The Battle Begins (January 11, 1942)

The Road to War

World War II actually began in Europe on September 1, 1939 when Hitler invaded Poland. Great Britain and later, France, which had promised to defend Poland in case of attack, declared war on Germany.[i]

In Asia, the Japanese attack and invasion of China caused some tension between Japan and the United States. The U.S. was sharply critical of Japan's aggression in China. In 1939, the U.S. terminated its trade agreement with Japan. As a result, Japan could no longer buy most of the metals, machinery and other materials she needed for her war efforts.[ii]

When Japanese forces occupied French-Indo_china in July 1941, the Americans reacted by imposing an oil embargo on Japan and freezing all Japanese assets in the United States. In addition, the U.S. demanded that Japan withdraw her forces from China and Indo-China. In the face of these developments, Japan decided to go to war against the United States and Great Britain.[iii]

The Outbreak of War

Without any formal declaration of war, the Japanese launched a surprise air attack at the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in the morning of December 7, 1941. Pear Harbor was the head-quarters and main base of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Caught unprepared, the U.S. suffered heavy losses.[iv]

The next day, December 8, President Roosevelt appeared before the U.S. Congress to ask for a declaration of war against Japan, describing as December 7 as "a date which will live in infamy." On December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. The U.S. Congress immediately responded by declaring war on the two European allies of Japan.[v]

The War in the Philippines

On December 8, 1941, Japanese planes bombed Davao, Tuguegarao, Iba, Tarlac, and Pampanga where the U.S. had military bases. The air raids caught the Americans by surprise. On the following day Manila was bombed. Thereafter there were almost daily air raids in Manila and other places in the country.[vi]

As the year 1941 came to an end, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who was directing the American forces in the Far East from his base in Manila, moved into the Bataan Peninsula to set up the defense of the Philippines. All the men who could fight and all the youths who were willing to, withdrew from the city to Bataan, determined to hold on to this last ground where the flags of the Philippines and the United States could still fly free.[vii]

Bataan was ideal for defense. The province had a number of steep mountains and hills, thriving rivers, and was covered with thick jungle. The defenders - with a strength of about 83,000 men, chose an area between Mauban and Mabatang as their main line of resistance, and the second line, the rear battle position, lay across the road from Bagac and Orion.[viii]

Without aerial support and inadequately equipped, the Fil-American Forces retreated to the Bataan peninsula, there to make their last stand while waiting for promised reinforcement from America that never arrived.[ix]

Eventually, on January 11, 1942 at 11:30 pm at the Abucay line, the joint American and Filipino army were besieged by the ferocious Japanese invaders.

[i] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117

[ii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117

[iii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117

[iv] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117

[v] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 118

[vi] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 118

[vii] Fr. Wilfredo C. Paguio, Bataan Land of Valor, People of Peace, Jardi Press, 1997, pp.104-105

[viii] Fr. Wilfredo C. Paguio, Bataan Land of Valor, People of Peace, Jardi Press, 1997, pp.104-105

[ix] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 118-119

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Posted in: aerial,attack,declared,invaders,machinery,mountains,outbreak,reinforcement,world war II,WWII

The American Period (1898-1946)

The revolt of the Filipinos against Spain at the close of the 19th century, after more than 300 years of subjugation, did not mean the end of foreign dominion over the Islands. The ousting of Castillian conquerors and administrators by the local insurrectos only meant turning over control to another fair-skinned race.

On May 1, 1898, Corregidor fell into the hands of the Americans. By the first days of the second week of the following month, Bataan was already taken for them by the insurrectos. Soon, on June 12, 1898, Philippine independence from Spain was proclaimed in Kawit, Cavite. But it was only on August 14, 1898, after the Battle of Manila, that Spain surrendered to the United States. On December 10, 1898, the Treaty of Paris was signed.

