Luzon February 1945 (1)

Originally posted on Pacific Paratrooper:
Entering Manila The 6th and 8th Armies on Luzon were repeatedly in close and brutal combat with the Japanese.  By dawn on 4 February the paratroopers ran into increasingly heavy and harassing fire from Japanese riflemen and machine gunners. At the Paranaque River, just south of the Manila city limits, the…

A tribute to my parents on their 79th wedding anniversary if they are here today

With the war going on in Ukraine, I thought of the war in the Philippines when I was a baby. War is a terrible thing, and in memory of my parent’s 79th wedding anniversary, I’m reposting this story of how Dad’s decision saved our lives from the massacre. Otherwise, my three brothers and I won’t … More A tribute to my parents on their 79th wedding anniversary if they are here today

So, what now?

IF I WERE THE NEXT PRESIDENT (Part 15 and last of a series) By BEN R. PUNONGBAYAN Founder, Buklod National Political Party We need the right leader to make the many programs articulated in this Commentary Series happen. Unfortunately, we cannot find that person from the present cohort of political leaders. These present leaders are … More So, what now?

December 1944 (2) Leyte

Originally posted on Pacific Paratrooper:
16 December – Douglas MacArthur was promoted to Five-Star General. ?It seemed that General MacArthur’s promotion to General of the Army would require assistance from many sides.? It posed a problem in the respect that there was no such object as a five-star insignia in existence in the Pacific.? A…

Combating Corruption

IF I WERE THE NEXT PRESIDENT (Part 12 of a series) By BEN R. PUNONGBAYAN Founder, Buklod National Political Party Corruption, sadly, has become endemic in the Philippines. It is a big obstacle to economic growth and the reduction of economic inequality. The huge amount of money that leaks out is not spent for the … More Combating Corruption