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Long before refrigerators and freezers existed, people had to find ways to keep food from spoiling. Across the world, communities discovered a common solution: pickling.

A tradition borne of necessity

The process-soaking fruits or vegetables in an acidic brine made of vinegar or allowing them to ferment naturally-became a universal method of preservation. These days, there are still a fair number of people in the Philippines who do not have refrigeration, which is why, among the many things I teach in communities, I have been focused on food preservation and the extension of the shelf life of food.

Perhaps the most famous pickle in the Philippines is atchara-made from green papaya, followed by burong mangga from half-ripe mangoes-and burong mustasa from mustard leaves, which have both become pantry staples. In Japan, there’s tsukemono, in Korea, kimchi, and in India, spicy achar. Each culture created its own twist using local ingredients, proving that pickling isn’t just a technique-it’s a reflection of place and tradition.

Originally born of necessity, pickling allowed communities to enjoy vegetables long after harvest season ended. In coastal towns, fish like tuyo and daing were also soaked in vinegar to prevent spoilage during long journeys. Over time, the practice evolved from mere preservation to a culinary art form, where flavor, color, and texture are just as important as longevity.

A little bit of science in every jar

Behind the familiar tang of pickled food lies a fascinating science, as pickling works in one of two ways: vinegar pickling or fermentation.

Vinegar pickling uses acid to create an environment too harsh for spoilage-causing microorganisms. Vegetables are submerged in a mixture of vinegar, salt, sugar, and spices. This method gives a quick, crisp result with a sharp, bright flavor. The recipe at the end of this article is one for pickled eggs. I chose these, as eggs are a staple in every household, often a part of ayuda packages. And pickling is a way to make them last longer.

Fermentation, on the other hand, relies on natural bacteria-mostly lactobacillus-to convert the sugars in food into lactic acid. This acid acts as a natural preservative, producing a more complex, sometimes sour taste. Fermented pickles develop layers of flavor over days or weeks, and the live bacteria that thrive in them offer a hidden bonus: They’re good for your gut. The health benefits of pickling

Modern nutrition science is rediscovering what ancient cultures knew instinctively-fermented foods are powerful allies for health. The probiotics found in naturally fermented pickles help maintain a balanced gut microbiome, which is essential for digestion, nutrient absorption, and even mental well-being.

Studies show that people who regularly eat fermented foods may have stronger immune systems and fewer digestive issues. The live cultures in these foods promote healthy bacteria in the intestines, which, in turn, can reduce inflammation and help the body process nutrients more efficiently. While many Filipinos have become obsessed with K-drama-induced kimchi, we have forgotten that we have our own pickles.

Even vinegar-based pickles have their perks. Vinegar has been linked to improved blood sugar control, making it helpful for people managing diabetes or insulin resistance. It also promotes satiety-helping you feel full longer-making pickles a surprisingly useful companion for those aiming to manage their weight.

Moreover, pickled foods retain most of the vitamins and minerals of the original produce. Because the ingredients aren’t exposed to high heat, nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants remain intact. Add in herbs like turmeric or ginger-both known for their anti-inflammatory properties-and you have a condiment that nourishes as much as it delights. A sustainable kitchen practice

Pickling also plays a quiet yet powerful role in reducing food waste. In a world where tons of fruits and vegetables go to waste every year, the simple act of preserving surplus produce can make a meaningful difference. It’s a practice that aligns with sustainability goals-minimizing waste, encouraging seasonal eating, and promoting mindful consumption.

Every jar of pickles on a pantry shelf is proof that traditional wisdom can support modern sustainability.

Pickling as a way to slow down

Beyond its practicality, pickling teaches patience. It’s a ritual that invites us to pause, chop vegetables carefully, mix brines, and wait for nature to do its quiet work. In a fast-paced world of instant gratification, the act of waiting for flavors to develop feels almost revolutionary.

Pickling, in its simplest form, is about preservation. But in a deeper sense, it’s about connection-to the earth that grows our food, to the ancestors who found ways to make it last, and to the communities that continue to share and celebrate it.

Pickled eggs

Ingredients

12 eggs, boiled and peeled

½ cup vinegar

1 cup water

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp salt

Herbs and aromatics (rosemary, garlic, and onions)

Procedure

Put the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a vessel. Mix well, making sure the solids are dissolved.

