Hukbalahap’s Heroes Immortalized in Pampanga
A life-size monument, the first of its kind, honoring Luis Taruc and his fellow Hukbalahap freedom fighters was unveiled at the Garden of Peace Memorial Park in Sta. Monica, Pampanga.
The monument pays tribute to the valiant efforts of the Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon (Hukbalahap), or Huks, in their resistance against the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II.
The monument features three concrete statues, depicting Taruc, Antonio Sumang, and 96-year-old Praxedes Clarin, one of the nine surviving Huks.
Local businessman Abel Manliclic commissioned sculptor Josef Andre Canasa Layug for the project. Layug expressed his gratitude and shared how the project deepened his appreciation for the contributions of the Huks to the peace currently enjoyed in the country.
Robby Tantingco, director of the Center for Kapampangan Studies at Holy Angel University, highlighted the significance of recognizing the Huks, whose contributions have often been overshadowed by the valor of Filipino and American soldiers in World War II narratives.