LAST SUNDAY, May 3, under a sky heavy with the threat of rain, Davao City paused to remember a special day in our history. The Davao Historical Society, with representatives from the city government, the Security Sector, the Veterans Federation, and the Sons and Daughters of Veterans, gathered at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Masonic Cemetery, Fr. Selga St., Madapo Hills.
The ceremony marked the 81st Liberation Day of Davao, a date enshrined in a city ordinance to ensure the valor of our predecessors is never eclipsed by time. Among the attendees was the afternoon’s most distinguished guest: World War II Veteran Florante Mallari, a living bridge to our city’s most defiant hour.
To understand why this date remains a pillar of our local identity, we must revisit the grit and sacrifice it represents. Below, we are printing the speech delivered by Luzviminda Ilagan, President of the Davao Historical Society, which provides the vital historical context of our liberation:
“Today, May 3, we celebrate the 81st anniversary of the Liberation of Davao.
In early 1945, while Manila had already been liberated after intense urban combat, fighting was still ongoing in other parts of the country, including Mindanao. On April 17, 1945, the US 8th Army made its first landing on Mindanao, the last of the islands in the Philippines to be retaken.
The Japanese garrison in Mindanao was estimated to be around 30,000 soldiers belonging to two divisions of the Imperial Army. One-half of their strength was concentrated in the Davao area, while the remaining half was spread out in Misamis Oriental and Northern Mindanao. From the narrative of Gen. Nelson Estares of the Davao Historical Society, we learn that while the 10th Corps of the landing forces was hugely challenged by the mountainous, unexplored areas and the rough terrain of Mindanao, the 19th Infantry Regiment was marching and had reached Digos from Kabacan.
They passed through the 34th Infantry Regiment—both organic units of the 24th Infantry Division—which had begun driving northward toward Davao. The 24th Infantry Division was now responsible for capturing Davao, preparing an attack against the main body of the Imperial Japanese Army’s 100th Division, and gaining contact with the guerrilla forces that held a line of outposts 20 miles north of Davao.
They had traveled 115 miles under severe heat, humidity, and constant rain to seize Davao City, the last major city under Japanese control.
Fierce fighting broke out in the Toril and Tugbok areas. Afterward, the Japanese forces withdrew to Mandug and on to the mountain fastness of Calinan.
History tells us that bridges play an important role in crucial battles. They are either blown up to prevent enemies from crossing or used as passageways toward ultimate victory. On May 3, combat elements of the 19th and 21st Infantry Regiments of the US 24th Division, directly supported by the 107th Division of Filipino guerrillas—who were veterans of the Battle of Ising in Carmen—finally crossed the Gov. Generoso Bridge.
That same day, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Southwest Pacific Area Commander, announced that strategic victory had been attained in Mindanao. Davao City, the first to be bombed after Pearl Harbor, was the last to be cleared of Japanese control.
That historic date is the basis of our celebration of the liberation of Davao. Today, we honor the valiant heroism of our Filipino veterans who fought side by side with the liberating forces so that we can enjoy the freedom we now possess.
Thus, the Davao Historical Society drives home the point that we must have a sense of history—to fully understand the past, appreciate the present, and prepare for the future.
And we will not look at the Bankerohan and the Governor Generoso Bridge the same way again.”
Davao’s liberation was not merely a military victory; it was the reclaiming of our home. By honoring the “Unknown Soldiers” and hearing the stories of those like Mr. Mallari, we ensure that the peace we enjoy today is recognized for what it truly is: a hard-won inheritance.