Add the eggs.

Add the aromatics and herbs.

Seal and keep for a minimum of 3 days before eating.

The National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) and the Bicol Press Club (BPC) on Monday condemned the shooting of media practitioner Noel Bellen Samar in Guinobatan, Albay.

Samar, 54, who is affiliated with Kadunong ITV and DWIZ, was shot along the Maharlika Highway in Barangay Morera around 9 a.m.

He was rushed to the Bicol Regional Hospital and Medical Center in this city, where he is undergoing treatment after sustaining four gunshot wounds from a .45-caliber pistol.

The motive has yet to be determined.

The NPC lauded the immediate response of the Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5) and the Albay Police Provincial Office for launching a hot pursuit operation and creating a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG ‘Samar’) to conduct a thorough probe.

NPC president Leonel Abasola called on PRO5 director Brig. Gen. Nestor Babagay Jr. and the Philippine National Police to exhaust all efforts to identify, track down, and arrest the assailant, and to determine if the attack was work-related.

‘The NPC stands in solidarity with our colleague Noel Samar, his family, and the entire media community in Bicol. We denounce this cowardly act of violence against a member of the press,’ Abasola said in a statement.

He stressed that violence and intimidation have no place in a democratic society and that journalists must be allowed to work freely and safely.

BPC president Ruel Saldico echoed the call, urging the government, law enforcement agencies, and media groups to unite to ensure justice.

‘Every attack on a journalist is an attack on press freedom itself,’ he said

Filipinos have always loved beauty pageants and in this time of great need, following the recent and devastating earthquakes that struck Cebu and Davao, the Philippines is getting some love back.

The Miss USA Organization has partnered with the Philippines Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), the country’s major private sector coordinator for disaster risk and reduction management, chaired by tycoons Manuel V. Pangilinan, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, to support its relief efforts, reaffirming the pageant community’s deep bond that transcends borders.

‘The Filipino pageant community has given so much love, talent, and spirit to the Miss USA and Miss Universe families over the years,’ said Thom Brodeur, chair and CEO of the Miss USA Organization. ‘When they hurt, we hurt. When they rise, we rise with them. It’s our honor and our duty to show up for them now, just as they have always shown up for us.’

Indeed, the global pageant family has always come together in times of crisis-and this moment is certainly no different.

In a letter to PDRF president Rene Meily, Brodeur said that the organization will pledge a portion of the proceeds of online streaming sales from the 2025 Miss USA and Miss Teen USA national pageants to PDRF.

The funds will go to help PDRF’s ongoing restoration programs in the affected regions.

‘In times of tragedy, it is often the collective compassion and generosity of others that lights the path to recovery. It is in that spirit that we are honored to support your tireless efforts in disaster response and community rebuilding,’ he said. -Tina Arceo-Dumlao

Veloso: ‘I have no agenda’

Jose Arnulfo ‘Wick’ Veloso is no stranger to boardroom battles, given his nearly four decades of experience in banking and finance, thus he is not entirely fazed by the latest attempts to remove him from the helm of state pension fund Government Service Insurance System.

Last Oct 14, current and former high-ranking GSIS officials called for his ‘immediate and irrevocable’ resignation as president and general manager of the fund, and accused him of ‘poor investment decisions’ that they said resulted in losses amounting to P8.8 billion.

Veloso dismissed these allegations as ‘baseless’, adding in his statement that GSIS’ performance ‘speaks for itself.

As of August 2025, GSIS’s total assets have climbed to ?1.92 trillion, net income has reached ?100.02 billion, and total income stands at ?231.06 billion. These results clearly demonstrate that, despite market headwinds, GSIS remains financially strong, resilient, and highly profitable, he said.

‘With nearly four decades of experience in banking and finance, my sole objective in joining government is to contribute my expertise toward strengthening our institutions. I have no hidden agenda, only a clear commitment to serve,’ Veloso said.

‘I appeal to everyone to spare GSIS from politics. As head of GSIS Management, I am committed to ensuring that our institution is treated with the respect it deserves, and I will not allow unwarranted fault-finding to derail our collective progress,’ he added.

Veloso stressed that he would continue to serve as long as the administration wants him there, thus it will ultimately be up to Pres. Marcos to decide his fate. -Tina Arceo-Dumlao INQ

‘Dreamboi,’ an entry to the CineSilip Film Festival, is in danger of not being shown to the public after receiving an X rating from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

The film’s rating was revealed by its writer-director Rodina Singh, who goes by the pronouns she/her, on X on Thursday, Oct. 16.

