SURIGAO CITY — October 25, 2025
Under gray morning skies and calm seas, Surigao City stood in solemn remembrance as it commemorated the 81st Anniversary of the Battle of Surigao Strait, one of World War II’s most decisive naval engagements. The ceremony, held at the BOSS Memorial Shrine in Barangay Punta Bilar, paid tribute to the Filipino and Allied forces whose courage and sacrifice forever changed the course of the Pacific War.
This year’s commemoration carried the theme “Forging Peace, Sustaining Legacy,” a reminder that the courage born in war must now serve as a foundation for lasting peace among nations once divided by conflict.
A Day of Remembrance
Leading the ceremony was City Vice Mayor Alfonso Casurra, representing the local government, together with Provincial Vice Governor Eddie Gokiangkee Jr. and other city officials. Distinguished guests included Australian Ambassador to the Philippines His Excellency Marc Innes-Brown, Commander Kawahata Noriyuki, Assistant Defense Attaché of Japan, and members of the Japanese delegation—their presence symbolizing reconciliation and friendship among former wartime adversaries.
From the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao Deputy Commander Capt. Archibald Dino C. Delfin, PN (MNSA), and AFP Eastern Mindanao Command Commander Lt. Gen. Luis Rex D. Bergante, PA led the military contingent in rendering honors to the fallen.
The commemoration featured a Walk for Peace, messages of remembrance, and a 21-gun salute, culminating in a wreath-laying and floral offering at sea. As the waves carried the wreaths toward the horizon, the BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Artemio Ricarte performed a naval salute—a poignant echo of the ships that once clashed in these same waters eight decades ago.
Shared Memory Across the Islands
Parallel commemorations were also held in the Province of Dinagat Islands, particularly in San Jose and Basilisa, led by the Provincial Government of Dinagat Islands in partnership with the Police Regional Office 13 (PRO13) under PBGEN Marcial Mariano P. Magistrado IV, Regional Director.
The arrival honors for foreign dignitaries at Basilisa Port were led by PCOL Jerome A. Dela Cruz, Provincial Director of Dinagat Islands PPO. Australian and Japanese representatives, including Captain Emma McDonald-Kerr, Defense Attaché of the Embassy of Australia, were warmly received by Governor Nilo P. Demerey Jr. and provincial officials.
Ceremonial activities at the Provincial Guest Center in Barangay Cuarinta, San Jose, carried messages of solidarity and peace, emphasizing that remembrance of war’s pain must continue to inspire cooperation among nations.
The Battle That Changed the Pacific
The Battle of Surigao Strait, fought in the early hours of October 25, 1944, was a pivotal part of the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf, often regarded as the largest naval battle in modern history. It was the last battleship-to-battleship confrontation ever fought and marked a crushing defeat for the Japanese Imperial Navy.
The Japanese “Southern Force,” commanded by Vice Admiral Shoji Nishimura, attempted to steam through the narrow Surigao Strait to attack American invasion forces landing in Leyte. However, waiting in ambush was the U.S. Seventh Fleet, commanded by Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf, with a powerful battle line of cruisers, destroyers, and battleships—some raised from the mud of Pearl Harbor after the 1941 attack.
At approximately 3:00 a.m., American PT boats and destroyers struck first, launching deadly torpedo attacks that disabled several Japanese ships. As Nishimura’s formation sailed deeper into the strait, they entered a trap—Oldendorf’s fleet had “crossed the T,” positioning their ships perpendicular to the Japanese line, allowing them to unleash concentrated gunfire.
In less than an hour, the Japanese battleships Yamashiro and Fusō, the cruiser Mogami, and several destroyers were reduced to burning wreckage. Admiral Nishimura went down with his ship, and only a few survivors made it to shore. The sea turned red with oil and fire—an inferno that ended Japan’s hopes of reversing the tide of the war in the Philippines.
The victory at Surigao Strait, along with other engagements in the Leyte Gulf, sealed the fate of the Japanese fleet and opened the way for the liberation of the Philippines.
Remembering the Legacy
Eighty-one years later, the waves of Surigao Strait have long since stilled, but its depths still cradle the silent remains of that historic encounter—now resting places of brave men from both sides.
As officials, veterans, and youth stood together in this year’s commemoration, their shared message was clear: the lessons of war must strengthen the pursuit of peace.
“The Battle of Surigao Strait reminds us that the peace we enjoy today was bought with courage and sacrifice,” one official remarked. “Our task is to honor that legacy—not through conflict, but through unity and remembrance.”
As the floral wreaths drifted over the calm waters, the sound of waves replaced the thunder of guns that once roared across the strait. The ceremony closed with a renewed promise:
that Surigao will continue to honor its heroes by protecting the peace they gave their lives to win.
Theme: “Forging Peace, Sustaining Legacy”
A tribute to courage that endures — and peace that unites.