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CAGAYANLifestyle TIMES Weekly DE ORO
Volume 8 | No. 35 | Cagayan de Oro City | April 12-18, 2021
Liceo Music Conservatory does it again
Tiro wins Ani ng Dangal for Beethoven Tribute By MIKE BAÑOS
And the hits just keep on coming!
F
or the third time in recent years, a faculty member of the Liceo Conservatory of Music, Theatre and Dance has brought home an Ani nga Dangal Award from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Piano/Composition Music Faculty Niño Cesar Borromeo Tiro was awarded an Ani ng Dangal (Harvest of Honors)Award during the event’s 13 th Edition for his piano composition with the 250 piano pieces for
Beethoven International Composition Project 2019, which brought pride and honor to the Philippines. Tiro’s piano composition Phantasie für Ludwig was performed by concert pianist
Ani ng Dangal Trophy by Paul Sugano / NCCA Public Affairs and Information Section
Susanne Kessel for Volume 9 of her global composition project 250 Piano Pieces for Beethoven. He was the lone Filipino piano composer to be featured in the project that commemorates the 250 th birthday of German composer and pianist Ludwig van Beethoven, widely regarded as one of the greatest geniuses in the history of Western music. Tiro’s composition depicts the life and music of Beethoven, and was one of the most frequently featured pieces during the promotional tours and featured in the famous classical radio station WDR 3 in Germany. Three of his works are now part of eScholarship Contemporary Music Score Collection, which is an open access publishing platform subsidized by the University of California. Also featured in Kessel’s global composition project was Fantasie über Ludwig van Beethoven by world-renowned composer/conductor Prof. Horst Hans Bäcker, associate dean of the Liceo Conservatory of Music, Theater and Dance. Concurrently serving as an EdTech Specialist and Research
Prof Horst Hans Backer and Maestro Niño Tiro present Mayor Oscar Moreno a copy of the 250 Piano Pieces for Beethoven.
and Community Extension Coordinator for Liceo Music Conservatory, Maestro Tiro is the second Liceo Conservatory faculty to receive the prestigious award following Maestro Cipriano Zip de Guzman in 2018 and 2019. The Artist Niño Cesar Borromeo Tiro A true-blue Kagayanon, Tiro was born and raised in Cagayan de Oro and starting piano lessons when he was five. Among his mentors
were the late concert pianists and composer Lino Abrio and Anita Nita Velez AbrogarQuinto. Tiro was already flexing his musical chops even in school, graduating with High Honors in Bachelor of Music, Major in Music Education, Piano Principal at Lourdes College, and Magna Cum Laude at the Liceo de Cagayan University Conservatory of Music, Theater and Dance where he was mentored by worldrenowned Composer/
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Conductor Prof. HorstHans Backer for his Bachelor of Music in Composition. He is now a fulltime faculty of the Liceo Conservatory and currently pursuing his Master of Music degree at the same institution, continuing his passion for teaching and making music. Not confining himself to classical music, Tiro has indulged in an eclectic mix of music genres such as rock, blues, and jazz. He plays
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CAGAYANTIMES Lifestyle Weekly DE ORO
April 12-18, 2021
Sports Tourism
By CHARLES LIM
What Tokyo so long? March 24, 2020 - A nightmare begins. With heartbreak but supreme grace and Japanese courage, the Organizing Committee of the 2020 Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) with the Japanese government, announced the postponement of the 2020 Games, four months before the start of the Summer Games. All things considered, pitted on the gravity of the Corona virus devastating the world, the decision to move the Summer Olympics and Paralympics to July 2021 was regarded as "safe" by many, even to the most skeptical. Athletes, the world over, heaved a huge sigh of relief. The anxiety of competing
with so much uncertainty gone. Now, to focus for the reprogramming of their training, with the ultimate goal to peak at the right moment in 2021. Appreciating Japanese discipline with admiration, the Tokyo Organizing Committee (TOC) announced that all new venues including the Olympic Stadium were all completed in 2019, with the exception of the Tokyo Aquatics Center which opened in February of 2020. So far so good for the athletes the world over. On March 20, 2021 or just a few weeks ago a joint statement from IOC and TOC and its affiliates, a policy on entry of the overseas spectators into Japan was determined. The statement