‘X-RATED SI DREAMBOI NEXT WEEK NA PREMIERE NAMIN PAANO YUN? Ang sakit (‘Dreamboi’ received the X rating. Its premiere will happen next week. How can we get through this? It hurts),’ she wrote. In a lengthy post on Friday, Oct. 17, the filmmaker appealed to the MTRCB to allow ‘Dreamboi’ to live ‘inside the cinema,’ adding that she’s grateful to the government agency for seeing it as a ‘mature [and] artistically driven’ film.

‘I only hope and pray that the MTRCB allows us to live, too, inside the cinema. I truly appreciate their kind words describing Dreamboi as a ‘mature, artistically driven exploration of sexuality, identity, and desire.’ It means a lot to be seen that way. I only ask that they reconsider their decision and allow us to share this story with an audience, even in a limited screening,’ she said.

Singh reiterated that the film ‘is not pornography,’ and instead talks about the ‘pain and beauty of longing.’ She also stressed that it’s meant to show the realities of trans desire, and how ‘longing shapes the lives of trans women.

”Dreamboi’ is not pornography; it is a story about being seen, about the pain and beauty of longing when the world tells you you’re not allowed to want. Because every time a story like this is silenced, another trans woman disappears,’ she said.

”Dreamboi’ is a film about trans desire-about how fantasy, shame, and longing shape the lives of trans women. It follows Diwa, who turns to audio porn to feel something again, until a secret habit of eavesdropping on a stranger having sex in a basement toilet spirals into obsession. When she discovers the man is also her favorite anonymous audio porn actor, fantasy collides with reality,’ she continued.

Singh said the CineSilip entry was made with a ‘?2 million [budget], a dream, and a community of friends and colleagues who gave their time’ to bring it to life, in hopes of allowing the trans community to ‘live with pleasure.’

‘To those who have been waiting, who believed in Dreamboi from the very start-thank you. We ask for your support now more than ever as we face this challenge. Tonight’s Dreamboi Live performance will serve as a fundraising event to help us pay our remaining post-production dues and to cover the costs of our re-appeal to the MTRCB,’ she said.

‘We will re-submit, re-appeal, and if necessary, create a new cut – because this film deserves to be seen. I only had ?2 million, a dream, and a community of friends and colleagues who gave their time, talent, and hearts to bring Dreamboi to life. We made this film with courage, not excess – with love, not luxury,’ she further explained.

Singh hoped that the public would stand with them in ensuring that the film would be shown to a wider audience.

‘We believe that visibility is not obscenity, that desire is not a sin, and that stories like ours belong in the cinema. We hope you stand with us, help us keep Dreamboi alive, and together, may we all see the light of day,’ she said.

According to the filmmaker, the MTRCB said the ‘prolonged sexually explicit’ scenes make ‘Dreamboi inappropriate’ for public viewing.

‘While it offers important representation and commentary, its prolonged sexually explicit scenes make it inappropriate for public viewing,’ the government agency said, per Singh.

Inquirer Entertainment has reached out to MTRCB for comment, but has yet to respond, as of this writing.

The Singh-helmed film stars Tony Labrusca and EJ Jallorina. It is part of the first-ever CineSilip Film Festival, which runs from Oct. 22 to 28.

The news reported that classes in public schools in the National Capital Region were suspended because of a rise in influenza-like illnesses (ILI). This was later followed by an announcement that the suspension was also meant to include safety checks because of the recent earthquakes. The Department of Health (DOH) recently stated that there was no flu outbreak.

Mixed messaging resulting from a lack of coordination regarding health concerns always brings about a certain level of alarm. It doesn’t help matters to point fingers, which only adds to the confusion, or worse, to the noise by making generalizations from baseless assumptions. If there are lessons to be learned from the pandemic and the recent events, they are the importance of being prepared and gathering the right information from credible sources.

To provide clarity, let’s define influenza and influenza-like illness. Influenza is a specific viral infection, while influenza-like illness is a broader term that encompasses symptoms that resemble the disease and are caused by other viruses, such as the respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus, to name a few. Common manifestations may include fever, cold, sore throat, cough, headache, and body malaise. Testing is needed to identify and confirm the presence of the virus, either through the use of rapid antigen kits or multiplex molecular assays.