The first Philippine Republic (1899-1901) was inaugurated under the presidency of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. A son of Bataan, Tomas G. del Rosario, was the vice-president of those who framed its constitution at the Malolos Congress. It did not take long, however, for Filipinos to realize that they had another master – the Americans.

Still aflame with the heat of battle against the Spaniards, the same insurrectos who dared to challenge their foreign colonizers and won, launched the Philippine-American War.

The Filipinos put up a courageous fight. But only July 4, 1901. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was apprehended in Palanan, Isabela. This led US President Theodore Roosevelt to declare the rebellion ended.

An American governor was appointed for Bataan – Harry Gouldman (1901-1903). The first Filipino governor was Tomas G. del Rosario of Balanga (1903-1905). He was followed by: Lorenzo Zialcita of Orani (1905-1907); Pedro J. Rich of Samal (1907-1909); Mariano Rosauro of Balanga (1909-1912); and Maximino R. de los Reyes of Balanga (1912-1916).

The line of congressmen from the province is compared of the following: Jose Ma. Lerma of Pilar (1907-1909); Tomas G. del Rosario of Balanga (1909-1912); Pablo Tecson of Balanga (1912-1916); and Maximino de los Reyes of Balanga (1916-1922).

It was during the incumbency of Maximino R. de los Reyes that Limay, on January 1, 1917, became a town separated from Orion, due to a petition led by Domingo de Ocampo, Francisco Villafranca, Emilio Ambrocio, Jose del Rosario, Mariano de San Pedro and Victorino Calma. It was also de los Reyes who worked hard to stabilize the economy of the province so that it would not be reabsorbed by the province of Pampanga.

Other provincial governors were: Conrado Lerma of Pilar (1916-1918); Pedro J. Rich of Samal (1918-1919); Alberto Aquino of Samal (1919-1922); Manuel Aguinaldo of Pilar (1922-1925); Gregorio Quicho of Orion (1925-1931); and Sabino de Leon of Pilar (1931-1934). The representatives were: Antonio Llamas of Mariveles (1922-1925); Manuel Banzon of Balanga (1925-1928); Teodoro Camacho, Sr. of Balanga (1928-1931); and Fortunado de Leon of Orion (1931-1934).

The Philippine Commonwealth under President Manuel L. Quezon lasted from 1935 to 1946. This was, however, interrupted by the Japanese occupation of the country. Before the coming of the Japanes, the governors were: Alberto Aquino of Samal (1934-1937); Joaquin J. Linao of Morong (1937-1940); and Jose Manahan of Balanga (1940-1941). The congressmen were Teodoro Camacho, Sr. of Balanga (1934-1941) and Antonio G. Llamas of Mariveles (1941).

The Second Republic of the Philippines (1942-1945) refers to the puppet government headed by President Jose P. Laurel during the Japanese occupation of the Islands. The governors of Bataan then were Simeon Salonga (1942-1945) and Teodoro Camacho (1945-1946). The Japanese bowed out of the Islands with rumors of Yamashita’s treasure even as they left without even multering arigato or sayonara.

MacArthur returned and the United States granted independence to the Philippines on July 4, 1946. Among the many legacies of the Americans to Filipinos are democracy, press freedom, the English language, health care and the public school system.

To expand the public school system in the Philippines, the United States sent teachers, who came to be known as Thomasites, because they arrived on board the ship Thomas, which left San Franscisco on July 1901 and arrived on August 23, 1901.

Three Thomasites were assigned in Bataan: Frank A. Butts, in Abucay; C.H. Goddarch, in Mariveles; and Bessie Taylor, in Balanga.

Soon, native teachers were being trained. Night schools were established and provincial schools offered English courses. Summer institutes were opened from February 15 to March 30 of each year either in San Fernando (Pampanga) or Balanga. Scholars were sent to the United States to study, among whom was Pedro Tuazon of Balanga.

