The Leyte-Samar Heritage Society Inc. (LSHSI), a non-profit corporation composed of dedicated heritage advocates based in Tacloban City, successfully concluded its one-day forum titled “Pagbukwat han Aton mga Kaagi: Unearthing Untold Stories of World War II Leyte” at the Leyte Convention Complex in Palo, Leyte, on October 18, 2024.
The forum served as a platform to enrich and disseminate discussions on local history, address gaps in the dominant historical narrative of World War II, and enable institutional and community leaders to set their agendas and directions for community development through historical education in their respective locales and spheres of influence, according to LSHSI.
The panel discussions focused on topics such as Decolonizing World War II, The Battle of Leyte Gulf, The Leyte Guerillas, Descendants of Significant World War II Leyte Figures, and Civilian Experiences in World War II Leyte.
Renowned speakers and presenters during the forum included Associate Professor Bernard Leo Karganilla, Corporate Secretary, Hunters-ROTC Historical Society Inc.; Professor Emeritus Ricardo Jose, Department of History, University of the Philippines (UP)- Diliman; Walter Borneman, American Historian and Lawyer (via Zoom); Jobert Narte, Instructor, Arts and Humanities Unit, Leyte Normal University (LNU); Emiliano Justimbaste Jr., Editor, The Weekly Vanguard; Lakan Uhay Alegre, Managing Editor, Philippine Journal of Public Policy, UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies; Dennis Bautista, LNU; and Mina Watanabe, Women’s Active Museum on War and Peace, Tokyo, Japan.
The moderators were George Emmanuel Borrinaga, PhD, Associate Professor, University of San Carlos (USC), Cebu City; Professor Joycie Dorado-Alegre, President, LSHSI; and Carmelito Nomer Abolencia, PhD, Eastern Visayas State University (Evsu).
LSHSI also thanked Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla and his wife, Leyte Provincial Tourism Consultant Frances Ann Petilla, National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) Chairperson Regalado Trota Jose Jr., LSHSI Chairperson Monsignor Ramon Stephen Aguilos, and other guests for gracing the event. LSHSI and the Hunters-ROTC Historical Society, Inc. co-organized the event in partnership with The Province of Leyte and the Department of Tourism (DOT)-Eastern Visayas. Special acknowledgement to NHCP, Senator Loren Legarda, and Senator Risa Hontiveros. (Ronald Reyes)
Photos courtesy of Sidlak Batan-on Facebook page
