SAN FRANCISCO – In commemoration of the Battle of Bataan, the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, in partnership with the Filipino American Arts Exposition, Bataan Legacy Historical Society and Philippine Scouts Heritage Society present a special exhibition – Remember Bataan: 80th Anniversary of the Fall of Bataan. The exhibition at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Consulate Building (447 Sutter Street, San Francisco) will be on view from April 11 through April 30, 2022, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

For three weeks in April, Remember Bataan pays tribute to World War II veterans and civilians who served with courage, honor, determination, and distinction and memorializes the 80th anniversary of the Bataan Death March.

“As we mark 80 years since the Fall of Bataan, a defining moment in Philippine-American history, I invite the pubic to visit the “Remember Bataan” exhibition this April at the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco and pay homage to all our Filipino and American veterans, whose sacrifices during the Second World War paved the way for the freedoms we enjoy today,” said Philippine Consul General Neil Frank R. Ferrer.

“One of the best ways to remember and appreciate our rich history is by traveling to the Philippines and visit the key destinations and locations,” said Soleil Tropicales, Tourism Attaché of the Philippine Department of Tourism. “We will launch the World War II in the Philippines Tour Package that will bring you around Metro Manila, Bataan and Leyte. Come and join us as we learn and at the same time, have fun touring and discovering WWII sites in the Philippines.”

April of 2022 marks the 80th anniversary of the Fall of Bataan during the Second World War. Remember Bataan brings the stories of Filipinos and Americans who fought for the peace and freedom we enjoy today. The exhibition honors them by keeping their legacy alive for future generations of Filipinos and Americans through displayed historical items and first and second-person accounts of our war heroes.

The Philippine Consulate will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception to celebrate the opening of Remember Bataan on April 11 at 5:00 p.m. The ceremony will feature remarks from Consul General Neil Ferrer and other veterans community leaders. Members of the community who are planning to attend the event, please RSVP by April 4 to https://rememberbataan.eventbrite.com.

“This project is a labor of love by many individuals who are committed to honor and remember our WWII heroes. I would like to acknowledge the community leaders who stepped up to make this project a reality. I also would like to thank 5M Project, BNI Embarcadero, Stiiizy, and other sponsors for their contribution. And I am very thankful for the many community partners who shared their photo collections and artifacts, as well as individual donors who generously supported this exhibition,” said Al Perez, President of FAAE.

“Filipinos did most of the fighting and the dying in Bataan, said Cecilia Gaerlan, Executive Director of the Bataan Legacy Historical Society. “They comprised seven-eighths of the main line of resistance. It is also important to know that against all odds, they managed to hold on to Bataan for 99 days despite suffering from starvation, disease, and without any air support.”

Here are some Fall of Bataan facts and figures:

April 9 is a national holiday in the Philippines, called “Araw ng Kagitingan” (Day of Valor). The Bataan Death March took place on April 9, 1942, after General Edward King Jr. surrendered the 75,000 Filipino and American soldiers of Bataan to the Japanese Imperial Army.
10,650 – The approximate number of Filipinos and American soldiers that died during the Death March (5,000 –10,000 Filipino deaths and 250 – 650 American deaths; there is no official record and differing sources report the widely differing number of casualties before reaching Camp O’Donnell).
20,000 – The number of Filipino and American soldiers who died at Camp O’Donnell.
65 miles – Length of the Bataan Death March (from the Municipality of Mariveles to Camp O’Donnell, along the Bataan Peninsula).
99 days – Number of days the Filipino and American soldiers (U.S. Armed Forces of the Far East; USAFFE) fought to delay the Japanese timetable, which allowed the Allied Forces the time to harness the necessary resources to defeat Japan eventually.

The exhibition is made possible by the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco, the Philippine Department of Tourism, The Philippine Center, Filipino American Arts Exposition, Bataan Legacy Historical Society and Philippine Scouts Heritage Society.

For more information on “Remember Bataan: 80th Anniversary of the Fall of Bataan,” send email to Al Perez at [email protected]. n