‘Fall of Bataan’ sparked Filipino uprising against Japanese occupation

A historian said Monday that the "Fall of Bataan" on April 9, 1942 ignited the Philippine guerilla movement against the invading Japanese.

Historian Maria Bernadette Abrera told Unang Balita that the phrase "Fall of Bataan" was only applicable to the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFE).

"Yung Araw ng Kagitingan napakaimportante noon. Hindi siya pagbagsak. Pagbagsak siya kung titingnan mo yung sa pananaw ng Amerikano o ng USAFE kasi nag-surredner na 'yung US forces," Abrera said.

"Yung mga Pilipino hindi. By April 1942, dito pa lang umuusbong na 'yung mga guerilla. Ito 'yung mga Pilipino na sila-sila na 'yung magsasamasama para ipagpatuloy yung pakikipaglaban," she added.

Abrera said the Philippines was the last to surrender among the countires occupied by the Japanese in Southeast Asia during World War II.

Japanese forces started military operations in the Philippines, then under the Commonwealth era, days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii in December 1942.

She said this prompted the resistance of more than 60,000 Filipinos, more than 1,000 Filipino-Japanese forces, and around 11,000 American soldiers.

Abrera said USAFE commander General Douglas McArthur ordered all allied forces to pull out of Metro Manila and assemble in Bataan and Corregidor Island.

"Ang mga namamahala noon na puwersa sa Pilipinas at dito sa USAFE si General Douglas McArthur. Nagsimula sila na i-pull out ang mga puwersa mula dito sa Kamaynilaan at nagpunta sila sa Bataan at Corregidor," Abrera said.

"December 8 ay dumating na sila (Japanese) sa Pilipinas, nagbomba na sila ng mga lugar sa Pilipinas halimbawa yung Davao, yung Pampanga, kaya biglang natigil na nang mabuhay ng normal dito sa Pilipinas," she added.

Abrera said Filipinos struggled the most in the fight against the Japanese not only for their freedom, but also to find food.

"Ang bulk talaga ng labanan na ito ay naroon sa balikat ng mga Pilipino at matindi yung labanan na 'yan. Yung paghihirap na yun, yung panganib sa kanila, ay hindi lang dahil sa naririyan yung puwersa ng mga Hapon kundi dahil wala silang pagkain," she said.

April 9 was declared Araw ng Kagitingan by virtue of Executive Order No. 203 in 1987 to recognize the gallantry of Filipinos, Filipino-Americans, and Filipino-Japanese forces. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/ALG, GMA News