The Day of Valor
The Day of Valor, also known as Bataan Day and Araw ng Kagitingan, is a holiday in the Philippines that occurs on or around April 9 and celebrates the courage and heroism of Filipino fighters against the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during World War II.
Philippines (Regular holiday)History
After several heated battles and the fall of Bataan, American and Filipino forces were forced to surrender to the Japanese on April 9, 1942. After their surrender, these soldiers were then forced to undertake a ninety-mile march to Camp O’Donnell in San Fernando. During this forced march, thousands of soldiers died from disease, starvation, and exhaustion in what would eventually be dubbed the Bataan Death March. However, despite the harsh treatment and the ever-present threat of death, the soldiers stood strong and demonstrated much valor during the whole ordeal. Historians would later state that while the fall of Bataan hastened the conquest of Corregidor by the Imperial Japanese, it also slowed down the Japanese conquest of the rest of the Philippines due to the enormous expenditure of resources needed to conquer Corregidor. This bought the Allies enough time to mount several counteroffensives against the Japanese, most notably the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway. On February 8, 1945, the Allies eventually liberated the Bataan Peninsula.
Up until 1980, the Day of Valor was only recognized as an observance day. However, this changed on November 26, 1980, when Letter of Instruction No. 1087 instructed that the day be proclaimed as a national holiday. This was made official on June 30, 1987, when an Executive Order was released, making it a national holiday to recognize the efforts of those who fought during the Battle of Bataan, as well as the battles of Corregidor and Bessang.
Customs, Traditions, and Celebrations
Most schools and government buildings are closed on the Day of Valor, but other businesses usually remain open. Most people in the Philippines celebrate this day by visiting various monuments or spending leisure time at malls or other entertainment venues.
Philippines (Regular holiday)
