DINALUPIHAN, Bataan – Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Francis Tolentino on Monday led the turnover to this town of a bust of the late former Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison.
Secretary Tolentino described Harrison as the “Father of Modern Dinalupihan”, who through Executive Order No. 1 dated January 2, 1918, created this town as an independent government unit and the 12th municipality of Bataan.
“Recent history will show that there was no Dinalupihan before, no Hermosa before,” he said.
Prior to the issuance of the executive order by Harrison, Dinalupihan and Hermosa were one community called Bagong Bayan.
Tolentino said the former governor-general loved the Philippines so much that he left a last will and testament while on a hospital bed in the USA.
“Ang Ama ng Makabagong Dinalupihan ay may ganitong huling habilin – Pag ako ay mamamatay, kuhanin ang aking bangkay at ilipat at ilibing sa pinakamamahal kong Pilipinas (The father of modern Dinalupihan had this in his last will — When I die, take my remains, transfer and bury them in my beloved, the Philippines),” he said.
Harrison, who was governor-general of the Philippines from 1913 to 1921, died in 1957. His remains were interred at the North Cemetery in Manila.
“Minarapat niyang mamatay bilang isang Filipino (He wanted to die as a Filipino)” Tolentino said.
Mayor Gila Garcia said it is important for the people to know the history of a place.
“Mahalaga na malaman ang nakaraan upang maging maganda ang ating bayan ngayon at kinabukasan. Ang nakaraan ang inspirasyon upang maging mabuting mamamayan (It’s important to know the past to make our country better today and tomorrow. The past is the inspiration to be a good citizen),” she said.
“Utang natin kay FB Harrison na naglingkod nang husto sa Pilipinas, isang banyaga na minahal na maging isang Filipino. Magiging inspirasyon natin siya sa ating pagmamahal sa ating bansa (We owe FB Harrison who served the Philippines well, a foreigner who loved being a Filipino. He will be our inspiration in loving our country),” the mayor said.
Meanwhile, Tolentino, in an interview with the local media, confirmed the existence of “Red October” – the so-called plan hatched by the Communist Party of the Philippines and other sectors to seize power from President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Meron grupo na talagang nagbabanta. Kung gaano kalakas, ka-organisado, Armed Forces of the Philippines ang nakakaalam. Meron talaga (There is a group that really threatens. How strong, organized, only the Armed Forces of the Philippines knows. There is such plan indeed),” he said.
He, however, said that the Philippine National Police and the AFP are ready to thwart any move to destabilize the government. (Ernie Esconde/PNA)
