A World War II peace memorial in the form of a cenotaph will soon rise at the actual site of the formal surrender of the Japanese military forces to the United States Army at New Site, Brgy. Sta. Rosa in Murcia.
“We all know that during World War II the Japanese surrendered here in Murcia, but the event has not been given its well-deserved significance for some time. When Mr. Modesto Saonoy brought up the idea of building a peace memorial here to honor the event, I readily agreed because it has also been one of my dreams,” said Murcia Mayor Gerry M. Rojas during the groundbreaking for the Negros Peace Memorial last Friday, August 30.
“I learned that the first marker for the first historic event was initiated in 1996 as a Silver Jubilee project of the La Consolacion College Alumni Class 1973 headed by Rudy Reveche, a recognized authority in history, culture, and the arts. When we finish this peace memorial, it will become a historical landmark that will attract American, Japanese, and Korean tourists,” the mayor added.
He explained that many Koreans also died in Negros during the war because Korea was a Japanese colony back then and its citizens were conscripted by and forced to fight for the Japanese.
Saonoy further explained that the cenotaph is an empty tomb in memory of people who died but whose remains could no longer be found. He pointed out that the cenotaph which will be built at New Site will be the only cenotaph in the Philippines.
It was here at 4:30 in the afternoon of August 30, 1945, that the hostilities between warring nations during World War II ended and peace began in Negros, according to Saonoy. He said he would provide more details of the event during the inauguration of the project.
Among the guests during the activity were the mayor’s father, NFSP president Enrique D. Rojas who was the prime mover for the project, Provincial Tourism Officer Cheryl Decena, Charlie Shin Inhwan who heads the Korean group in Negros, Mr. and Mrs. Shigemi and Thelma Watanabe of OISCA-Bago City, 303rd Infantry Brigade Commander PA BGen Orlando Edralin and Murcia MPS PMAJ Sherwin Fernandez.
The members of the local chapter of the Veterans Federation of the Philippines the Women’s Auxiliary Service Sons and Daughters Association, and Retired PA Post President Henry Agarri, were also present.
Demonstrating their full support of the project were Murcia Vice-Mayor Johnny Reosura and Sangguniang Bayan Members Pidong Villarosa, Kedy Yu, Bebot Gomez, Hernan Alintana, and SBM Anton Gonzaga, as well as Municipal Department Heads, Barangay Sta. Rosa Council and the people of Purok New Site, Barangay Sta. Rosa, Murcia.