ILI is a notifiable disease. The DOH, in coordination with the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, which is our national reference laboratory, is the responsible agency tasked with routine surveillance and virologic confirmation of ILI cases and is part of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System laboratory network. This piece of information may be of use to those who may be wondering where the numbers cited by the DOH are coming from, and to provide a form of assurance that we are capable of detecting both circulating and new influenza strains. There are limitations, such as delays or underreporting, but keep in mind that not all patients with ILI come for consult or are tested. Fortunately, there are diagnostic tests available, as mentioned above, that are readily available in several institutions but come with a considerable cost. Pooling these data together may help bridge the gap for a better picture of the incidence of influenza and other viruses that are circulating in the community.

In a study by Lucero et al., an analysis of national influenza surveillance data from 2006 to 2012 showed that influenza cases may occur throughout the year, but are more commonly seen from June to November, reflecting seasonality. The Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID) Flu Task Force Report released last Oct. 17, included data from all age groups and was collated from the surveillance reports of infection control committees of four tertiary hospitals in Metro Manila. Among 6,000 individuals who were tested through rapid antigen kits or multiplex PCR assays, the influenza positivity rate rose from 39 percent in August and September to 42 percent in the first week of October. This means that for the majority who presented with ILI symptoms and were tested, a considerable number were due to influenza, which is indicative of ongoing community transmission.

Questions have arisen regarding treatment with antivirals and preventive strategies. Maybe you have heard that the supply of oseltamivir is running low, and people are doubting the importance of vaccination after they fell ill, even after receiving the vaccine.

To address the first concern, in general, oseltamivir, an antiviral, is indicated for those who are hospitalized or at severe risk for complications or progression of the disease, such as the very young, the elderly, and individuals who are immunocompromised. It is imperative that a physician’s advice is sought for proper assessment.

With regard to vaccination, in line with local recommendations, it must be administered before the start of the influenza season, ideally in April to May. While no vaccine claims to be 100 percent effective, vaccination provides benefits against severe complications and hospitalization, especially if the circulating strains match those that are included in the vaccine. Strains may vary from year to year, and immunity wanes. This is the reason why annual flu vaccination is warranted.

Advisories not only from PSMID but also from the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines have been released. While the latter is a guide to clinicians, both societies uphold the importance of vaccination and adherence to infection control measures.

If you have not been vaccinated and are eligible, there is still time for you to get one. If you are feeling ill, refrain from reporting to work or school or going to crowded places. Wash your hands and cover your cough or wear a mask if needed. You can transmit the virus 24 hours before manifesting symptoms and continue to shed the virus until the seventh day of illness or longer if you are immunocompromised.

Get enough rest and stay hydrated. Seek consult if needed.

Sen. Loren Legarda, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, has filed Senate Bill No. 1413, or the Tesda Modernization Act of 2025, to strengthen and restructure the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), whose charter has remained largely unchanged since its establishment in 1994.

Thirty years after the passage of Republic Act No. 7796, otherwise known as the TESDA Act of 1994, Legarda said the agency must be updated to meet the evolving demands of education and the labor market. The proposed measure aligns TESDA’s mandate with the principles of lifelong learning, higher-level skills development, and the pursuit of a quality-assured Filipino workforce.

‘Our people must be equipped with the right skills to thrive in a rapidly changing world of work,’ the four-term senator said. ‘This bill will ensure that TESDA delivers high-quality and relevant training that helps Filipinos build better futures for themselves and their families.’

The measure establishes a Board of Advisers as TESDA’s policy and oversight body, composed of the Director General, key cabinet secretaries, the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education, and representatives from the private sector.

It grants the Director General, who will have the rank of Secretary, broader authority to rationalize the Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system by upgrading, merging, or phasing out programs that no longer meet industry needs, and by devolving community-based training to local government units.

The bill also reorganizes the TESDA Secretariat into specialized offices for planning, standards-setting, accreditation, enterprise-based education, and local skills development. It institutionalizes alternative systems such as recognition of prior learning, micro-credentials, and digital badges to validate informal or non-traditional training and promote lifelong learning.