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CAGAYAN TIMES/Sudaria Group of Companies Publisher MIKE BAÑOS Editor-in-Chief SUSAN P. DENNIS GEAN T. CESAR RANDY FAMACION MAI MAI SISON KLAUS DORING ANNIE GORRA RAGO WENDY RAMOS-GARCIA Contributing Editors CLIFFORD SANTILLAN Layout Artist PINKY DOMINGO Marketing KHRISTHA RIVA FELICILDA Advertising ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI Legal Counsel The Metro CAGAYAN de ORO TIMES newspaper is published weekly at Tanleh Bldg., Abellanosa Street, Consolacion, Cagayan de Oro City. It is registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 10 with Certificate No. 01801884, and with Business Registration Plane No. 17211 with Business License Certificate 2014-00691. TIN No. 311-982-549-000 Tele/Fax #: (088) 856-3344 Find us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CagayandeOroTIMES email us at thecagayandeorotimes@gmail.com Member: Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber)
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reads: "Currently, the situation of COVID19 in Japan and many other countries around the world continues to be very challenging, including the emergence of mutant strains, whilst international travel remains severely restricted globally, the parties on the Japanese side have come to the conclusion that overseas ticket holders will not be able to enter Japan at the time of the Olympic and Paralympic Games." As an advocate of encouraging and preparing cities to bid and host sporting events, I can only feel the pain, frustration and devastation resulting from these hard decisions made to avoid an already bad situation. Postponing the Games was crippling to the sponsors, airlines, hotels, venues, media and television rights holders and host city, Tokyo. For the host city, it means an additional $5.7 billion cost to an already over-run budget of $28 billion. Barring spectators from all corners of the world from going to Tokyo will now result in catastrophic losses to the host city and its tourism industry. According to a study made by Prof Katsuhiro Miyamoto
from the Kansai University, staging the Olympics and Paralympic behind closed doors will result in a loss of $23.1 billion. Filipinos, by the thousands, had the intention of attending the summer Olympics in Tokyo for many a good reason. First and foremost, it is in our neighborhood and with such affordable airfares offered by Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines, it could be our only chance to catch a dream of attending an Olympics. Secondly and very inspiring, we wish to root for our gold prospects in pole vaulter Ernest Obiena, artistic gymnast Carlos Yulo, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and boxers Emir Marcial, Irish Magno and hopefully a few more still to qualify. My group of 22 had our dreams onf going to the Tokyo Olympics dashed. Fortunately, we only had our flights booked (now rebookable and refundable) and accommodation through our friends in Tokyo well arranged. Paris in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2028, may indeed be somewhat challenging for some of us in our 70s today. The organizers reported that 4.48 million tickets for the Olympics and 970,000
for the Paralympics have already been sold. Full refunds will not be expected as there is a thirdparty ticketing agent claiming operational expenses from their commissions and the host can only consider refunds based on the net amount they received. As you read this, the Olympic torch is about 100 days from Tokyo. Started from Fukushima on March 25, 2021, it will go through 47 prefectures carried by 10,000 torch bearers, before arriving at the Tokyo National Stadium on July 23, 2021 for the opening of the XXXII Olympiad. As sports loving patriots, we can only appreciate the struggles of our Japanese hosts over the last full year and the ordeals and tribulations they are to face in the months ahead. Let's pray for them. Send them our athletes,
bask with them in their participation and glory. They will be in good hands in Japanese soil and hospitality. Our regrets for not joining you. Just by the participation of athletes the world over, it sends a powerful message, not of defiance, but one of inspiration and healing as one. Nelson Mandela once said, " Sports can create hope, where there was once only despair." Charles Lim is the founder and chairman of the Philippine Sports Tourism Awards. He has been an advocate of sports tourism since 2004 with the inception of the Sports Tourism Forum - a popular seminar for those in the sports and hospitality industries - which is presently still ongoing. He can be reached at charles. selrahco@gmail.com.
