Today in History : January 9th

On this date in...

1945: The United States Army begins landing on Lingayen Gulf, 107 miles from Manila, in Luzon island under Operation Mike 1 in the bid to retake the Philippines from Japan during World War II. The Japanese fought desperately, street by street, to hold the city.

1973: The Supreme Court ordained the integration of the Philippine Bar. The IBP Constitution and By-Laws shortly followed. Then recently-retired Supreme Court Associate Justice J.B.L. Reyes was named as the first Chairman of the IBP in 1973. He served in that capacity until 1975, and was the Chairman emeritus for the remainder of his life. Reyes had been a longtime proponent of bar integration in the Philippines.

2006: Gulong ng Palad, Philippine 50's radio drama series and 1980s soap opera hit, came back in television under the direction of Eric Salud and Jerome Pobocan.

2008: Gov. Amado Espino, Jr. and Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas institutionalized the commemoration to honor the war veterans. The resolution named January 9 as Pangasinan Veterans’ Day. In the 63rd anniversary commemoration of the Lingayen Gulf Landing, President Fidel Ramos appealed to US President George W. Bush for 24,000 surviving war veterans, to pass two legislative bills pending since 1968 at the US House of Representatives – the Filipino Veterans’ Equity Act of 2006 and the Filipino Veterans’ Equity of 2005 sponsored by former Senator Daniel Inouye.