TESDA’s financing mechanisms will be strengthened through reforms to the TESDA Development Fund, the institutionalization of scholarship grants, and the introduction of systematic funding schemes such as levy-grant systems. Regular independent performance reviews will ensure transparency and accountability.

‘TESDA must evolve with industry standards,’ Legarda said. ‘We have one of the most skilled and hardworking workforces in the world, and it is our responsibility to ensure that they remain employable, adaptable, and ready for the future.’

Legarda, co-chair of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) and recipient of the National TESDA Kabalikat Award 2021 under the Legislative Category, said the measure reflects her continuing advocacy for accessible technical education and sustainable livelihoods.

‘Modernizing TESDA is about dignity through work,’ she said. ‘It ensures that every Filipino has the skills to build a stable and productive life.’

A total of 20 families, or 77 individuals, were evacuated on Monday (Oct. 20) in the Cagayan Valley region as Tropical Storm ‘Ramil’ (international name: Fengshen) brought heavy rains, causing widespread flooding, according to the Cagayan Valley Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CVRDRRMC).

The evacuees are from two villages in Divilacan, Isabela, and one village in Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya.

In addition to the evacuations, 10 overflow bridges were closed to motorists due to swollen rivers across the region, particularly in Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino.

The storm’s impact also disrupted air travel, with twelve flights to and from Cagayan, Isabela, and Batanes canceled due to adverse weather conditions.

As of today, a red alert status remains in effect for Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, and Nueva Vizcaya, while Batanes continues to be under a blue alert.

In Batanes, a flash flood occurred in Sitio Malayo, San Antonio, Basco, on the afternoon of October 20, sweeping away a motorcycle in its path.

Ramil exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday morning, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration

Militant fishers’ group PAMALAKAYA on Monday threw its full support behind a new House measure that seeks to ban commercial fishing within municipal waters – a direct response to a controversial Supreme Court ruling that struck down the preferential rights of small fishers as unconstitutional.

The group joined members of the Makabayan bloc in filing House Bill No. 5606, or the ‘Atin ang Kinse Kilometro Bill,’ which aims to restore and reinforce the exclusive fishing rights of municipal and subsistence fisherfolk within the 15-kilometer coastal zone.

‘Tugon ito sa kautusan ng Korte na tuluyang ibuyangyang ang municipal waters sa mga commercial fishing vessels,’ said PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson Fernando Hicap. ‘Pinagtitibay nito ang karapatan ng maliliit na mangingisda sa municipal waters, na pilit gustong agawin ng mga malalaking negosyo sa pangisdaan.’

(This is a response to the Court’s order to fully open municipal waters to commercial fishing vessels. It reaffirms the rights of small-scale fishers to municipal waters – rights that big fishing businesses are aggressively trying to take away.)

The measure directly challenges the legal and political consequences of the Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this year, which invalidated long-standing protections for municipal fishers, triggering widespread fear of intensified commercial intrusion into already dwindling coastal resources. Under HB 5606, large-scale commercial fishing using passive or active gear – including operations for profit or trade – would be explicitly prohibited within municipal waters and bays. These areas have long served as traditional fishing grounds for coastal communities dependent on small-scale, artisanal fishing.

‘Napapanahon nang magkaroon ng panukalang batas na nagsusulong ng ganap na proteksyon ng munisipal na pangisdaan mula sa mga commercial fishing na kundiman mapanira, ay may malakihan at walang regulasyong operasyon,’ said Hicap.

(It’s high time to have a proposed law that genuinely pushes for the full protection of municipal fisheries from commercial fishing operations that, if not outright destructive, are large-scale and unregulated.)

Crisis in the shallows

The proposed law also invokes the 1987 Constitution, citing Article XIII Section 7, which guarantees the protection of subsistence fishers’ rights to communal marine and fishing resources – both inland and offshore. PAMALAKAYA argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling effectively undermined this constitutional mandate.

‘Hindi pa man ganap ang implementasyon ng kautusan ng Korte, laganap na ang malakihang operasyon ng commercial fishing sa aming mga pangisdaan,’ Hicap warned. ‘Nagiging sanhi ito ng lalong pagkalugi ng mga maliliit na mangingisda at mabilisang pagkasaid ng isda at iba pang yamang-dagat.’

(Even before the Court’s order is fully implemented, large-scale commercial fishing operations are already widespread in our fishing grounds. This is causing greater losses for small-scale fishers and the rapid depletion of fish and other marine resources.)

