Heroes' Cemetery
| Heroes' Cemetery (Libingan ng mga Bayani) | |
|---|---|
| Philippines | |
 National Military Cemetery |
|
| Used for those deceased | |
| Established | May 1947 |
| Location | 14°31′12″N 121°02′39″E / 14.51989°N 121.04422°E near Taguig City, Philippines |
Heroes' Cemetery (Libingan ng mga Bayani) is a national cemetery within Fort Bonifacio (formerly known as Fort McKinley) in Taguig City, Metro Manila in the Philippines. It was established as a fitting resting place for Filipino military personnel from privates to generals, as well as heroes and martyrs. Among those buried in the cemetery are most of the defenders of Bataan, Corregidor, and other Battlefields by Allied recaptured for the Liberation of the Philippines during World War II. It also contains the national Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It is established as the Filipino counterpart to Manila American Cemetery and Memorial which houses the remains of United States personnel that died in World War II.[1]
It was first established on May 1947 as the Republic Memorial Cemetery. It was then renamed to its current name on October 27, 1954 by President Ramon Magsaysay.[2]
Former Philippine presidents Carlos P. Garcia and Diosdado Macapagal, Former Vice President Arturo Tolentino and Salvador H. Laurel, National Hero General Artemio Ricarte and Carlos P. Romulo are also buried in the cemetery.
On the cemetery's entrance it is written: "I do not know the dignity of his birth, but I do know the glory of his death."
In 2006, the cemetery's council started exploring alternative sites for annexes in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Only one has been completed so far, the P24-million, five-hectare extension at Camp Hernandez in Dingle, Iloilo.[3]
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[edit] Allocation of cemetery plots
AFP Regulations G 161-373 or The Allocation of Cemetery Plots at the LNMB was issued on 9 April 1986 by former AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Fidel V Ramos and former President Corazon C. Aquino.[4]
According to the AFP Regulations, there are 10 categories of deceased persons who entitled to be interred at Heroes' Cemetery:
- Medal of Valor awardees
- The president of the Philippines as the commander-in-chief of AFP
- The secretary of National Defense
- The chief of staff of AFP
- General/flag officers of the AFP
- Active and retired military personnel of the AFP
- Former AFP members who laterally entered/joined the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Coast Guard
- Veterans of Philippine Revolution of 1896, First World War, and World War II, as well as recognized guerrillas
- Government dignitaries, statesmen, national artists and other deceased persons whose interment or re-interment has been approved by the commander-in-chief, Congress, or the secretary of National Defense.
- Former presidents, former secretaries of National Defense, widows of former presidents, and former chiefs of staff.
Disqualifications:
- Personnel who were dishonorably separated, reverted, and/or discharged from the service
- Authorized personnel who were convicted by final judgment of an offense involving moral turpitude
- Corrupt officials
[edit] National Pantheon for presidents of the Philippines
Republic Act 289 or An Act Providing for the Construction of a National Pantheon for Presidents of the Philippines, National Heroes, and Patriots of the Country created the Board on National Pantheon. The law was enacted on 16 June 1948.[5] However, such facility has never erected.[6]
In 2011, Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile filed House Bill 4876 which seeks for alloting 25 percent of the cemetery for a National Pantheon.[6] Further, he stated that AFP Regulations G 161-373 provides that deceased commanders-in-chief are entitled to be interred there.
[edit] Board on National Pantheon
The Board on National Pantheon was created and conceived to consist of:[5]
- Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (previously Secretary of the Interior)
- Secretary of Public Works and Highways (previously Secretary of Public Works and Communications)
- Secretary of Education
- two representatives from the private sector appointed by the President
The responsibilities of the Board consist:
- to determine the location of the National Pantheon
- to supervise its construction including the monuments, mausoleums, or tombs
- to make the location accessible by road
[edit] References
- ^ Rodell, Paul A. (2002). Culture and customs of the Philippines. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 93. ISBN 0313304157. http://books.google.com/books?id=y1CVR74_KHQC&pg=PA93&dq=libingan+ng+mga+bayani&lr=. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
- ^ "Libingan ng mga Bayani". http://corregidorisland.com/. http://corregidorisland.com/bayani/libingan.html. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
- ^ Nikko Dizon, Burial space for soldiers running out, November 4, 2007, Philippine Daily Inquirer.
- ^ Manilamail.Com
- ^ a b R.A. 289 -An Act Providing for the Construction of a National Pantheon for Presidents of the Philippines, National Heroes, and Patriots of the Country, Retrieved 01 July 2011
- ^ a b Why not Libingan ng mga Pangulo instead, Retrieved 01 July 2011
- Philippine Marine Corps Drum & Bugle Team, , Philippine Marine Corps (archived from the original on 2007-10-28).
[edit] External links
- Official webpage from the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office
- Romulo D. Quemado II , Corps Notes, Philippine Marine Corps (archived from the original on 2008-02-13)
- "Libingan ng mga Bayani (Cemetery of the Heroes)". Find A Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&GSln=Laurel&CRid=2183037&pt=Libingan%20ng%20mga%20Bayani%20(Cemetery%20of%20the%20Heroes)&. Retrieved 2009-06-16. (coordinates)
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