Our veterans will once again be honored as the nation celebrates the 2018 Philippine Veterans Week (PVW) and 76th Araw ng Kagitingan (ANK), with the theme for this year – “Kagitingan at Pagmamahal sa Pilipinas Para sa Tunay na Pagbabago.” This national observance aims to revive KAGITINGAN or the culture of heroism and love for country, strengthen our citizens’ collective sense of national pride and patriotism, and prepare the Filipino youth as they become our future defenders and leaders who emulate the valor our veterans demonstrated. This valor will be our guide to achieve lasting peace and progress.
The Filipinos, in order to rise across history and tomorrow, should always honor and remember how our veterans defended the nation from the destruction of war, and make it a basic tenet to love the country by defending it from harm, ensuring its continuous growth, and cultivating strength and compassion.
In accordance to Proclamation No. 466, s. 1989, we celebrate the Philippine Veterans Week from April 5 to 11 of every year to promote, preserve, and memorialize the principles, ideas, and deeds of our war veterans as a means to enhance patriotism and love for country, especially among the youth of the land. Meanwhile, April 9 of every year is designated by Executive Order No. 203, s. 1987 as Araw ng Kagitingan, honoring the Filipino men and women who served and defended the Philippines during war and peacetime.
The weeklong observance is an occasion to honor not only the Filipino War Veterans who died for and served the country but also provides an opportunity to remember those who render honorable military service and gratefully acknowledge their contributions in preserving our sovereignty and defending our national security.
With these ends in mind, the Technical Working Committee for the National Observance of the 2018 Philippine Veterans Week and 76th Araw ng Kagitingan invites the whole nation to honor our veterans through the following activities and commemorative events:
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PRE-PHILIPPINE VETERANS WEEK ACTIVITIES |
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| Gala Premier and Book Launch of HONOR: The Legacy of Jose Abad Santos |
24 February 2018 (Saturday) / 4:00PM AFP Museum and Theater Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City |
| Symposium on the Images of Valor- Battle of Heroism and Battle of Legacy: A Second Look on BGen Vicente Lim and BGen Fidel Segundo |
23 March 2018 (Friday) / 1:00PM Tejeros Hall AFCOC, Camp Aguinaldo Quezon City |
| Military Bands Sunset Drill Exhibition | 23 March 2018 (Friday) / 3:30PM GHQ Grandstand and Parade Grounds Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City |
| Mariveles-San Fernando-Capas Freedom Trail 2018 | 24-25 March 2018 (Saturday – Sunday) Kilometer Zero, Mariveles Bataan to Capas National Shrine, Capas, Tarlac* Registration at <https://regonline.activeglobal.com/freedomtrail2018> * For more details: Freedom Trail |
| PHILIPPINE VETERANS WEEK PROPER April 5 – 11, 2018 |
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| Sunrise Ceremony | 5 April 2018 (Thursday) / 6:00AM Libingan ng mga Bayani, Fort Bonifactio, Taguig City |
| Wreath-Laying Ceremony | 5 April 2018 (Thursday) / 7:00AM Libingan ng mga Bayani, Fort Bonifactio, Taguig City |
| Review in Honor of the Veterans | 5 April 2018 (Thursday) / 9:00AM Hunters ROTC Guerilla Field, Philippine Army Headquarters, Fort Bonifactio, Taguig City |
| Tribute to All Filipino Heroes | 7 April 2018 (Saturday) / 9:00AM Filipino Heroes Memorial, Corregidor Island, Cavite |
| Araw ng Kagitingan | 9 April 2018 (Monday) / 9:00AM Mt. Samat National Shrine, Pilar, Bataan |
| Paggunita sa Capas | 10 April 2018 (Tuesday) / 9:00AM Capas National Shrine, Capas, Tarlac |
| Sunset Ceremony | 11 April 2018 (Wednesday) / 5:00PM Libingan ng mga Bayani, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City |
These weeklong events are open to the public and will also be replicated in major cities and regions nationwide through the efforts of respective local government units and private organizations. Aside from these events, you may also feature selected World War II veterans as interviewees for your news stories.
The Technical Working Committee is also encouraging the youth to participate, witness, and emulate the values of our veterans. For more details about these events, below are our contact details:
Telephone: 912 4526 – Office of the Administrator
912 4728 – Public Affairs Office
911 4296 – Veterans Memorial and Historical Division
Email Address: support@pvao.mil.ph and pvao.publicaffairs@gmail.com
Website: www.pvao.mil.ph
#Kagitingan2018 / PVAO-PR
