BALANGIGA,
Eastern Samar, Sept. 1 (PNA) -- A province-wide mural painting competition
depicting the heroism of locals here is one of the many lined-up activities in
commemoration of the 115th Balangiga Encounter Day 2016 on Sept. 28.
Balangiga, a
sleepy town in the province of Eastern Samar with 12,000 population, is the
site of the biggest single defeat of the Americans during the Filipino-American
War.
There were
54 soldiers killed and 18 wounded in the bloody Balangiga Encounter on Sept.
28, 1901, popularly known as Balangiga massacre. The bolo-wielding Filipino
resistant fighters were hiding at the church before they attack the Americans.
In
retaliation, an enraged Gen. Jacob Smith sent 180 soldiers to the town and
commanded to kill all male 11-years old and above, capable of carrying firearms.
His order made the town the howling wilderness, as soldiers killed those in
site and burned the communities.
Not
contended with the deaths of thousands of Filipinos, the Americans took the
Balangiga bells and a 400-year-old British Falcon cannon in the plaza as war
booty. The bells were used by the Filipino fighters to signal the attack on the
American detachment in Balangiga early morning of September 28.
The return of
the bells remain an outstanding contention related to war.
A life-size
diorama depicting the attack of the Filipinos against the soldiers is in the
town public plaza designed by National Artist Napoleon Abueva.
Cash prize
for the mural painting contest is PHP20,000, PHP15,000 and PHP10,000 for the
first, second and third placers and a consolation prize of PHP3,000. Other
activities lined-up for the three-day event are fun run, zumba, agricultural
fair, inter-school secondary folk dance competition, choir contest. Cash prizes
also await the winners. (PNA)
FPV/SQM/VICKY C. ARNAIZ/EGR
FPV/SQM/VICKY C. ARNAIZ/EGR
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