HEROES ALL Libingan ng mga Bayani is the resting place of some 50,000 men and womenwho brought honor to the country. —INQUIRER PHOTO
The 103-hectare Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, is the final resting place of about 50,000 men and women who brought honor to the Philippines and fought for its freedom.
Established in May 1947 as the Republic Memorial Cemetery, it was given its current name in 1954. More than 30,000 World War II veterans are buried in the cemetery.
Libingan ng mga Bayani has an allocation of 46 plots for Presidents, 94 plots for secretaries of national defense, government dignitaries and statesmen, 133 for military chiefs, 118 Medal of Valor awardees, 183 generals and flag officers, 5,334 for World War II veterans, and 1,375 national artists and scientists.
The rest of the grave sites are allocated for active and retired personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and veterans.
Three Presidents are buried at Libingan—Carlos Garcia, Diosdado Macapagal and Elpidio Quirino.
Among the other notables buried there are Medal of Valor awardees Col. Jesus Villamor, Capt. Desiderio Suson, Brig. Gen. Godofredo Juliano, Capt. Conrado Yap, Capt. Lolina To Go-Ang, 2nd Lt. Jose Bandong Jr. and Mayor Robert Eduardo Lucero;
National Scientists Juan Salcedo, Perla Santos Ocampo, Francisco Fonda, Eduardo Quisumbing, Geminiano de Ocampo, Hilario Lara, Julian Banzon, Gregorio Velasquez, Carmen Velasquez, Jose Encarnacion Jr., Alfredo Santos, Luz Oliveros Belardo, Pedro Escuro, Alfredo Lagmay and Fe del Mundo;National Artists Guillermo Tolentino, Vicente Manansala, Victor Edades, Nestor V. M. Gonzales, Cesar Legaspi, Jose Joya, Leonor Orosa, Francisca Aquino, Ernani Cuenco, Jovita Fuentes, Antonio Molina, Antonio Buenaventura, Francisco Arcellana, Levi Celerio, Nick Joaquin, Ang Kiukok, Alejandro Roces, Carlos Quirino, Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero, Gerardo Ilagan de Leon and Ramon Valera; Vice Presidents Salvador Laurel and Arturo Tolentino; Foreign Affairs Secretaries Carlos Romulo, Blas Ople; Ambassador Alejandro Melchor Jr.; Publisher Maximo Soliven, AFP Chief of Staff Arturo Enrile; National Defense Secretaries Rafael Ileto, Alejo Santos, Angelo Reyes, Ernesto Mata; Chief Justices Claudio Teehankee Sr., Enrique Fernando, Fred Ruiz Castro and PCGG Commissioner Haydee Yorac. —INQUIRER RESEARCH