Legion of honor: Aquino cites heroism of ‘centennial man’

President Benigno Aquino III has conferred the Philippine Legion of Honor on a World War II veteran who until his death last month was the oldest surviving Filipino veteran.

The late Fernando Perez Javier Sr. was given the award, “for showing true heroism,” during necrological ceremonies at the the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig last Thursday.

Javier was conferred the Legion of Honor “for being the oldest living veteran and being a symbol of the resilience of a great generation that went through unimaginable hardship for the fight for freedom.”

His son, Fernando Javier Jr., received the honor from the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office which presented the award on behalf of the President.

In their response, Javier’s family expressed their gratitude to President Aquino “for valuing the contributions of their father and all Filipino veterans, whose valor and supreme sacrifice paved the way for the country’s freedom, peace and democracy.”

PVAO administrator Ernesto Carolina said Javier held the distinction of being the oldest Filipino veteran before his death last June at the age of 107.

Javier served as a third lieutenant with the Philippine Army and was part of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East. He fought in the Battle of Bataan and survived the Bataan Death March and subsequent imprisonment by the Japanese in Capas, Tarlac.

He became a prisoner of war together with his brother, Jose, a military doctor at Capas’ Camp O’Donnell. After the war, he was promoted to the rank of captain and was honorably discharged in 1946 after having served the 9th Battalion Constabulary Corps.

He also served as an engineer, building roads in Palawan as well as in South Korea and Japan, and also worked on sanitation projects as an environmental engineer.

He was also recognized as a distinguished alumnus and “Centennial Man” by the University of the Philippines, where he finished his engineering course.

His achievements, read the award’s citation, “earned him distinction and affection among his peers and younger generation of veterans, thereby constituting life achievements of commendable merit deserving of recognition from the President.”

The Philippine Legion of Honor is the oldest of the three senior honors of the country and is the highest honor that the President may grant an individual without Congress’ concurrence.