Remarks by Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr. at the Araw ng Kagitingan, April 9, Mt. Samat, Bataan

            TO PRESIDENT AQUINO: Mr. President, magandang umaga, at maraming salamat po sa inyong imbitasyon. (Good morning and many thanks for your invitation to me.)

• Secretary of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin
• Ambassador Makoto Katsura
• Bishop Roberto Santos
• Enrique Garcia, Governor, Province of Bataan
• Fellow diplomats
• Boy scouts and girl scouts
• Members of the U.S. and Filipino Armed Forces
• Ladies and gentlemen

            Before I begin, please join me in taking a moment to remember General Felix Pestana, who died last week.  General Pestana survived the Bataan Death March, but always remember his service in the Philippine Army Air Corps has one of the greatest highlights.  He was a true hero to many of us and we all mourn his passing. 

            To General Pestana, and all those heroes who perished, doon sa mga pumanaw na, sumalangit nawa ang inyong kaluluwa (to those who died, may your souls rest in peace).

            And to all those who have served, saludo ako sa inyong katapangan, at sa inyong sakripisyo para sa bayan! (I salute your bravery, valor and sacrifices for the country).

            We are here today to commemorate and honor the bravery of the soldiers who suffered and died both here and on the road to Camp O’Donnell nearly 70 years ago.  We are here to praise their courage in resisting overwhelming force beyond the expectations of their commanders.  We are here to recognize their strength and fortitude in enduring a tortuous march to prison.

            And we are here today to learn from our collective past and to commit to a better future.

            I grew up hearing of the ravages of the war. My father and many of my uncles served in World War II, some in the Pacific theater.  My father served in the Philippines after the war, guarding prisoners.  He always told us of the admiration he had for the Filipino military with whom he served.

            I know the ferocity with which the battles were waged, and the tenacity with which the soldiers, sailors and marines fought.  I have heard of the great bravery and tremendous suffering on each side in the heat of battle.

            But I have also heard stories of great compassion. Stories of medics racing onto a battlefield through a hail of machine gun fire to help a fallen comrade.  Stories of soldiers sharing food rations with civilians in times of need, and of villagers nursing sick service members back to health.  I know that in times of difficulty and great hardship—in times when we often expect the worst from humanity—we often see the best that humans have to offer.

            And it is from this triumph of spirit and compassion that we must learn and resolve.  From the horrors we know that occurred so many years ago, we can learn the special value of peace and the riches of cooperation.

            Our challenge today cannot be to simply say that we despise war and we wish to end violence; we must be to work tirelessly for a world of peace and a brighter future for all of our children.  To devote our energy and our efforts toward a new and prosperous tomorrow, and to learn from our past—never to repeat it.

            We are here today not only to thank our brave soldiers who perished for the cause of freedom, but to honor their memories by carrying on their legacies.

            My friends, let us not allow our past to become prologue; let us instead work together for a better tomorrow. As President John F. Kennedy famously said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

             We have made great strides in our relationships and our cooperation in the last 70 years.  After the ravages of war so many years ago, I cannot fathom anyone predicting the extraordinary relationships that would exist today between our three nations.  The Philippines and Japan are among the United States’ most steadfast allies, and I know that President Aquino and Ambassador Katsura will agree that the relationship between Japan and the Philippines is stronger than ever before.

            We achieve so much through our work together.  Our mission is to work hand in hand with the government of the Philippines to battle human trafficking and to alleviate poverty.  We are privileged to work with the Armed Forces of the Philippines so ably led by Lt. Gen Oban towards eliminating violence in the South.

            We are pleased to have the only Veterans Clinic outside of the United States—a brand new, state of the art facility that will provide top of the line treatment to all our honored veterans.  We are committed to the well-being of our veterans; last year alone we disbursed more than 186 million dollars in veterans’ benefits in the Philippines.  

            It is to you, Mr. President, that I direct my thanks in making this unprecedented commitment by my nation possible.  It is your dedication to your people, and your commitment to fighting corruption, that make our strengthened relationship possible.  Ang ating kapatiran at pagkakaibigan ay walang kapantay. (Our brotherhood and friendship is unmatched.)

            But we cannot rest on accomplishments.  We cannot be placid or content with our achievements.  We face new and unexpected challenges at every turn.  Nations are not threatened by war alone; times of need and opportunities for cooperation arise from nature as easily as they do from war.

            Ambassador Katsura, on behalf of the American people, please accept our sincerest condolences for those lost in the tragic earthquake and tsunami in your homeland several weeks ago.  But please allow me to express to you today, before our many friends gathered here today, my great admiration for your nation and your people.  To witness the courage and resilience of the Japanese people in the face of such great adversity is to witness the hope for a better tomorrow that we all share.

            Today, even as we speak, American and Filipino armed forces are cooperating and acting in concert to secure that better future.  Our yearly Balikatan exercises, which proceeded this year even in the face of the great tragedies in Japan, demonstrate our commitment to the Philippines, and our dedication to working together to respond to the disasters that threaten our people, and our futures.    

            So my friends, today let us take home the lesson of our honored heroes who perished in service of their nations so many years ago, and let us apply this lesson for a better tomorrow. 

            Never give up.  Never surrender your ideals.  Continue in your commitment to make life for all of our children better today than yesterday.

            Because tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that, are not just points in time.  Like the brave soldiers who perished so many years ago, we have our own battle to fight: a battle for our futures and those of our families and nations. 

            And it is, my friends, our future to win, if we only work together.  It is through our continuing friendship and cooperation, and our renewed commitments to improving the lives of all people that will allow us, God willing, to prevail.

            Maraming salamat.