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CAGAYANTIMES Feature DE ORO
April 12-18, 2021 Page 3
A German Expat in the Philippines
WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS
By Klaus Döring
Chapter X: I married a family
R
OSSANA and I invited 100 guests for our wedding reception. But more than 300 guests came. That was learned Filipino tradition. I felt very comfortable between all the many people. For some minutes, I missed "my" Ludwig van Beethoven". The farewell after our wedding was a mixture of sheer party happiness and many, many farewell tears. For the picture taken at the airport, one quickly shed all tears and smiled. We didn't know when we would come back to Davao City. Our stay at the German Embassy in Manila lasted only 10 minutes. Rossana got her visa for Germany. April 1983. Our 10-hour-flight from Manila to Frankfurt wasn't a problem. But my obligatory phone call at home Frankfurt. My mother had successfully survived the cancer operation but stayed in our best friends' house. My father had left. After the connecting
flight Frankfurt - Berlin, Rossana and I rushed to my apartment. A typical 1-room bachelor apartment with bathroom, kitchen and balcony somewhere in the middle of Berlin city. "I am hungry,” sighed Rossana. "Don't you have rice or fish?" There was only canned Ravioli and bags of soup. “I like roasted chicken", replied Rossana. I was really too tired to go with her to a restaurant. She ate some of the Ravioli. The first part of her culture shock had started. Just a week later, my beloved Lola died. I almost got my heart out of my body. Rossana didn't get a visa for the other - the communist Eastern part of Germany - the German Democratic Republic. My mother and I were alone on the way to the funeral. It rained the whole day. "I hope one day I will get to meet your Asian wife!" Those were Lola's last words on my visit a week before my Philippine journey. Rossana was getting
more and more lonely in Germany. I was trying to help her. "Your friends only speak to me in English, but I would like to speak in German,” Rossana told me one day. Summer 1983, she enrolled in a German language course. Daily six hours Mondays until Fridays. She liked our balcony and took care of the
plants and flowers. "Would you like to go to the theatre one day?" I asked. As a member of the Berlin Theater Club, I got tickets for stage plays, classical music concerts and musical performances. Rossana replied, "Yes. When?" " I have two tickets for a Broadway Dance Revue,” I told her. Of course, it was not Beethoven and Co. But, it was exactly
Rossana's style as a dancer.
(To be continued)
‘Klaus Doring was born in Spenge, a little village near Bielefeld in North Rhine-
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Westphalia, former West Germany. A publishing house manager and journalist by profession, i.e. managing editor for law magazines in Berlin, New York and Amsterdam, radio and TV host.’
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CAGAYANTIMES Feature DE ORO
April 12-18, 2021 Page 4
NHCP approves historical marker for Kagay-anon Patriot By MIKE BAÑOS
T
HE National Historical Commission of the Philippines has approved the installation of a historical marker to honor the late World War II patriot Antonio Julian Montalván. Signed by Dr. Rene R. Escalante, NHCP Chairman of the Board, the approved text in Pilipino reads:
Antonio Julian Montalván y Corrales (Feb. 8, 1906 - Aug. 30, 1944) was a member of an espionage team as G-2, MC Liaison and Intelligence Officer, of the 10 th Military District under Col. Wendell W. Fertig in Mindanao, who reported directly to Gen. Douglas MacArthur. “He was a medical doctor, first assigned at the Misamis Provincial Hospital (now the Northern Mindanao Medical Center), then to Cebu, then Palompon in Leyte,” said his namesake and nephew anthropologist and columnist Antonio J. “Nono” Montalvan II. “He later served as public health doctor in Iligan.”
