THE country is set to mark September 3 as a national holiday to commemorate the surrender of Japanese general Tomoyuki Yamashita and his army in Baguio City during World War II, according to a house bill that President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law on February 14 this year.

According to Republic Act (RA) 11216, September 3 will be known annually as a special working public holiday throughout the country, in commemoration of the surrender of the Japanese military forces led by General Yamashita at the American High Commissioner’s Residence in Camp John Hay, Baguio City. The surrender signaled the end of World War II in the Pacific.

Baguio City representative Mark Go, who authored the original house bill, expressed the significance of emphasizing Baguio as the location where World War II in the Philippines started and ended.

According to historical documents, the Second World War commenced in the Pacific after Camp John Hay was bombed by Japanese war planes on December 8, 1941, a day after Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7.

Go said the historical event was also especially important to the Cordilleras, as it was in the town of Kiangan, Ifugao where Yamashita and his forces were captured by Ifugao guerrillas on September 2, 1945 before the general was flown to Camp John Hay to sign surrender documents on September 3.

The lawmaker added the public holiday would give more meaning to Yamashita’s surrender, marking the event as a victory for the numerous Filipino soldiers who bravely fought and sacrificed their lives for the country. (SunStar Baguio)