Tags: Legislation
By Anna Valmero
STA. FE, NUEVA VIZCAYA—A bill has been filed in Congress that seeks to rename the historic Dalton Pass in Nueva Vizcaya to “Balete Pass” to set the record straight and let the site earn its mark from the National Historical Institute.
Nueva Vizcaya Representative Carlos Padilla said that renaming the site to Balete Pass will better capture its significance as the battle site of the allied American and Filipino soldiers against the Japanese forces during World War II.
“By renaming it into Balete Pass, it will become a reminder and recognition on the bravery, courage and identity of those involved in fighting their own side of history, whether they be foreigners or Filipinos,” Padilla said.
The said landmark is located at the boundary of the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya and is seen by foreign and local tourists who pass through the Cagayan Valley region.
The mountain top features a view deck with cottages, a Japanese Shrine and an obelisk with a marker narrating the historical information about the site.
The “Battle of Balete Pass” is said to be one of the fiercest battles between the combined Filipino-American troops and Japanese forces.
General James Leo Dalton II, who was assistant commander of the 25th Infantry Division fought alongside Filipinos during the battle. He was killed by a Japanese sniper on May 16, 1945 while pursuing the retreating troop of Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita toward the Cordillera mountain range.
Meanwhile, bird watcher Mark Villa, urges the local government and the community to take an active role in developing the ecotourism potential of the area. During his visit at Dalton Pass a few years back, he said he saw rare birds such as the Luzon rail and Worcester’s button quail.
“It is a major highway for migrating birds and it is a good place to observe the practice of akik wherein locals catch the birds at night using strong light and net. It is an old practice and might be very difficult to stop them,” Villa said.
Villa said that it would be more beneficial for the community to train the akik hunters as guides to birdwatchers and scientists who wanted to study the wildlife in the area. By highlighting the importance of protecting the birds and their habitats, which would help improve the forest population.
He added that making the area a scientific and bird banding site to make accurate counts of birds that pass by the area to migrate will also be more beneficial to stop the practice of akik and preserve the local bird population in the area, maybe even save endangered species that can be found in the area.
The bill renaming Dalton Pass is now in the Senate, pending approval. Once approved by the Senate, the bill will reinforce the resolution passed by the local government of Sta. Fe town to formally revert the name of the site to Balete Pass.
(Photo courtesy of Mark Villa)
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