Orani opened its first American school on February 27, 1902, when Benito Pangilinan was superintendent of schools in the province. On June 1904, Balanga had a complete elementary school up to grades five and six. By 1916, Limay had a primary school. The establishment of schools was a priority project of Governor Alberto Aquino, especially in Morong, Dinalupihan, Orani and Mariveles.

Private schools were also founded. In 1925, Felisa Baens was said to have started a high school in Orani with Arcangel de la Fuente as its first teacher. In 1926, the Jose Rizal Institute was put up in Orion, and Later in Orani, by Francisco de la Rosa, Florentino Simeon and Alfredo Angeles.

In general, the American regime also greatly influenced the people. Instead of just eating pesang pating, lugaw na butete, ginisang pindangga or pinais na page, people began to develop a taste for oatmeal, hamburger and hot dog. In addition to the usual suka, patis and toyo, they began to use catsup, chew gums instead of buyo and smoke American cigarettes. Instead of just using higot, men started to use suspenders and belts. They began wearing polo shirts and sporting tennis shoes. Women shortened their dresses.

Poker and bridge took the place of monte and panguingue. Bowling, basketball, baseball and volleyball were introduced in lieu of sabong. The carnival became a part of every town fiesta. Zarzuelas and the moro-moro or comedias were presented with vaudeville. Movies were popularized. The old Chinese restaurants were glamorized into soda fountains. Cabarets with bellas, which later became synonimous with women of ill repute, sprouted in almost every municipality. The sounds of Charleston, boogie-woogie and fox trot predominated in these places, though always with due respect to the pabasa and cenaculo of Lent.

The byword of the time was, of course, “Victory Joe!”

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Posted in: conquerors,freedom,glamorized,incumbency,insurrectos,occupation,sports

1898 Revolution

It was the first of May 1898, at around five to six o’clock in the morning when thunders of cannon volleys interrupted the tranquil sleep of the people of Bataan. American forces were bombing Corregidor, just off the coast of Mariveles. In less than an hour, Spanish defenses on the island were destroyed and by the afternoon of that same day, six American officials, including a captain, landed on the island from their vessel, Zafiro. The island was surrended.

THE FALL OF MARIVELES

By the end of the month, everything was ready for the conquest of Bataan by the insrurrectos, who had no choice but to raise a rebellion. Otherwise, it was known later, the American forces threatened to bombard the whole province.

Mariveles, therefore, was taken on May 30. Protected by eight regiments under Lieutenant Pavon, the town was attacked at noon when the soldiers were taking lunch. Though unprepared, the soldiers fought bravely – fifty to one. The battle left 16 young Spanish soldiers dead or gravely wounded.

THE FALL OF ORION

Orion was also taken on the 30th. Around 6 o’clock in the morning of the 29th, the infantry stationed in the town split up to survey the town. One division under the Señor Guerra, went northwards in the direction of Pilar. The other, under First Lieutenant Gomez, went southwards towards Limay. Only seven soldiers, under Sgt. Navarro, were left in town.

Soon after the two columns of soldiers left, cannon shots were heard – Balanga came under fire. And in a moment, from the forest of Orion itself, appeared troops of insurrectos. However, they could not approach the church and convent because of the armed soldiers who had taken refuge there.

Organizing themselves, the insurrectos marched towards Limay where they encountered the troops of Lieutenant Gomez – 20 infantry men with two guardias civiles against no less than four thousand rebels. The battle lasted for five hours, until two in the afternoon when the soldiers had used up their ammunition.

Victoriously, the rebels hastened to town where they kept vigil through the night, asking the priests of the parish, Fathers Ulpiano Herrero and Julian Misol, to surrender. In the morning of the next day, May 30, moved by the threats of the rebels to burn down the church and convent, the priests came down from the tower of the church and with them descended the Spanish flag in the town.


