By REX C. CATUBIG
In January of 2023, we successfully relocated the celebration of the January 9th Gulf Landing from a beachfront private property to the planned new memorial location at the entrance of Tondaligan Park.
And by sheer happenstance and headstrong resolve, with Mayor Belen Fernandez rallying behind at every move and giving all-out unwavering support every step of the way, we were able to validate and confirm the historic fact of Gen Douglas MacArthur’s landing at the Bonuan Blue Beach.
Working with historical records, that opened a wider perspective in the Landing reenactments at the beach. At the same time, they pointed out other creative possibilities in honoring and celebrating the epochal event.
The Landing timeline notes that the General’s attempt to venture inland following his arrival on shore to survey the landing sites was aborted due to a destroyed bridge. And it was four days after, on January 13th that he moved the Allied Forces Headquarters to the West Central Elementary School Home Economics Building, where he also took up residence.
I visualized that entry to Dagupan to be a victorious celebration—and taking the photo of the General walking along the town’s main street as an inspiration, I conceived of a victory parade along the main road, now AB Fernandez, with jubilant Dagupenos lining the street to welcome the Liberators. SP Secretary Ryan Ravanzo shared the same vision.
To jumpstart the plan, before things got hectic in December, I briefed the Mayor on the concept and posthaste gave her go-signal. I gathered together a cross section of the community to compose the Event Committee. Each sector would create a scenic float, and assemble a contingency for the motorcade/parade. The length of AB Fernandez would be decked with Philippine and American flags, students would line up the streets waving their flaglets, shouting Victory Joe!
I earmarked one month to put together the event.
But as January rolled in, it was clear that time constraint was at loggerheads with logistics and our concept was beyond reach.
Just then, Mike Villa-Real whom I have always consulted on the MacArthur affairs mentioned that maybe I should also consider January 15th as an alternate date for the celebration—touted as the Liberation Day of Dagupan. Souvenir pictures captured the festive spirit of throngs of Dagupenos that day.
With the aborted street extravaganza, the focus centered on the venue where the festivities had been planned to wind up in. Truly, the restored WCES HE Building which served as the Liberation forces Headquarters and temporary residence of the General was most fitting.
It would be the first time since that fateful January that the iconic building would be highlighted in its historic glory.
Again deriving inspiration from and juggling images of actual pictures, I sought to recreate the jubilation and rousing welcome of the town leaders and village folk who came in droves—”numbering around five thousand”, as they beheld the General on the balcony.
In a fanciful hour, Liberation Day took place all over again—as the University of Luzon’s Drum and Bugle Corps and Dance Theater Company along with the Universidad de Dagupan Koro—gaily dressed in the style of the time, breathed life into the nostalgic and heartwarming sounds and scenes of a bygone era resplendent with the joy of freedom.
The pivotal timeline of the Landing and the Liberation of Dagupan, was faithfully documented in a deluxe handbook prepared by City Information Office Director, Dave Paragas with text and records laid out by Veterans Bank Vice President, Mike Villa-Real.
And pursuing the long-time plan of Mayor Belen, a mass edition would be distributed to the schools, “not only to acquaint the young learners with the historical facts”, she underscored, “but so that they will appreciate the significance and relevance of the historic event in their lives”.
Corollary to this, the WCES HE/MacArthur House, now displays the MacArthur picture walls and memorabilia donated by the Dagupan Veterans Bank as well as the framed pictures from the Exhibit during the lecture-visit of James Zobel of the MacArthur Memorial. It was with love and painstaking diligence that WCES Principal Dr Renato Santillan assembled and organized the exhibits.
And all this happened, because a valiant visionary Mayor, who knows next to nothing of war, save the black war waged by her political detractors, bears in her brave crimson heart a compelling passion to memorialize the foamy waves of a war’s signal surge to victorious liberation– from the cerulean shores of her beloved city.