Love saved Vigan's ancestral Spanish houses during World War II

VIGAN CITY, March 15 – Did you know that love was the reason the Spanish ancestral homes in Vigan, which were declared as world heritage site by the United Nations Education Scientific Cultural Organizations (UNESCO), were saved from total destruction during World War II?

This was answered in a one-hour, 45-minute stage play shown here last March 12 as part of the celebration of national Womens Month this March.

The "zarzuela" paid tribute to the heroism of two women, who were instrumental in the salvation of the Spanish ancestral houses from possible destruction during World War II.

The stage play entitled "Babae ng Digmaan" was produced by the Vigan City government led by Mayor Eva Marie Singson-Medina, and was performed by talented local artists, all from Ilocos Sur.

The zarzuela was shown at the Vigan Culture and Trade Center (VCTC), witnessed by a special guest, Mrs. Emiko Narioka-Lim, the only child of Japanese soldier officer Major Sakae Narioka and Belen Castillo, a native of Vigan.

Local historian Damaso King said that during the Liberation of Luzon, the Americans wanted to bomb Vigan because of the presence of the Japanese. But the bombing was aborted and redirected to another place because Fr. Joseph Klecamf, SVD, then parish priest of Vigan, told the Americans that there were no more Japanese soldiers in the area.

King added that Klecamf was requested by two Japanese officers, Majors Fujiro Takahashi and Sakae Narioka, not to allow Vigan to be bombed as the families of Japanese soldiers were living there.

Takahashi was married to Filipina Adela Tolentino, also from Vigan.

The Americans heeded the call of Fr. Klecamf not to bomb Vigan, thus the town was saved from total destruction.

Mayor Singson-Medina said the production and showing of "Babae ng Digmaan" was an expression of the gratitude of the city government of Vigan to the family of Major Sakae and Belen Narioka.

Mrs. Emiko Narioka-Lim, the only child of Major and Mrs. Narioka graced the event and joined the people of Vigan in the tribute to her parents, whose love story spared Vigan from the destruction during World War II, the lady mayor said.

Mayor Medina thanked Mrs. Emiko NariokaLim for gracing the show.

Thank you for gracing the showing of Babae ng Digmaan as we pay tribute to Belen, your mother, and all the women of the war who stood on the side of the men in the fight for survival and freedom, she said.

The mayor said the making of the stageplay drama took months of research and rehearsals with selected local drama artists in the province as actors and actresses.

The mayor also thanked writer and director Sonny Cristobal, composer Ato Del Rosario, the talented performers and technical crew.

"This event has made our womens month celebration in Vigan doubly significant. While we have reaped gains in governance and renowned worldwide as a UNESCO world heritage site, we shall forever be grateful to the parents of Emiko whose love for God, family and Vigan has triumphed over adversities saving our city from the destruction of war, she added. LAP/LAM/lvm/FGL/rma