Tarlac- Ifugao bike run revisits WW2 sites

KIANGAN, Ifugao — More than a hundred motorbike enthusiasts from the different parts of the country held a bike run to World War II historical sites in Northern Luzon which ended at the historic Yamashita capture site here yesterday Oct. 27.

The Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) in partnership with the Dept. of National Defense, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the Without Limits Consultancy held the historic motorbike ride on Oct. 26-27  to revisit historical sites and relive the path to victory during the WWII.

PVB first vice president Michael Villareal said the event dubbed Ride to Valor 2  aimed to recognize personalities and sites that played very significant roles during WWII . 

“The Ride for Valor aimed to recognize World War 2 sites which are not widely recognized but were very important and vital to our victory during the war,” said Villa–real.

The event also aimed to raise funds to help build WWII  museums, shrines and memorials including the Kiangan Shrine.

Without Limits event organizer Ian Alacar said the Ride for Valor 2 concentrated on the capture of   Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita and the contributions of the guerillas resulting to the victory of Filipino and American forces over the Japanese Imperial Army. 

Riders kicked off the ride at the Capas National Shrine in Tarlac where the Bataan Death March ended, going through the two different routes and will converge at the Kiangan Shrine in Ifugao, the site where Yamashita was captured by the Filipino forces on Sept. 2, 1945.

Participants that formed a 4-man team rode and sought WWII locations from Tarlac to Ifugao.

The Elite route from Capas in Tarlac passed through Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Mountain Province while the Manufacturer’s route passed through Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya.

Alacar said the Elite Category was open to all big bikes 400cc and up while the Manufacturers Cup Category was dedicated to smaller bikes, all scooters and under bone motorized vehicles with participants

While the riders passed through the historic sites along their route, they had challenges like an “amazing race” where participants held activities in each stop.

The challenges which varied from mental, physical or logical related to the area earned them points where they accomplished them or not.

“We wanted our events to be different from the usual endurance motor bike activities or competitions. We aredid it for the advocacy and focus on the history and bringing back the glory for our World War 2 heroes, our war veterans who fought gallantry for freedom of our country,” Alacar said.. 

The first edition of the Ride to Valor was held in March this year to raise funds for the maintenance of over a hundred Death March markers and the restoration of key points lo­cated along the route from Mariveles, Bataan  to Capas, Tarlac.(JDP/RMC- PIA CAR)