network (Spyron). Then newly married to Rosario Llamas, a cousin of Virginia Llamas Romulo, -the first Mrs. Carlos P. Romulo—he was arrested by the Japanese Kempeitai in Lucena, Tayabas town, in the house of his mother in-law Doña Tecla Capistrano Llamas. He was about to pack his bags for another clandestine boat trip to Mindanao after completing three successful trips when he was betrayed by one of the carpenters working in house. The Japanese later detained and tortured him in Fort Santiago and at the Old Bilibid Prisons in Manila. On August 30, 1944 he was executed by decapitation with the group of Senator José When the war Ozámiz, and the began, he was the personal medic of Col. Elizalde Group of Manila which included Wendell W. Fertig, the writer Rafael head of the organized Roces and Blanche guerrilla resistance in Walker Jurika, the Mindanao under the mother in-law of 10 th Military District, guerilla leader Charles United States Forces in the Philippines. He "Chick" Parsons. The was recruited to serve execution took place as a spy by their cousin at the Manila Chinese Cemetery. and brother-in-law Senator José Ozámiz. One of the perpendicular streets The group helped which links Burgos to establish coastal Apolinar Velez streets radio relay stations in Mindanao, Visayas and in Cagayan de Oro Southern Luzon. Later, City has been named in his honor. he became part of a Philippine Manila spy network. historian Ambeth Montalván first Ocampo describes served as courier Montalván as a between Manila "World War II hero of and Mindanao. The Mindanao". boat would land in BGen Restituto Pagbilao, Quezon L. Aguilar, (ret.), near Tayabas. Then NHCP Executive he would proceed to Manila to get in touch Director, and former Chief of the Veterans with the Manila spy
Antonio Julian Montalvan on his graduation from UST Medical School in 1934. (courtesy of Antonio J. Montalvan II)
Memorial and Historical Division, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) acknowledges much remains to be done in giving Filipino patriots and heroes of World War II the respect and recognition they deserve. “The Second World War produced thousands of heroes but very few of them were known,” Aguilar notes. “Unlike in the Philippine Revolution and Fil-Am War where the concentration of large-scale fighting was in the 8 provinces around Manila, with some in various provinces, resistance to Japanese invasion and occupation was from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi.” “After the war, there were over 400,000 guerrillas who were recognized. Add to these the over 100,000 who died fighting for our country. This was
a big percentage to our population which was 18 million at the outbreak of war.” “Every veteran who fought for our country’s freedom are heroes that we must treasure. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifices for fighting for the freedom we enjoy today. Their
investment was their blood, sweat and tears.” “It is time for us to rediscover the unsung and unknown heroes in our family and we will be surprised to know that we have the blood of heroes in our veins. It is our duty in this generation to honor our heroes.”
The small casket bearing the remains of Capt. Antonio Julian Montalvan in 1946 (courtesy of Antonio J. Montalvan II)
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Feature
Oro Creative & Cucina Higala
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April 12-18, 2021
5
Heritage Groups partner for Kabilin
By T2 MIKE
Two of Cagayan de Oro’s heritage advocacy groups have joined hands to present a complementary presentation of their respective genres in one show. Dubbed Kabilin (for Legacy), the art exhibit is the brainchild of Oro Creative and Cucina Higala and will open at 5PM on Friday, April 16 and will run up to Sunday, May 16 at the Mezzanine Floor of Cucina Higala. “Oro Creative is a group of creative individuals a with strong sense of artistic and design sensibilities,” said
exhibit curator Chris Gomez. “We aim is to establish the culture, art, design and heritage of our city and region by providing a platform and avenue to showcase, mentor, empower and inspire aspiring artists by promoting good and best practices in Northern Mindanao.” Besides Gomez, the group also includes visual artists Patrick Gabutina, Cocoy Bajuyo and Mike Bacol. “Oro Creative will curate the exhibit in partnership with Cucina Higala since Jan Uy
Cucina Higala will host Kabilin on April 16-May 16, 2021.
offered the place for artists,” Gomez said. “Since Cucina Higala offers heritage dishes, it would be a good experience for their customers who will get to experience the art and culture of Northern Mindanao in one sitting at one venue.” “As you may have
The Kabilin Exhibit will be held at Cucina Higala’s Mezzanine Floor.
Oro Creative is composed of (left to right) Chris Gomez, Cocoy Bajuyo, Patrick Gabutina and Mike Bacol.
noted from our tagline, Cucina Higala is an advocate of Mindanao Heritage Dishes, said Jan Michael Uy, Cucina Higala president. “We also support local Mindanao artists because we believe food and art plays a crucial role in bringing Mindanao to the global scene.”
Kabilin will feature selected upcoming artists like Mier Castrillo, Tin Fajardo, Dirkie RoaDabay, Nonilo Ramoso, and established ones including Nonoy Estarte, Ivan Macarambon, Ryan Carreon, Nicolas Aca, Oca Floirendo, Gomez, Gabutina, Bacol and Bajuyo.
“These series of curated exhibitions will be held throughout this quarter,” Gomez noted. “After Kabilin, I’ll be curating Nonoy Estate’s one-man exhibit. Again, we want to showcase Cagayan's pride and culture of diverse artistic mileage. This will be followed by an allwomen’s show in June.”