This echoes growing concerns from scientists, legal advocates, and community leaders, who earlier warned that the high court’s ruling could further devastate fish stocks, deepen poverty in coastal areas, and exacerbate conflicts between small-scale and industrial fishing operators.

‘Atin ang kinse kilometro’

The title of the bill, ‘Atin ang Kinse Kilometro,’ underscores the decades-old policy recognizing the 15-kilometer municipal water boundary as a critical lifeline for small-scale fishers – a principle enshrined in the Fisheries Code and long upheld by both science and social justice advocates.

‘Kaakibat ng pagsusumite ng panukalang batas ay ang tuloy-tuloy naming pangangalampag sa Kongreso na dinggin ang panawagan ng mga mangingisda na magkaroon ng eksklusibong karapatan sa pook-pangisdaan,’ Hicap said.

(Alongside the filing of the proposed bill is our continued effort to press Congress to heed the call of fisherfolk for exclusive rights to municipal fishing grounds.)

PAMALAKAYA also vowed to lead a nationwide grassroots campaign to push the bill forward – through mobilizations, lobbying efforts, community discussions, and broader engagement with stakeholders and the public.

The group joins a growing movement of fisherfolk organizations, marine scientists, and environmental lawyers who have been sounding the alarm on what they call the creeping corporate takeover of municipal waters – a trend they say endangers not just livelihoods, but the future of the country’s already fragile coastal ecosystems.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned the public against buying counterfeit rabies vaccines after it received reports regarding the circulation and administration of the fake products in various health facilities, establishments, and unauthorized distribution channels.

Data from the Department of Health shows that there have been 260 cases of rabies recorded in the country from January to Sept. 20 this year.

It urged the public, including health-care professionals, to only buy rabies vaccines from licensed drug establishments.

The FDA said a facility’s license to operate and the registration status of a vaccine can be checked through its online verification portal: verification.fda.gov.ph.

The public may also report suspected counterfeit vaccines by sending an email to the FDA at [email protected], by clicking the ‘Report’ tab at fda.gov.ph, or by calling the Center for Drug Regulation and Research through its telephone No. (02) 8809-5596.

Those who may be experiencing adverse drug reactions may also file a report through the link: bit.ly/FDAPHReportSideEffect. -GILLIAN VILLANUEVA

Leyte Gov.Carlos Jericho Petilla used the 81st anniversary of the Leyte Gulf landings on Monday to denounce the ongoing flood control controversy, describing it as a ‘different kind of war’ that has placed the country in an embarrassing state.

In his message delivered during the anniversary program, Petilla said the issue, which has implicated several contractors, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) personnel, and even elected officials, has severely eroded public trust and tarnished the reputation of government institutions.

‘The reputation of the government is tarnished and the confidence of the people in the government has been significantly eroded,’ Petilla said before foreign diplomats, war veterans, and local officials gathered at the MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park in Palo.

He added that even members of the diplomatic community have been asking about the progress of the investigation and whether those found guilty will be held accountable.

‘Just like any war, this should not happen again. If they go unpunished, our forefathers who fought and died 81 years ago in this land where we are standing right now will probably rise from their graves and tell us, ‘Are you worth dying for?” Petilla declared.

The 81st Leyte Gulf Landings Commemoration, themed ‘Freedom’s Price: Honoring the Past, Protecting the Future,’ marked the historic return of Allied Forces led by General Douglas MacArthur to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation during World War II.

This year’s event was graced by Australian Ambassador Marc Innes-Brown, Japan Embassy Charge d’Affaires Minister Ono Sho, and Philippine Veterans Affairs Office Undersecretary Reynaldo Mapagu, who served as guest speaker.

Six of the 12 remaining living World War II veterans also graced the ceremony.

In his message, Minister Sho paid tribute to those who sacrificed their lives during the war, highlighting how the Philippines and Japan have since built strong ties of friendship and development cooperation – including projects such as the San Juanico Bridge and the planned second bridge linking Leyte and Samar.

Ambassador Innes-Brown reaffirmed Australia’s enduring alliance with the Philippines, noting that their partnership extends beyond wartime camaraderie to modern challenges, including the humanitarian response and recovery efforts following Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ that pummeled Leyte and the region on Nov. 8, 2013.