Location: San Miguel, Manila (Region NCR)
Category: Sites/Events
Type: Event
Status: Level II – Historical marker
Marker date: February 27, 1995
Installed by: National Historical Institute (NHI)
Marker text:
LIBERATION OF MANILA
LATE IN THE AFTERNOON OF FEBRUARY 3, 1945 TWO GROUPS OF THE FLYING COLUMNS OF THE 1 ST CAVALRY DIVISION, INCLUDING THE ATTACHED 44TH TANK BATALLION, ENTERED MANILA, WITH THE FIRST GROUP TAKING POSSESSION OF MALACANANG PALACE AND THE SECOND GROUP LIBERATING THE AMERICAN AND OTHER ALLIED CIVILIAN INTERNEES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF STO. TOMAS. THEY WERE FOLLOWED BY THE 37THINFANTRY DIVISION, WHICH RESCUED ALLIED CIVILIAN INTERNEES AND PRISONERS OF WAR AT BILIBID PRISON. FROM THE SOUTH THE 11TH AIRBORNE DIVISION CLOSED IN ON MANILA. THE JAPANESE IMPERIAL FORCES WERE ANNIHILATED BY FEBRUARY 24.
IN A SOLEMN CEREMONY IN MALACANANG AT ELEVEN O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING OF FEBRUARY 27, 1945, GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR RESTORED THE SEAT OF THE COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT – MANILA, THE CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES, TO PRESIDENT SERGIO OSMENA, SR.
AFTER THE GRUESOME CARNAGE OF CIVILIANS NUMBERING ABOUT 100,000 AND THE COSTLY PHYSICAL DEVASTATION OF THE CITY, THE BATTLE OF MANILA ENDED ON MARCH 3, 1945.
TO ALL THESE INNOCENT VICTIMS OF WORLD WAR II, THE MOST IMPORTANT LEGACY THEY BEQUEATHED TO US IS THE REAL MEANING OF PEACE AND FREEDOM.
