MANILA, Philippines – In time for the celebration of the Scout Memorial Day on Sunday, July 28, a new memorial to honor Filipino boy scouts was unveiled at the North Cemetery.

According to Arthur Tuason, president of the 11th World Jamboree Memorial Foundation (11th WJMFI), a Scout Memorial Hall and Wall of Remembrance will be constructed at the Ala-Ala Mausoleum “to pay homage to all Filipino Scouts and Scouters who have outstandingly served the ideals of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP).

The Scout Memorial Hall will be an open-sided building with 7 pillars, each representing the founders of the BSP. It will also have a stage, a campfire display at the center, and a salakot as roof.

Meanwhile, the Scout Wall of Remembrance will be a marble wall engraved with the names of the honored dead – past BSP chief scouts, presidents, executives, Medals of Bravery and Gallantry awardees, and the 24 Scouts and Scouters who perished in a horrific plane crash while on their way to the 11th Jamboree in Greece in 1963.

The unveiling of the new memorial coincides with the 50th death anniversary of these 24 scouts and scouters. The Scout Memorial Hall and Wall of Remembrance will be constructed beside their current memorial in the cemetery.

Tuason said the BSP will need to raise P7 million to construct the new memorial complex.

‘In death, they became heroes’

Vice President Jejomar Binay – also the BSP President – honored the 24 scouts in the ceremony, saying that “in death, they became heroes; in death, they have become larger than life.”

On July 28, 1963, the Egypt Air jet plane carrying the Philippine delegation to the 11th World Scout Jamboree crashed at the Bay of Bombay as it approached the airport in Mumbai, India for a stopover.

Twenty Boy Scouts, aged 13 to 21, and 4 scoutmasters died in the tragic accident that shook the whole nation. They were:

• Scouts Ramon Albano, Gabriel Nicolas Borromeo, Henry Chuatoco, Jose Antonio Delgado, Felix Fuentebella, Jr., Pedro Gandia, Jr., Wilfredo Santiago and Ascario Tuason, Jr. of the Manila Boy Scouts Council (BSC)
• Scouts Patricio Bayoran, Jr. and Paulo Madriñan of Pasay BSC
• Scouts Roberto Castor, Romeo Rafael Rallos and Rogelio Ybardaloza of Quezon City BSC
• Scout Victor de Guia, Jr. of Baguio BSC
• Scout Antonio Limbaga of Zamboanga BSC
• Scout Roberto Lozano of Dagupan BSC
• Scout Jose Fermin Magbanua of Negros Oriental BSC
• Scouts Filamer Reyes and Antonio Torillo of Cavite BSC
• Scout Benicio Tobias of Tarlac BSC
• Scoutmaster Dr. Bonifacio Lazcano
• Asst. Scoutmaster Librado Fernandez
• Asst. Scoutmaster and Chaplain Rev. Fr. Jose Martinez
• Asst. Scoutmaster Florante Ojeda

Several markers have also been erected in their honor, most notably the 11th World Jamboree Memorial Rotonda in Timog Avenue, Quezon City.

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“We don’t have to die in order to become heroes. As Scouts, we can be heroes simply by being responsible citizens,” he said.

Relatives of the 24 fallen scouts – among them 11th WJMFI Chairman Herminia Santiago-Vitug, Camarines Sur Rep. William Fuentebella, and director Eric “Kidlat Tahimik” de Guia – also attended the event.

In 1988, president Corazon Aquino declared July 28 of every year as Scout Memorial Day. – Rappler.com