It’s the 70th Anniversary of the Leyte Gulf Landing! So I decided to visit Macarthur Landing Memorial National Park to take some photos and share them to everyone, especially to the Leyteños who are already missing the place. As one of the residents of Leyte, I had many great memories here. We used to spend time in this park with my barkadas in college to play around, chitchat, and enjoy some picnic.
Perhaps many people are wondering how the park already looked like after almost a year since super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) struck Leyte and central Visayas on November 8, 2013. So if you want to take a look at the park now, here are several photos I took this afternoon to give you some feeling of being in one of the most historical and personally sentimental parks in the world.
The sign of MacArthur Park
A better tourism industry means more passengers and income for our pedicab drivers.
The Philippine Flag in MacArthur Park. We’re already getting near the famous monuments.
Balloon vendors are here in MacArthur Park.
A flower to honor the bravery of our soldiers.
A decree proclaiming MacArthur Park as a national historical site.
Many people want to take pictures with the monuments of MacArthur and other men.
Monuments immortalize personalities.
Here’s an important trivia for us.
They are tall. And they are the real celebrities.
A closer look at the monuments of General Douglas MacArthur with President Sergio Osmeña, Brigadier General Carlos P. Romulo and other soldiers.
The rear view
Are these the footprints of General Douglas MacArthur?
A new memorial stone erected in MacArthur Park to honor the bravery of the Australian soldiers who helped in the liberation of the Philippines during World War 2 and the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
The names of the brave Australian soldiers who sacrificed their lives during World War 2 to liberate the Philippines are transcribed in this commemorative stone or marker.
The memorial stone of the Australian soldiers with the monuments of General Douglas MacArthur and the allied forces.
There’s a Jet Ski race happening here.
I’m glad to see many people here. Beautiful trees, aren’t they?
There’s a lot of people swimming at the Red Beach.
Just like us, when we were still in college. Oh I miss my college barkadas now.
The sun’s rays are scorching.
The people and the trees, they are survivors.
A sign of recovery. We are rising.
The green green grasses and plants are already here.
These words are transcribed in this monument. “This commemorative rock garden is a monument of peace. It is dedicated to peoples of all nations who share and cherish the same ideals of freedom and democracy. Rock tablets from peace-loving countries are found in this garden, each one carrying a message of solidarity, friendship and goodwill.”
Messages of peace and friendship from the leaders around the world can be read here.
The monument of the commemorative Rock Garden. Did I name it correctly?
The beauty of the Rock Garden in MacArthur Park is getting back.
It’s a sunny sunny day but thanks to these trees that give us some shady place.
The buko corner. Did you miss this place in MacArthur Park?
I missed drinking fresh buko juice here.
My lunch. 🙂
The Boy Scout Monument in Government Center, Palo. If you’ll walk from MacArthur Park to BIR, you’ll see him.
About Victorino Q. Abrugar
Vic promotes tourism-related businesses, brands and places. He's the marketing strategist of FAQ.PH. He believes that the key to success is to always do what to do next. Want to promote your business? Contact him at mail@optixor.com.
Thank you Rise Ph. For sharing your photos taken @ the Mac.Arthur Park, I do missed my homeland . But i’m looking the Australian Statue Board. Please everytime you took a picture , please Kindly include The Australian Statue Board.’Couse they are the one who sacrifice us to save the life of all our fellow filipinos and to our country the philippines also . Let us be fair from bothside. We should always remember this . Tayong mga taga leyteneos ang dapat mag correct ng ating history, na matagal nang panahon na itinago O nilihim sa ating mga mamayang pilipino. Na hindi lang amerikano ang tumulong sa atin, kundi Kasama rin ang australian militar. Let us inform this to our mayor or governor of Tacloban. Na dapat palitan na ang tawag ng park , not only Mac.Arthur park. But this two countrys involved to the philippines history. As far as we concerned. Thank you very much for your time for reading my comment. Have a great day and thank you for your hard work.
Hi Evelyn. Thanks for reminding. I was actually not aware that there’s a new commemorative monument from Australia. I only knew it when I saw an article last night. I’ll try to go back and take a photo of it. We’re not forgetting the significant role of the Australian forces in the Leyte Invasion. They also helped the US Navy’s fleets to defeat the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Battles of Leyte Gulf. http://faq.ph/8-facts-about-the-battle-of-leyte-gulf-that-will-blow-your-mind/
– Vic
Hello Evelyn. Thanks again. We have already added the pictures showing the new memorial marker of the brave Australian soldiers who helped in the liberation of the Philippines during World War II.
I am also from Leyte, Actually, I worked in Hongkong for 15yrs. we went to visit the War Cemetery, We saw the grave yards and names of American, British, Australian Soldiers died during the Japanese invasion of British Hongkong. ( they help each other, they are from the same roots) MacArthur was a hero because he is the General Commanding Officer as a 5 star General of Asia Pacific to save Asia from Japanese invasion and General Winston Churchill from Nazi invasion of Europe. i saw the war movie, MacAthur escape to Australia before the fall of Corrigidor. ( that what he said to his soldiers ” I shall Return”) Now im working in Toronto for 7yrs now. i Learn the history that the Americans and Canadians some have the same family name and also some town and cities have the same names (Cambridge and London for example) Americans came from British descendant. They are all British. White and Black people are all foreigners in this North American Land. for your info, Sir John Mac Donald was the first Prime Minister of Canada. So, its not Australian, its British, kalahi nila Queen Elizabeth. lahat nang coins sa Hongkong, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, may mukha ni Queen.