THE FALL OF PILAR

In Pilar, trouble also began on May 29. Ten infantry men who sought shelter in the convent found themselves surrounded by men armed with bolos – mostly Aetas who had connived with the few insurrectos in the town to occupy it. Prepared for battle, the soldiers stayed on the first floor of the convent for it was of concrete materials while the second floor was only of wood. Here, they were attacked by a native who had taken his subo, thinking that with it he could kill all the Spaniards in the convent, without getting himself killed. But before he could even reach the convent door, he was felled with a gunshot.

However, the insurrectos were able to set the convent aflame, and the soldiers had to flee to the church located at the other side of the road. In the process, the parish priest, Fr. Francisco Garcia, was wounded in the nose and left arm. And, after having been attacked by another superstitious fanatic, they were able to close the church and climb to the tower. From there, they heard the sound of trumpets from the direction of Orion. Thinking that it was help, they were overjoyed. Later, however, from the tower, they understood and saw that it was but a cry for help from the troops of Sergeant Guerra in Orion, being massacred by the insurrectos.

Hungry and thirsty, Father Garcia and his companions waited for any aid from Balanga or from any other place until the next day, May 30, when, convinced that no help was coming and assured by Gregorio Paguio, the captain of the insurrectos, that they would be treated with respect, they ended Spanish sovereignty in Pilar by surrendering themselves.


THE FALL OF BAGAC AND MORONG

On a Monday, June 7, a surprise attack was made on the 25 infantrymen of Bagac, and all were killed. The same was planned for Morong but the infantrymen of the town readily perceived their plan. They defended the quarters of the town for several days until they ran out of food and ammunitions. They retreated to Subic where, after a heroic defense, they surrendered to the Americans on Isla Grande where they had taken refuge. Admiral Dewey, however, later handed them over to the government of Aguinaldo.

THE FALL OF BALANGA

By May 26, rumors of revolution already permeated the town of Balanga. The day after, a certain Pantaleon, a former capitan of the town, asked for a sung Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin for the failure of the plot of the Katipunan to kill all Spaniards. By the 28th, revolution already started in the town under the leadership of a certain Jaen, a strong though uneducated man. Later, afraid of the anger of his fellow rebels for having advanced the date of the revolution from May 31 to May 28, Jaen committed suicide. His troops tried unsuccessfully to occupy the military quarters of the town.

The Spaniards, who took refuge inside the convent, lasted till the 30th, when their food began to run out. By May 31, they realized that no help was coming from Orani. So Baquero, the military chief in Balanga, negotiated the terms of surrender with the head of the rebels of the town, a man named Cardenas.


THE FALL OF SAMAL

On May 29, Lieutenant Salazar of the Guardia Civil gave instructions for the parish priest of Samal to leave town. Early the next day, the same lieutenant, with 50 men under him, proceeded to Balanga to provide support, passing by Abucay to ask Father Govea to leave. Meanwhile, Don Lucas Francia, the commander of the Bataan-Zambales zone, awaited help from General Monet who was assigned in Pampanga.

Two days, later, 150 Macabebes came. Together with 70 other infantrymen and guardias civiles, they tried to proceed to Balanga. But like the troops of Lieutenant Salazar, they did not enter the town for fear of being trapped inside. Instead, they retreated to Samal. The next day, Francia was informed of the surrender of Balanga. Sending a small troop to Samal, which also later returned, Francia retreated to Pampanga together with the priests of Abucay, Samal, Orani and Hermosa. So that when Lt. Salazar sent him a messenger to ask for instructions, he had already left.

That night, the revolutionaries attacked the town of Samal with arms taken from the Peace of Biak-na-Bato, from the infantrymen of Pilar, Abucay and Balanga which had surrendered, and from the Americans. Lieutenant Salazar wanted to surrender but the Macabebes, hoping for help from Pampanga which had been promised by Francia, refused.

Meanwhile, the insurrectos, having surrounded the Church, were able to dig a hole on the left side of the church, into which they poured petroleum which they later set aflame, burning the main altar. This led the defenders of the town to agree to the surrender provided their lives be spared.

