Every 9th of April, the Philippines celebrates Araw ng Kagitingan. On this day in 1942, Japan invaded the Philippines, culminating in the battle and eventual fall of Bataan. This day also commemorates the infamous Death March, in which approximately 76,000 Filipino, American, and Chinese soldiers were forced by the Japanese to march 90 miles, or about 145 kilometers, from Bataan to Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac. I was in fifth grade when I learned about all of this. At the time, I was perplexed. The magnitude of the loss? Many people gave up? What's the big deal about losing? Why do we commemorate our fall?
According to what I've read, the word "valor" was not originally associated with bravery or courage in combat. The word's etymology can be traced back to two sources. The first is from the 14th century Old French valor or valour, which meant "merit, moral worth, or virtue," and the second is from the Latin valere, which means "to be strong" or "to be worth." The fact that we celebrate "Araw ng Kagitingan," or our "Day of Valor," on the day Bataan fell says a lot about what we think "Kagitingan" means.
There were probably soldiers who refused to surrender, who threw themselves against the enemy to die rather than surrender, and those who did so consciously chose their values. They chose what they would die for if they were free to do so.
The Bataan soldiers who surrendered gave up their bodies but not their minds or principles. Those who persevered in the face of such abundant death did so because each of them believed that they deserved to live, that they had a reason to choose suffering over death. They chose what they would live for if they were free to do so.
Valor does not always imply a willingness to fight. It isn't always represented by a raised weapon or a closed fist. Of course, there is valor in the decision to fight to defend our homes and to stand up for those who cannot defend themselves. However, there can be valor in refusing to fight, in refusing to obey clearly unjust orders, as some Russian soldiers are reported to be doing in Ukraine.
Of course, there is valor in choosing to die for a cause–many of the people we now revere as heroes did just that, paying what appears to many to be the ultimate price for their devotion to God, country, or principles. But there can also be bravery in choosing to live, even if it means swallowing our pride and suffering so much that death appears to be a mercy.
When we observe the national holiday Araw ng Kagitingan, or Day of Valor, on April 9, we are not simply remembering the bravery of the Bataan and Corregidor defenders, but also the revolts against Spain and the Philippine Revolution, the repelling of a Dutch fleet and Chinese pirates, the resistance against British invaders, the Philippine-American War, and other Second World War battles on Philippine soil. We are commemorating the men's morale as they fought against the invading Japanese. We value not only the quantitative, but also the intangible virtues that are called upon in times of adversity.
However, keep in mind that bravery is not limited to times of war. Sometimes the threat is in times of peace — the struggle is less visible, and the threat is more subtle. The Day of Valor is an opportunity for Filipinos today and tomorrow to remember moments of our ancient times, of strength and courage in the face of overwhelming odds, and to call on that strength again if necessary. Araw ng Kagitingan can never be about the brave acts of those who have come before us. The call to valor is for every Filipino to understand who they are, what they are capable of in the past, what values they hold most dear today, and what they must do to always defend them.
References:
https://www.prc.gov.ph/article/prc-commemorates-araw-ng-kagitingan/4935
https://www.lumina.com.ph/news-and-blogs/blogs/why-do-we-celebrate-araw-ng-kagitingan-in-the-philippines/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Rizal
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RETRIEVED: Jan.15,2024
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