Oca appoints New HISCOM By TITO MIKE
Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar S. Moreno inducted into office the new members of the City Historical and Cultural Commission on Tuesday, April 13 following the expiration of the term of all members who were appointed on February 10, 2016. Nicolas P. Aca, Jr, the city’s preeminent performance artist and also a member of the previous set of Hiscom members has been appointed chairperson with the following as members: Patrick U. Gabutina, Kristian Ian S. Sulmayor, Clara Marie Asuncion Gonzales-Elizaga and Froilan O. Gallardo. The appointments were made by virtue of City Ordinance No. 3554-93, as amended by City Ordinance No. 4560-94, creating the “Cagayan de Oro Historical
and Cultural Commission,” which shall serve, among others, as an advisory body to the City Mayor and the City Council concerning local history and culture. Executive Order No. 038-Series of 2021 further stressed the urgent need to reconstitute the membership of the Commission which shall spearhead efforts of the city government to preserve local history and promote Kagay-anon culture. Two of the previous set of commissioners, Dr. Linda M. Burton and Dr. Glory M. Madale, passed away before the end of their appointed terms, while two others, Fr Dan Coronel and Mike Baños, resigned due to other pressing matters, leaving only Nicolas Aca as the sole remaining member.
Mayor Oscar S. Moreno inducts into office the new members of the City Historical and Cultural Commission (left to right): Nicolas Aca, Clara Elizaga, Kristian Sulmayor, Patrick Gabutina, and Froilan Gallardo. (photo supplied)
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CAGAYANTIMES Lifestyle Weekly DE ORO
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Honoring our Heroes
T
By Brig. Gen. Restituto Aguilar (ret.) Executive Director National Historical Commission of the Philippines
HE Second World War produced thousands of heroes but very few of them were known. Unlike in the Philippine Revolution and FilAm War where the concentration of large-scale fighting was in the 8 provinces around Manila, with some in various provinces, resistance to Japanese invasion and occupation was from Batanes to TawiTawi. After the war, there were over 400,000 guerrillas who were recognized. Add to these the over 100,000
Wins...
who died fighting for our country. This was a big percentage to our population which was 18 million at the outbreak of war. Every veteran who fought for our county’s freedom are heroes that we must treasure. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifices for fighting for the freedom we enjoy today. Their investment was their blood, sweat and tears. We meet them in their advance age and even ignore their presence despite their great contribution they remained anonymous to all of
Festival. Now on its 13 th year, from page 1 the Ani ng Dangal recognizes Filipinos electric bass as a and Filipino works professional session in the arts field who player in various local brought glory to the bands, and as the country in the past Principal Double Bass year. The awards are Player of the Cagayan given for architecture de Oro Symphony and the allied arts, Orchestra under the broadcast arts, cinema, baton of conductor dance, dramatic arts, Horst Hans Backer. literary arts, music and He describes his music as anachronistic, visual arts. The Ani ng Dangal eccentric, eclectic, is given to those who and outright melodic. garnered the top In 2004, his band’s awards in legitimate song was a radio hit festivals. The NCCA and was #1 for eight only recognizes weeks on the local competitions which airwaves. He has also have existed for not worked as an OFW less than five years in Guam as The Life Teen Music Director of and which have Santa Barbara Catholic adjudicators. “I’m truly honored Church. to be a recipient of the Ani ng Dangal 13th Ani ng Dangal (Harvest of Honors) Award in Music. is an organizational This is IT. This is a award given by the massive achievement. NCCA during an annual event celebrated A milestone for me!,” Tiro wrote in a social as a highlight and media post. concluding rite of “Thank you, friends, the Philippine Arts
us. They might our parents, uncles and aunts, grandparents and relatives who remain humble about their war exploits, their contribution to our country’s freedom. It is time for us to rediscover the unsung and unknown heroes in our family and we will be surprised to know that we have the blood of heroes in our veins. It is our duty in this generation to honor our heroes. Restituto L. Aguilar currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP). Prior to this, he was the Chief of the Veterans Memorial and Historical Division, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office for six (6) years. Director Aguilar is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1978 (Makatarungan) and has retired with the rank of Brigadier General in the Armed Forces of the Philippines after 33 years of military
service. Aside from his command and staff postings during his military service, he has been sought as consultant in the research of the history of the various military camps and museums in the country. He also contributed to the establishment of the Armed Forces of
the Philippine Museum in Camp Aguinaldo. Director Aguilar also published various articles about the history of different AFP units in various academic publications and was the Editor-InChief of The Cavalier, the official publication of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association,
Inc. (PMAAAI) from 2002-2012. He also authored the Philippine Military Academy Register, a product of over seventeen (17) years of diligent research about the individual military histories of over 17,000 men and women who have entered the Philippine Military Academy.