But, afterwards, the rebels decreed that the Macabebes were not included in the agreement since they were Filipinos who turned traitor to their motherland by fighting under the Spanish flag. To regain their freedom, the Macabebes were required to shout, “Muera España, viva Filipinas!” Refusing to do this, the Macabebes answered: “Pensais que vamos a ser como vosotros que ayer jurabais ser eternamente fieles a España para hoy matar a sus hijos u pisotear su bandera?...” Because of this, they were all massacred.

In their honor, Father Ulpiano Herrero wrote:

“Descanded en paz magnanimos hijos de Macabebe! Con vuestro glorioso sacrificio cerrasteis brillantissimamente el libro de la fidelidad de Filipinas a España; y en ese asqueroso monton de traiciones y bellanquerias contra la Patria que dio a los Filipinos religion y cultura, constituis el unico oasis en que, contemplando los sucesos del perfido levantamiento, se recrea la mente del observador, a quien enthusiasman los sublimes cuadros de historia.”

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Posted in: bombing,cannons,corregidor,island,thunders

Bataan is Made A Province

After two centuries of Progress and development, Bataan was made a province in 1754, during the incumbency of governor General Don Pedro Manuel Arandia.

The new province included the towns of Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Abucay, Samal, Orani and Hermosa, which were under the administration of the Dominicans. Dinalupihan was also included. These towns were the parts of the province of Pampanga. Mariveles, with its barrios of Bagac and Morong, was also included in the province, thus abolishing the old district (corregimiento) of Mariveles. And Maragondon which originally belonged to this district, was incorporated into the province of Cavite.

As a province, Bataan was placed under its own Alcalde Mayor, assisted by a number of personnel. The economy of the province was taken over by its own Administrador de Hacienda Publica and its military defense units were placed in the hands of two units of Guardia Civil—one in Balanga and one in Dinalupihan under the command of two officers—and a station in Orion with its Cabo.

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Posted in: economy,incumbency,place,travel,travel and leisure

The People

The first Spanish who arrived in the province came upon two main races of people living in Bataan – the inhabitants of the mountains and those settled on the plains. The mountain people were the Negritoes or Aetas and the inhabitants of the plains were the natives.

Aside from these two main groups, however, there came the peninsular Spaniards, the Chinese, and the mestizos who were either Spaniards or Chinese born to parents married to native women.

The Aetas

The Negritoes or Aetas, at the time they were written about by Father Vicente Fernandez in 1886, numbered around 1,300 to 1,500 with the population tending to decrease rather than increase. They were described then as a miserable race with kinky hair and dark skin. Their origin, descent and language were not too well known, although others of their kin lived in Malacca, Sumatra, Java, Formosa, New Guinea and in a majority of the Philippine islands. Their language was similar to those in the towns and ranches near the mountains where they lived.

Father Vicente Fernandez reported that until his time, all the efforts to confine the Negritoes to life in community had been fruitless. Both threats and blandishments had been used. Houses had been built for them on sites near the mountains, but they always returned to their mountainous abode the moment they knew they were out of sight or the resources for their upkeep had been used up.

The Candidate

The greatest bulk of the lowlanders were the natives. They belonged to the pure Malay race, were of regular build, oval-faced, and with large eyes. However, although they are of Malay race, one could observe in their physiognomy some resemblances to the people of Ternate, perhaps because they had merged with or intermarried with the Mardicas of the opposite coast.

Most of them spoke Tagalog, but a considerable number of the population, especially in the beginning, spoke Pampango, which is no surprise since Bataan was fomerly a part of Pampanga province.

By the turn of the century, the following style of dress was in vogue. Men wore pantalones, camisa de coco which was either black or blue, a buri hat or salacot and a panuelo around their necks. Women sported short black camisa de coco which was usually de sinamay con rayas, a saya of black or of any other color, a tapiz over the saya, a pair of chinelas on their feet, a panuelo around the neck or head, plus a rosary or scapular hanging from their neck and resting on their breast. Special attires, as those of the Spaniards, were worn by ministers of justice and the principales of the town on special occasions.

