ACCLAIMED Kagay-anon writer and director Bani Logroño, most notably known for his award-winning World War II documentaries, is scheduled to return to this city next week as part of a campaign to inspire and educate the youth about the country’s heroes.
Working with the production team Spyron-AV Manila, Logroño’s documentaries are brought to various schools, universities and organizations around the world for young students to learn about their nearly forgotten history of the Philippines during World War II.
Logroño’s 54-minute documentary “Unsurrendered 2: The Hunters ROTC Guerrillas” has gained acclaim and recognition in various film festivals around the world, including New Zealand, Indonesia, Canada, and Hollywood.
Filipino historians and professors have hailed the film as the best World War II documentary about the Philippines.
At 24 years old, Logroño is one of the youngest directors in the Philippines to advocate World War II history.
Not many are aware that the young director was born in Cagayan de Oro City in 1992 and went to school at Xavier University until his family moved to the US in 1999.
His works reaped awards like the Golden Award, World Documentary Awards, Jakarta, Indonesia 2016; Best Documentary Feature Film, Kiwi International Film Festival, New Zealand, 2016; Royal Reel Award, Canada International Film Festival, Vancouver 2016; International Documentary Award, Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Fest, Hollywood 2015.
Logroño’s “Unsurrendered 2: The Hunters ROTC Guerrillas” would be shown at the Ayala Centrio Cinemas from March 14 to March 17 at 8 am and 10 am, as a component program of the 75th Diamond Jubilee of Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s Breakout from Corregidor to Australia (via Cagayan, Misamis and Dicklum, Tankulan, Manolo Fortich).
The 53-minute biopic documentary is about how an ordinary college student, Emmanuel V. de Ocampo, became one of the fiercest guerrilla leaders in the Philippines during World War II.
De Ocampo was only an 18-year old ROTC cadet when he joined the Hunters ROTC Guerrillas in the mountains of Antipolo during World War II.
Together with his equally young and talented comrades, they stole firearms from their enemies and fought against the Imperial Japanese invaders through all of Southern Luzon.
De Ocampo himself stood out as a fierce combatant and an inspirational guerrilla leader in many of his battles and operations.
Eventually, de Ocampo rose to the rank of colonel and became the commander of the 47th Hunters ROTC Division. He became responsible for liberating many of the towns and areas in Batangas, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, and Manila.
He defeated many of the strongest Japanese forces in the Philippines, including the Japanese Imperial Marines in the Battle of Fort Mckinley and Nichols Field, and the Fuji Forces in the Battle of Mount Malepunyo.
After the war, de Ocampo continued to serve the country by fighting for the welfare of World War II veterans. He would continue to care for them until he passed away on Dec. 26, 2015.
But even after his death, his legacy lives on, as his stories of valor continue to inspire future generations to emulate his unwavering courage and patriotism for the country and its people. (pr)
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