Dumaguete City Host Lions

Unveiled on April 2, 1977

This is the inscription that appears in the Dedication Plaque of the Memorial Shrine:

This Filipino-Japanese-American Amity Memorial Shrine marks the easternmost portion of the main defense site that runs west along the two ridges converging on the top of this mountain range where the main elements of the Japanese Imperial Army of the 174^thIndependent Unit under the command of Col. Satoshi Oie, properly positioned in a series of bunkers, dug-outs, foxholes and tunnels linked by connecting trenches, had battled the combined forces of the 164^th American Division, United States Army and Guerilla elements of the 73^rd provisional Division, 7^th Military District of Negros Island. The battle of the ridges commenced in earnest on April 27, 1945, and by the early part of June 1945, the combined Fil-American forces captured these ridges from the Japanese defenders. The remnants of the Japanese-Imperial Forces withdrew from these ridges and finally surrendered by the roadside, north of the town of Zamboanguita on September 22, 1945, signaling the end of the hostilities in Negros Oriental.

Mr. Hideo Harada, a veteran, business executive and a member of the Sumoto Lions Club of Japan, recalled the time when he narrowly escaped death by a miracle from the World War 2 and though very fortunate and thankful about it, he could not help but remember his dead comrades.

In 1972, he finally succeeded in getting the approval from the Japanese Government to dispatch a party of three persons to the island with the aim of searching and gathering the remains of his comrades.

Through the assistance of the District Governor of the Lions Clubs in Japan, District Governor Jose Escay Jr. and the Bacolod City Host Lions Club received the message, and contacted the Dumaguete City Host Lions Club through their president, Lion Julio O. Sy Sr., who also sought the assistance of the Provincial Government, the Mayor of Valencia and Filipino Veterans. 

Lion Hideo Harada with veterans Yoshias Shirai, Hideo Miyahara and Nozawa Minoro, Nobuo Nakamura, Zenii Okutsu, Nobyuki Ogata and Syunichi Ito, relatives of fallen Japanese soldiers, came on November 24, 1974 and stayed up to December 21, 1974 to retrieve bones of Japanese soldiers who died in Negros Oriental. The team went inside moss-covered tunnels and caves littered with bones of their comrades-in-arms in Sagbang and other places of encounter in Negros Oriental. The remains were cremated in Palinpinon, Valencia on December 17, 1974 and the ashes were brought to Japan and distributed to the Japanese soldiers’ relatives. It was during the cremation ceremony, a touching and heart breaking Buddhist ritual, that the memorial shrine was envisioned and conceived.

On April 9, 1976, Mr. Hideo Harada came back to finalize the plans for the construction of an amity memorial shrine. The parents of Mr. Gabriel Waro executed a deed of donation for a 400 square meter piece of land for the shrine site.

This shrine is dedicated not only to the deceased Japanese soldiers, but also to Filipino and American soldiers whose lives were sacrificed to the gods of war on henceforth sacred grounds, where the three forces were once locked in battle. It is a joint endeavor of concerned Filipino and Japanese veterans, relatives of deceased Japanese soldiers, civic-minded persons, the municipality of Valencia and the government of Negros Oriental as well as Americans who contributed time, effort and money to push through the amity memorial shrine which is now known as “Reunion for Peace Program”.

The Founders of this amity memorial shrine in a Manifesto dated December 24, 1976 sent to the Honorable William V. Villegas, Governor of Negros Oriental are: Veteran Venancio S. Bandoquillo, Veteran Lorenzo Cimafranca, Veteran Juan E. Dominado, Mayor Rodolfo V. Gonzales, Veteran Hideo Harada, Dr. Hanns P. Keiling, Veteran Salvador Laspiñas, Dr. Yoshio Maruyama, Veteran Timoteo S. Oracion, Veteran Federico R. Ridad, Veteran Genaro C. Saavedra, Veteran Galicano L. Sibala, Mr. Julio O. Sy, Mr. Akito Tsukada, and Professor Rowland Van Es.

The significance, symbol and purpose in constructing this amity memorial shrine are:

1. To serve as a sacred memory and deference to and an act of mourning for those who died during World War II – the Filipino, American and Japanese soldiers.
2. A historic landmark of the fiercest and major encounter during World War II in Negros Oriental.
3. A tri-sided tower representing the American Liberation forces (164^th Regiment later replaced by the 503^rd Parachute Regiment, US 8^th Army), the Filipino guerilla units (75^th Infantry and 77^th Infantry) and the Japanese Imperial Forces (174^thInfantry and Unit 31 Air Corps).
4. A navigational aid and beacon for ships and planes. The tower is visible from a very far distance and is provided with a high voltage bulb beamed towards the sky, electronically controlled, the electricity is provided by the geothermal generator in Mag-aso (2 kilometers from the site) which was operational by 1980.
5. A fulfillment of the burning passion of those left behind to denounce war and its evils. It is a tangible proof that the human quest for universal brotherhood and peace among men and nations of diverse background, origin, race, religion, and culture can be achieved.
6. A visible declaration of the costly futility and disillusion in settling differences, misunderstandings, international clashes of ideologies, and search for wealth by means of war.
7. A painful reminder of those who use force or armed encounter as a means of advancing egoistic interest and self-aggrandizement.

The Filipino-Japanese-American Amity Memorial Shrine was unveiled on April 2, 1977. The shrine, an eight  meter concrete tower with white marble finish, is located on a plateau on Nasunog ridge – the northeastern shoulder of Mt. Talinis, Sagbang, Valencia, Negros Oriental Philippines.

The Dumaguete City Host Lions Club is maintaining the amity memorial shrine. This fosters a close relationship between the two clubs because Sumoto Lions Club members would visit the shrine every year to pay tribute to their fellowmen. On December 6, 1980, the Inter-club Twinning took place between the two clubs in Tokyo, Japan. Signatories were Lion President Mauricio Piramide –Dumaguete City Host Lions Club and Lion President Kunio Urakami – Sumoto Lions Club.

A re-twinning ceremony took place on March 25, 2000 in Dumaguete City during the 50^th Charter Anniversary of the Dumaguete City Host Lions Club. Members of the Sumoto Lions Club and their families were present to witness this symbolic event with Lion President Geronimo Villegas and Lion Secretary Leo Cabrera – Dumaguete City Host Lions Club; and Lion President Katsaji Kinoshita and Lion Secretary Kensaku Shibata – Sumoto Lions Club as signatories.

Another re-twinning ceremony took place on February 20, 2005 in Dumaguete City during the 55^th Charter Anniversary of the Dumaguete City Host Lions Club, graced by the members and families of the Sumoto Lions Club. Lion President Royani Dy and Lion Past President Mauricio Piramide – Dumaguete City Host Lions Club; and Lion President Chisui Kumata and Lion Past President Kunio Urakami – Sumoto Lions Club were signatories to the re-twinning.

Through the years, there have been many improvements and facilities added. A playground was provided, a picnic area with tables, benches and roofing, a comfort room was built, adequate water supply, plants planted to beautify the area. The road going to the amity shrine is also being improved and is partly cemented. A Japanese design gate is also constructed at the entrance going to the shrine.

The amity memorial shrine is also one of the historic tourist attraction in the province.