To pass their time, men and women played panguingue. Men usually enjoyed monte and sabong. The old folk spent their time chewing tobacco and buyo while conversing on their staircases, windows, stores, plazas or streets. Among the young, carabao races were also popular. And the nights were passed with haranas or serenades.

They especially celebrated town fiestas, attended zarzuelas in which the people of Mabatang were experts and enjoyed the galleras.

The low-landers were easily satisfied. They were content with having just the necessities of life for the present, without care for the future. For cultivation, they preferred swampy farms which were easy to cultivate but were always productive. They had a characteristic aversion to holding public office and paying taxes. And as the angelus tolled the setting of the sun, they ended their days with prayers and a manifestation of respect for the old while closing their windows and locking their doors.

The Peninsular

Peninsular Spaniards were those who came from Spain to live in the Philippines. Those who had stayed long in the Philippines were called camagones at the end of the nineteenth century.

It is noted that in the second half of the last century, the number of peninsular Spaniards in Bataan was strangely small, and all of them were either employees in civil, economic and military administration or parish. Around that period, too, there were nine towns in which the pastors were the pastors were the only Spaniards.

It is likewise of interest that in the entire province, there was not a single peninsular Spaniard or foreigner, aside from the Chinese, who were involved in agriculture, commerce or industry.

The Chinese residents of the province were few in number, compared to those in the other provinces of the archipelago. They were estimated to have been only about 160 to 180, according to the census taken by the Government and Administration in the year 1885.

Almost all engaged in commerce. Some engaged in the alcohol industry and in the drying of fish for shipment to Manila and Pampanga. Only a small number was engaged in agriculture.

There were no rich Chinese. Due to the big number of mestizos who sought to emulate their parents and due to the proximity of the Manila markets to which they themselves brought their products, the Chinese had never been able to control commerce – not even retail stores.



Being thriftier, more active and more industrious, the Chinese of the last century in Bataan were not too well liked by the natives. Occasionally, an aggrieved native took revenge on a Chinese who had done him an injustice. In such occurrences, it difficult to uncover the perpetrators of the crimes for the natives did not volunteer information to investigate the deeds perpetrated on the Chinese.

Some of the Chinese married and settled permanently in the province to live with their families. But the majority were transients who came to try their fortune and traveled on from one province to the next.

The Mestizos

There were two main divisions of mestizos in Bataan --the Spanish-native mestizos and the Chinese-native mestizos.

The Spanish-native mestizos were greater in number than the peninsular Spaniards. However, they were of little influence and importance as majority of them belonged to the poorer class. But they had always tried to preserve their lineage in census lists due to privileges of exemption from tribute and due to the municipal services which they enjoyed as provided for by the law.

The Chinese-native mestizos were also of considerable number. As a matter of fact, their number ranked second to that of the natives. They were actually more than what appeared in parish lists, for the son or daughter of a native father and a Chinese mestiza mother was classified in records as a native. They were, in fact, very careful in having this noted in their baptismal records in order not to pay the higher rate of tribute imposed on Chinese mestizos, according to the ancient laws of the tribute.

This race was astonishingly prolific and it has left permanent traces of its characteristic traits both physical as well as moral. This is especially noticeable in the town of Balanga, where inhabitants strangely have white complexion and slanted eyes. Even most of their family names reflect a Chinese ancestry.

They were generally serious, generous, thrifty, clean and shrewd. They dedicated themselves to agriculture, commerce and industry. They were the truly powerful people in the province. They gave out money advances or loans to natives, with regular interests collectible at harvest time. Their women were usually more active then the men and possessed great talent in managing their business and making it grow. However, they had the vice of gambling, where they risked their fortune many times.

In general, the people of the province were docile, religious and loving to their superiors.

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Posted in: land and ports,landing,Mestizos,missionaries,mountains,Peninsular,population