United States Ambassador MaryKay Carlson places US and Philippine flags at the graves of fallen American and Filipino soldiers on May 27, 2023, ahead of this year's Memorial Day rites. Courtesy: US Embassy in the Philippines/Facebook
MANILA — United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson on Sunday led the commemoration of this year’s Memorial Day at the Manila American Cemetery, where 17,000 Filipino and American patriots were laid to rest.
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States held each year to honor the service, achievements, and sacrifice of the men and women of the US military, as well as their comrades.
“Today, we pause to reflect and remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of freedom,” Carlson said in a speech.
“We are reminded that freedom comes at a great price and that it is a cherished shared value that is worth fighting and dying for,” she said.
Aside from the 17,000 tombs, names of some 36,000 men and women who went missing in action in various battled the United States took part in the Indo-Pacific were also etched on walls within the cemetery, she said.
“As we reflect on this legacy, let us remember that each grave marker and name on the wall represents a person, a story, and a family that dearly misses their loved one,” the Ambassador said.
“Let us learn their stories, and let us honor their legacy.”
In a statement, Defense Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr. underscored that Filipinos and Americans have fought side-by-side for decades thanks to their “their deep understanding of the need to free our fellowmen… from bondage.”
Philippine Veterans Affairs Office Administrator and Defense Undersecretary Reynaldo Mapagu was tasked to read Galvez’s statement as the office-in-charge of the Department of National Defense (DND) failed to make it to the event.
“Learning valuable lessons from the past, our troops are now more proactive in dealing with challenges particularly those that may morph into new threats,” Galvez’s statement read, noting that the “brittle, anxious, and nuclear environment” in the region proves the “need to elevate our interoperability” with the United States.
Galvez said one way to honor fallen comrades is by “upgrading our security capability and continuously modernizing our Armed Forces to be at par with our regional counterparts.”
“Boosting our defense capabilities is one of the best ways to honor our heroes,” he said.
“Revitalized implementation of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement within the ambit of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty is another manifestation of that commitment.”
Earlier this year, the Manila and Washington have agreed to expand the number of Philippine military bases which American troops can enter and use.
The four additional areas were situated either close to Taiwan or to the West Philippine Sea, two areas where China has has been trying to force influence.
Other officials who attended the event include former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano and American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) Commissioner Darrell Dorgan.
The ABMC is an independent federal agency created by the US Congress to “ensure the memories of those who fell abroad defending the US and those with whom they serve never die.”
The ABMC is in charge of 26 permanent American military cemeteries, 32 federal memorials, monuments and markers in the US and 16 other countries.
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