MEMORIAL DAY. Filipino and American service members render salute during the US Memorial Day rites at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial on Sunday (May 26, 2024). The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States Embassy in Manila honored the valor and sacrifice of the American and Filipino soldiers who fought together during World War II. (Photo courtesy of AFP)
MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) joined the United States Embassy and other dignitaries in the commemoration of Memorial Day, highlighting the long-standing military ties between Manila and Washington, D.C.
AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the event held at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Taguig City on Sunday honored the valor and sacrifices of the American and Filipino soldiers who fought together during World War II.
AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. led the Filipino military delegation.
"Despite inclement weather, the ceremony included the laying of wreaths, a moment of silence, and firing salute and taps that echo the enduring alliance between the United States and the Philippines," Trinidad said in a statement Monday.
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States that honors military personnel who died while serving in the US Armed Forces.
The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, the largest of its kind in the Pacific, is the final resting place for over 17,000 American and Filipino service members. (PNA)