family, especially Ena Marie Tiro, for the never-ending support, love, and being my all-time number one fan. Nenette Tiro Antonio for being the talented extraordinary beta-tester of some of my works, Susanne
Kessel for playing and believing in the power of my music and being the official musical ambassador of my little tribute to Ludwig, and Meister Horst-Hans Bäcker for guiding me and awakening my powers as a composer
and musician, and to the Liceo de Cagayan University Conservatory of
Music, Theater and Dance family for all the love and the support!”
Niño Cesar Borromeo Tiro
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CAGAYANTIMES Lifestyle Weekly DE ORO
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This week in World War II History:
7
The Last Days of Lt. John P. Burns
21st Pursuit Squadron, Dalirig Airstrip, Bukidnon
By KERWIN SALVADOR P. CARAGOS (the pacificwars.com)
Lt. Burns was a fighter pilot with the 21st pursuit squadron based in Del Monte, Bukidnon. The events of his life in Mindanao were recorded by Lt. Burns in a leather bound diary. How the diary ended up in the hands of the Burns family turned out to be a story in itself. JOHN Patterson Burns was born on September 22, 1917, in Mansfield, Ohio, and graduated from Uniontown High School in 1936. In June 1940, he graduated from Ohio University with a degree in electrical engineering and a commission in the Infantry of the Army Reserve. Burns received his wings from Kelly Field on February 7, 1941, in the class of 41A, fulfilling a childhood ambition. He was subsequently assigned to the 21st Pursuit Squadron of the 35th Pursuit Group at Hamilton Field, California, where he served until his squadron and the sister 34th Pursuit Squadron were ordered in October 1941 to “PLUM”, the code name for the Philippines. On November 1, 1941 the 21st Pursuit Squadron left San Francisco by ship for the Philippines, arriving in Manila Harbor November 20, twenty two years after his first visit there. His diary left us with a first person account as to what happened to the remnants of the battered Far East Air Force (FEAF) in Mindanao in 1942. The FEAF was the military aviation organization of the United States Army in the Philippines just prior to and at the beginning of World War II. Following are some of the entries in Burns’ diary relating to his adventures in the Philippines: November 1, 1941 “Left San Francisco at noon on the S.S. President Coolidge. An
awful day to be starting to go someplace and not know where. Under the Golden Gate bridge at last; by boat, damn.” November 21, 1941 “Reported to Nichols Field this morning and N.F. is PLUM for the present. We are to be someplace in the P.I.’s. We are not happy about it.” Nichols Field was just south of Manila, where the 17th Pursuit was then based. Because the movement of American pilots from the US to the Philippines was “top secret” evidently the 21st and 34th Pursuit pilots still thought that PLUM was a base in the Philippines to which they were being assigned. November 29, 1941 “Today we went on a 24 hr. alert. Available at all times. Moving within three days. All planes fully loaded and charged at all times. Looks like they mean business. Called to field at 9:00 p. Practice.” FEAF Commander Maj. Gen. Lewis Brereton had issued an order putting the FEAF on a “readiness” alert. The pursuit pilots including the 21st and the 17th at Nichols Field were put on one hour’s notice to take off in their combat-ready P-40Es and intercept in the event of a Japanese attack. December 8, 1941 “Two alerts before daylight. War started. Had patrol about noon. Moved to C.F. just before dark. C.F. bombed to hell and while we were patrolling over N.F. No air defense at C.F. Complete surprise.”
