Raul Ilogon . LET me start with the story of a brave and heroic family in Cagayan de Oro. Their story was like the famous “Band of Brothers.” But, actually, the Hollywood movie pales in comparison with our local version -- not even close. The whole family was involved in the fight for home and freedom against the enemy. Furthermore, Hollywood only has three brothers. Ours were six siblings, including one girl. Those who were old enough to carry a gun joined the guerrilla movement while the younger ones were left to help stoke the fires of home. The parents were also active in logistical support and the little siblings helped in making bandages and warelated materials. I am talking about the courageous and heroic Tiano family. Yes, Tiano Brothers Street. Perhaps, to the present generation of Kagay-anon, Tiano Bros. is simply the name of a street. While older generations know the street was named after the three Tiano Brothers who died in the service of our country, not all of us know that there were six Tiano siblings who fought for our home and freedom. The six courageous Tiano siblings -- five male and a female, were the following:
  • Nestor - he died in the Battle of Bataan. Rolando, his brother who also fought in Bataan, knew of his death after the surrender. During the death march, a soldier who witnessed the death and burial told him about it.
  • Ronaldo - he fought in Bataan and survived the “Death March.” He was released from the Capas Concentration Camp and sent home wearing full Airforce uniform with instruction to report to the local Japanese headquarters. He did not. Instead, he joined the guerrilla movement organized by Maj. Angeles Limena in western Misamis Oriental. He was promoted to captain and was sent for training to Australia in a submarine by Col. Fertig. He died in a plane crash.
  • Apollo was a guerrilla officer and who fought actively. Towards the end of the war, he and my father volunteered in the 108th Expeditionary Forces that was sent to Dilopog for mopping up operations. He volunteered in the Korean war in 1950. Along with 700 Filipino soldiers, they fought bravely against the attacking 7,000 Chinese soldiers. They were left isolated and were exposed when other allied countries withdrew, but the  Filipino contingent fought on and successfully held the line. Apollo died fighting. In his honor, the camp was named after him. The Philippine Navy also named one of its vessels M/S Apollo Tiano.
  • Uriel actively fought as a sergeant in the guerrilla forces. He survived with a younger brother and an older sister, Jaime and Fe.
  • Jaime was only 15 years old when he joined. He was a private first class and was assigned to the medical corps but was involved in a running gunbattle when the Japanese attacked and burned the 120th Regimental hospital in Talacogon, Lugait, Misamis Oriental.
  • Fe Tiano, a registered nurse, was a lieutenant assigned as the lone nurse of 120th Regimental Hospital at Talacogon, Lugait, Misamis Oriental. She treated my father’s malaria and the only wound he got from the war that was not combatelated(rectal fistula).
Let me end with a quotation from the unpublished manuscript of my father, “Memoirs of a Guerrilla, the Barefoot Army”: “This is the story of the  Tianos -- brave and courageous, their battles are now part of history. While they went to war, their parents Emilia Bacarrisas and Leocadio Tiano and two sisters Ruth Pañares and Emily were left in Lapad (evacuation place in Alubijid now laguindingan ) to stoke the home fires burning.” More of our local World War II heroes in my next column.