Simple rites mark Talisay Landing 71st anniversary

NO REENACTMENT. For the first time in decades, there was no reenactment of the Talisay Landing to mark the 71st year that American liberation forces landed on the beach of Talisay, much to the disappointment of the crowd who flocked to Larawan beach in Talisay City. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Because it fell on a Black Saturday and due to budgetary constraints, the city government of Talisay decided on  simple rites to commemorate the 71st anniversary of the landing of US forces on the beach of the city, located some 12 kilometers south of Cebu City.

The Talisay Landing anniversary, which used to be celebrated with a reenactment of the landing of the American troops, was yesterday celebrated with a simple wreath-laying ceremony at past 6 a.m. led by Mayor Johnny de los Reyes at the Liberation Park located in Barangay Poblacion.

A  Holy Mass was not celebrated, as initially planned, since the event fell on a Black Saturday.

The city leaders were joined by officials from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command (Centcom) and  personnel from the Naval Forces Central (Navforcen) that included Lt. James Reyes, Navforcen civil military operations officer.

Councilor Valerio Ylanan, who heads the city council’s committee on tourism, said the commemoration had to be simple since no funds were allotted for the activity because the city council has yet to approve the city’s 2016 budget.

He said he was glad that the commemoration pushed through but was sad  that the people who flocked to the shore of Talisay expecting a reenactment went home disappointed.

For years, a reenactment has marked the historic day. In previous years, the reenactment would even include a flower drop by a military plane.

“What is important is we do remember how we broke free and claimed our freedom from the Japanese rulers with the help of our American counterparts,” Ylagan said.

De los Reyes explained that the absence of the reenactment was mainly due to its date  falling within the Holy Week. But he said the needs of the victims of a recent fire in their city should also come first in deciding where to allocate the city’s funds.

For Ylanan, however, the Talisay Landing “should also remind our government officials of (the need for) unity, not just of freedom, that this historical event depicts.”

He explained that due to the lack of unity among the Talisay City councilors, the 2016 budget has not been approved.

It was on March 26,1945  when American forces landed on the beach of Talisay City to free Cebu from  Japanese occupation during the World War II.

Japanese soldiers who were in control of some portions of Cebu city and province were later killed by advancing American troops and Cebu guerrillas.