Two Filipino war veterans got a chance to recall their exploits during the Korean War as they met during the celebration of the National Day and Armed Forces Day of the Republic of Korea on October 1 at the Grand Hyatt Manila, Taguig City.
Retired Army 2nd Lt. Rodrigo Erneo and Sgt. Florendo Benedicto, both 93 years old, were members of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK), which, though outnumbered, defeated nearly 40,000 Chinese forces and North Korean troops in the Battle of Yultong on April 22, 1951.
The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), headed by Undersecretary Reynaldo Mapagu, said of the 7,420 PEFTOK troops sent to Korea during the war from 1950 to 1953, only 42 are still alive as of Oct. 2, 2025.
In an interview with this writer, Benedicto vividly recalled how the PEFTOK’s 10th Battalion Combat Team (BCT), composed of 900 Filipino soldiers, stood their ground when the Chinese forces advanced towards the Filipino stronghold.
‘We were unfazed of the Chinese attacks as we fired our guns without letup, killing many of the enemies,’ Benedicto said.
‘The 10th BCT was composed of 900 officers and men as against 40,000 Chinese soldiers who assaulted us, but we fought them bullet for bullet,’ he added.
Benedicto said they scattered their forces ‘to protect a bridge and Hill 642 nearby.’ ‘As a machine gunner, I continued firing at the Chinese coming to our position,’ he said.
Benedicto cited the bravery of Capt. Conrado Yap, who took his position aboard a tank as Yap fired its 50-caliber machine gun at the advancing Chinese.
‘The Yultong gun battle took place on April 22, 1951,’ Benedicto said.
For his part, Erneo said he will never forget his war exploits during the deadly Korean War ‘in defense of freedom and democracy.’
It was during the Korean War that the Filipinos displayed again their bravery in combat, Erneo added.
South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-Hwa hosted the event and thanked the guests, including Benedicto and Erneo.