I wonder at times how we keep going here-The 194142 Phils Diary of Lt. John P. Burns, 21st Pursuit Squadron (AirPower History, Winter 2006)
Lt. John P. Burns and the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk he died in when he crashed upon take-off. (pinterest.ph)
C.F. = Clark Field April 7, 1942 “Up early, left for Cebu before daylight. Spent day there in Civilization [sic], it doesn’t seem possible, good food, no bombers. I felt like a kid with a new toy. Left for Del Monte, arriving at dusk.” April 8, 1942 “Today starts the 5th month of this mess and a new era for me. It is wonderful here. Hardly know a war is going on. Food much better as a whole than Bataan.” The Japanese had not yet invaded Mindanao; it had been barely a month since General Douglas MacArthur took a ride on a B-17 bomber to Australia from Del Monte. April 11, 1942 “Day quiet. At supper time 10 B-25s and 3 B-17Es came in. Going to do a bit of bombing then back and chance to move on south. I hope I get it. Was a wonderful sight to see them come in.” At about 5:00 that afternoon, the personnel at the Del Monte Field were startled when three B-17s and 10 twin engine bombers (B-25’s) a type they had never seen before approached the field and came in to land. Headed by Maj. Gen. Ralph Royce, they were on a special mission from Australia to raid targets on Cebu (Central Philippines), Mindanao, and Luzon (for the B-17s). The pursuit pilots were to provide support for their operations. [On April 12, 1942] Japanese floatplanes– Mitsubishi “Petes”-operating in pairs appeared over Del Monte field in the early morning and made unsuccessful bombing attempts on the three B-17s on the ground. In the afternoon they reappeared and again dropped their small bombs on the B-17s, hitting one and damaging two. The Petes were Mitsubishi F1M2 launched from the Imperial Japanese Navy sea plane tender Sanuki Maru that covered the landings of the Kawaguchi Detachment’s 35th Infantry Brigade HQ and the
124th Infantry Regiment in Cebu. Sanuki Maru was with the light cruiser Kuma, destroyers Samidare, Murasame and Kiji, the gunboat Busho Maru and two sub-chasers. The Petes’ mission was to destroy the American air fields in Del Monte before their bombers could attack the Japanese shipping and their invasion of Cebu. At the satellite fighter strip at Dalirig, eight miles south of Del Monte field, Gus Williams and John Brownewell (17th Pursuit) took off on the morning of April 13th for a strafing mission of Davao. Then they spotted two Petes over the area and in a dogfight Brownewell shot one down, but Williams’ “P-40 Something” went into wild gyrations in climbing, then its engine quit. Williams managed to get his malfunctioning ship down safely, however. About 12:35, a report came in from an observer post that the bothersome Japanese float planes were again approaching the area and that the one P-40 on the field at the time (a P-40E, perhaps Brownewell’s on his return from the Davao mission?) should be used to intercept. As the alert officer had gone for lunch five minutes earlier, Burns was left to take the mission. In his take-off roll, he failed to hold the ship in the center of the 200-foot wide runway and veered off into large rocks that lined both sides of the strip. The P-40E plunged over the side of the canyon that bordered the field and caught fire. No one could reach him in time and there was no firefighting equipment at the field. Burns burned to death in the cockpit. Unmolested, The Japanese Petes were able to deliver their bombs and destroyed a B-17E and damaged two others. That evening the chaplain and friends buried Burns in a little grave in a grove of trees. One of the pilots who saw Lt. Burns’ crash wrote this last
entry in John’s diary: April 13, 1942 “Killed in takeoff in attempt to intercept Jap bombers. John died quickly and bravely, the way if they have to, all pilots want to die.” Sadly, he was reportedly on the list of pilots the Royce mission was to evacuate on its return flight to Australia. In 1949, John’s body was returned home after being disinterred from its Del Monte grave. He is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Uniontown, Ohio. Lt. John Burns diary’s journey home. According to Rev. Burns, Lt. John Burns’ younger brother, the diary was received in a package in 1945 from an American soldier who had been engaged in the seizure of Buna, New Guinea, from the Japanese in early January 1943. The soldier indicated that he had taken the diary off the body of a Japanese soldier killed in the battle. Following his return to the U.S. at the end of the War, the American soldier–whose name is no longer remembered–was able to locate the Burns family to return the diary. The Japanese soldier must have been a member of the Kawamura Regiment, which on May 9, 1942, captured the American air base at Del Monte and its satellite fields, ending the Philippines
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campaign. The regiment was subsequently assigned to the New Guinea campaign, arriving in July 1942. It fought its last battle in defense of Buna in early January 1943, at which time the Japanese soldier was evidently killed. One wonders how the Japanese soldier came into possession of Burns’ diary and why he was carrying it on his body at the time he was killed. It is likely the chaplain who buried him–probably Joseph V. LaFleur, the chaplain of the 19th Bomb Group who was at Del Monte at the time–found the diary in Burns’ living quarters and kept it for return to the family as part of his duties. His intention would have been thwarted when he was taken prisoner with the rest of the surrendering American force at Del Monte and turned over the “souvenir” when ordered by the Japanese. The diary provides an invaluable day-by-day account of the activities of Burns from the time of his departure from the U.S. on November 1, 1940 through April 11, 1942, two days before his death. It is the only contemporary source that exists of the initial operations of the 21st Pursuit Squadron and its subsequent experiences on beach defense and at Bataan Field in January, February, and March 1942.
