Banaue and Lagawe were prisoners of war were processed.

To popularize this World War II trail, the Department of Tourism Cordillera Administrative Regional Office has run two heritage caravans across the highland towns which are included in the historical narrative.