By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
The city government of Iloilo has officially turned over a 5,824-square-meter parcel of land to the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) to support the preservation and development of the Balantang Memorial Cemetery National Shrine.
The formal turnover was made through the signing of a Deed of Donation and Acceptance on June 9.
Mayor Jerry Treñas led the signing alongside PVAO Administrator Undersecretary Reynaldo B. Mapagu and PVAO Supervising Shrine Curator Engr. Diomedes C. Palor.
The donated land, located in Barangay Quintin Salas, Jaro, has long served as the final resting place of World War II veterans from Panay who were part of the 6th Military District.
Mapagu said the PVAO has prepared a master development plan to enhance the shrine’s facilities and reinforce its role in educating younger generations.
“We’d like to memorialize and actually try to teach our youth, the future defenders of our country, about heroism, resilience, and the sacrifice of the war veterans,” he said.
Treñas described the land donation as a symbolic gesture of the city’s gratitude to Filipino veterans.
“It is our honor to finally donate this because you’ve been using this anyway, so that you have full ownership over this property and you can introduce whatever improvement that you want,” he said.
He added that formalizing the donation was necessary, especially with potential developments in the pipeline.
“As a son of a veteran, I understand the value of a national shrine for our veterans who fought bravely during several wars,” he said, referring to his father, Efrain Blancaflor Treñas, a survivor of the Bataan Death March and former prisoner at Camp O’Donnell in Capas, Tarlac.
The Balantang Memorial Cemetery is the only military cemetery established outside Metro Manila.
It serves as a memorial to the Filipino guerrilla forces led by General Macario Peralta Jr., who fought against Japanese Imperial Forces in the bloodiest battle on Panay Island from February 6 to March 20, 1945.
The shrine also serves as the venue for the annual Liberation of Panay, Guimaras, and Romblon Day held every March 18.
It was declared a National Shrine through Proclamation No. 425, signed by then-President Fidel V. Ramos on July 13, 1994.