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CAGAYANTIMES Feature DE ORO
April 12-18, 2021
Page 8
Partnership and Resilience: IDC & BPI I
TALPINAS Development Corp. (IDC), a publicly listed sustainable developer, was recently awarded as BPI’s Top Developer in Provincial Category landing as Top 1 developer in Cagayan de Oro and Top 4 developer nationwide on its recent BPI FAMILY SAVING BANK Partners Night 2021 in recognition of partnerships with BPI for the year 2020.
“Our passion in bringing design-driven sustainable architecture to emerging cities has always been the driving force of IDC. Combined with an excellent bank partner and thriving sales performance, we were able to push through and grow more amidst the challenges of last year” said Ms. Clara Marie Asuncion G. Elizaga, IDC Director for Corporate Affairs and Operations. The coronavirus pandemic has been, to say the least, grim for businesses. Widespread economic challenges resulted in around 17 percent unemployment rate throughout the country. But during this upheaval, Cagayan de Oro IDC Sales Office has been thriving because of dramatic shifts in consumer behavior, based on the merits of green building for health, lifestyle and investment. "First of all, we would like to thank our valued bank
partner BPI Family Bank for the support. BPI Family Bank and IDC has maintained a good relationship which evolved even stronger through the years. This synergy benefitted their customers in terms of quality, friendly and responsive products and service " said Mr. Harold Dacumos, IDC SVP for Banking and Business Development Operations. “We always had good relations and dynamic communications with BPI, which serves as key to our good performance” shared Ms. Shushiela Villorente, IDC's Loan Processor. IDC said its property sales have been “encouraging” in the first semester of 2020, giving the company confidence that it can at least match last year’s growth. The start of 2020 was challenging as a whole but IDC sees growth at hand as it focuses on optimizing its existing portfolio of investment properties namely
In photo: Arch. Romolo V. Nati, IDC Chairman & CEO
its Primavera City project in Uptown Cagayan de Oro. “With IDC being the Top developer in the region there is no doubt that IDC will bring an excellent momentum of growth of the entire Region 10. ” Mark Vicent Sumido BPI Market Head for CDO Housing Loans. “With its sustained momentum, we are glad to assist IDC on it way to becoming an Icon for Cagayan de Oro” shared, Lemonelle Gargar - Account Officer- BPI CDO Housing Loans The characteristic design of the Primavera City, which distinguishes all IDC’s developments, is the integration of architectural features for saving and generating energy. Passive design features for saving, and active design features for generating power. This integration begins during the conceptualization process and is integrated into the design, construction, and building maintenance phases. The processes are created using performance-
based design strategies that make use of parametric and generative architectural software which analyze the existing data of natural weather conditions of the site location, optimizing the use of natural elements to shape the design of the building— the same “thinking model” used by nature. The south facades are designed in a way to use the building components, floors, slabs, projections, and balconies as shading devices for windows or terraces dimensioned appropriately to minimize the overheating and glare effect with a reduction of up to 80% than conventional residences. The internal vertical atrium, found in the towers, is an efficient natural ventilation system that integrates the vertical and horizontal distribution of air throughout the buildings, contributing to the passive cooling of units by using a natural chimney effect. The buildings will also harness solar energy from
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photovoltaic panels to be installed on the roof of the towers. These renewable energy sources will effectively manage the buildings’ power supply, thus reducing electricity consumption. Primavera City is a winner of the Best MixedUse Development category at the prestigious International Property Awards Asia Pacific 2017-2018. The Asia Pacific Property Awards is a highly recognized international awards program adjudicated by independent panels composed of 70 industry experts whose criteria include design, quality, service, innovation, originality and commitment to sustainability. In addition, last September 2020, Primavera City’s first phase, called ‘Citta’ Verde’, also achieved Preliminary Certification from EDGE (“Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies,”) which is the green building certification body of the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank.