Two significant historical events that took place in March in Camarines Sur with much bearing on the City of Naga could have been occasions for remembrance and revival of time-honored yearnings --- notwithstanding the brewing anticipation in local political campaigns.

        These two events are: the Founding of the Tangkong Vaca Guerilla Unit (TVGU) on March 8, 1942 and the proclamation of General Ludovico Arejola as commander of the Milicias Territoriales en Ambos Camarines y Katanduanes on March 10, 1900.

        Almost half a century separated the two events ---- but there is something in common between the two events. These two events are about local resistance movements --- the first against the Japanese invaders, the second against Spanish colonizers. The two events were about who would be in control of the town of Naga, the center of power in Ambos Camarines.

        It is a historical fact that the Tangkong Vaca Guerilla Unit (TVGU) was founded on March 8, 1942 in Canaman by two native boys of Canaman ---- Sgt. Juan Q. Miranda and Elias Madrid --- together with Leon Aureus, a freedom fighter from Libmanan. Their common objective was to inflict harm in any which way they could anywhere in the province on the Japanese forces and eventually to capture Naga, and claimed they were able to liberate Camarines Sur. They did on May 1, 1942 --- some 200 guerillas armed with rifles and home-made paltik, supported by a large number of Agta from Isarog armed with arrows and bolos besieged and succeeded in capturing the Capitol in Naga ---- but after a week, by May 8, the Japanese came back with reinforcements to retake Naga and regained control of Camarines.

        The founding of the TVGU, even done in the hinterlands of Canaman, had as much significance to the town as well as to the acknowledged center of power of Naga. Those of us who have a sense of history have all the reasons to keep March 8 a day for remembering those who had nurtured in their heart a free Camarines and for drawing from this fountain a drop or two to quench their thirst for love of country.

        The second event was the establishment of the Milicias Territoriales de Ambos Camarines y Katanduanes under the command of General Ludovico Arejola on March 10, 1900.

        Naga was under the command of Tagalog General Antonio Guevarra, to whom General Vicente Lukban handed the post after the Spaniards surrendered to Guardia Civil Lt. Col. Elias Angeles and Felix Plazo. When hostilities broke out between the Filipinos and the Americans in February 1899, General Emilio Aguinaldo summoned for reinforcements, ordering Guevarra and his Tagalog troopers to pull out from Camarines and proceed to Manila. Left to defend the province were Col. Ludovico Arejola who arrived in Camarines from his exile in Fernando Poo in Africa and the liberators of Naga, Angeles and Plazo with their decimated troops, who were poorly armed and poorly trained.

        As expected, Arejola and his native defenders were routed and what remained of the resistance forces --- except those who decided to surrender to the enemy ----retreated to Minalabac on February 23, 1900, to recuperate from their losses. On March 10, 1900, in front of more than 10,000 men who gathered in barrio Taban, Minalabac, Col. Arejola was unanimously proclaimed as the over-all commander of the Revolutionary Army in the Ambos Camarines and Katanduanes. He was assisted by Lt. Col. Elias Angeles as Military Chief and Lt. Col. Bernabe Dimalibot as the Chief of Staff. For strategic planning and coordination he divided the provinces of Ambos Camarines and Katanduanes into four military zones.

        Resistance fighters have always a place of honor in our memory. They are the symbols of our aspirations, kept in the safety of our memory. In time, however, they become tarnished with current concerns and political interests ------ less remembered yet not altogether forgotten, courtesy of those who still have a sense of history.