Travel destinations: The Philippines – Part 10

The Philippine Islands are among the most beautiful in the world. When I was there last, it wasn’t so beautiful. It was devastated by war. I was a crewman on a Navy troop ship, and we put 2,800 Army guys ashore on Leyte in October 1944, the beginning of the retaking of the Philippines from Japanese occupation.

For the next year and for several months after WWII ended, I travelled throughout the islands, including Leyte, Samar, Mindoro, Mindinao and Luzon. I loved the friendly people, who never wavered in their loyalty to the US and suffered horribly for it at the hands of the brutal Japanese occupiers.

Those who remember the history of WWII, may not know about that when Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, there were equally sneaky and damaging attacks on the Philippines. And, then as the unprepared US and Filipino forces were pushed back by overwhelming Japanese invaders, all the news was bad. Bataan fell. Corregidor fell. And the infamous Bataan Death March happened. I was proud and lucky enough to be with the forces in 1944 and 1945 that lived up to General MacArthur’s promise, “I shall return”.

Since then, our once bloody enemy, Japan, has been washed clean of all guilt for its atrocities against American and Filipino soldiers and civilians. Today, Japanese schools don’t even cover that black truth about their history. But my puzzlement and anger isn’t only against the Japanese now, although it certainly should be. Part of it is against those who have ruled and did business in the Philippines since its freedom as a nation was won in 1946.

I can’t understand why Japan was rebuilt and refinanced by the US after WWII, while the Philippines was virtually ignored. As a result, Japan today is one of the most prosperous nations in the world, and one of the favorite tourist destination for Americans, including children and grandchildren of US soldiers who died of neglect and abuse on the Bataan Death March and in POW camps throughout the war.

Also, for two generations, China has been our implacable enemy, and is still an anti-democratic Communist state. Over the last half of the 20th Century, China has helped with finances, weapons and troops to kill 100,000 GIs in the Korean and Vietnam wars. Ironically, China is becoming as much of a major tourist attraction for Americans as Japan.

Why was the Philippines left in the backwater as a poor nation that is barely above the third-world status? Much of the blame is that the nation was for too long ruled by crooked politicians, such as Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, as well as ignored by small-thinking business people in both the US and the Philippines. But if Japan and China can put their terrible pasts behind them, why not give the same opportunities to a people who have always been America’s friend and ally?

Of course, I recommend Americans to visit the Philippines. But I also wish that both US and Filipino politicians and financiers can finally realize that this wonderful, sunny land with its wonderful, sunny people not only deserve modernization and support, but can make it hugely profitable to all concerned.