Mabalacat City College (MCC) initiated the transformation of the historic Kamikaze East Airfield in Brgy. Cacutud into a Peace Zone. This endeavor was inaugurated on the celebration of the International Day of Peace during National Peace Consciousness Month on 27 September 2023.
The Peace Zone at Kamikaze East Airfield is intended to symbolize reconciliation and harmony. The Kamikaze monument, a relic from World War 2, was shrouded with controversy about inadvertently glorifying past oppressors. MCC on the other hand, aimed to preserve historical lessons while promoting values of peace and unity among present and future generations.
MCC Peace Initiative kicked-off with planting of Peace Poles, each bearing messages of hope for peace in different languages. This symbolic act will become an annual tradition, with Peace Poles from global peace advocates joining in the future.
The event was attended by MCC Vice President for Global Relations, Opportunities, and Workforce Development Mr. Raymond John Vergara, Kayantabe Manager Carol Arboleda, Director of the Center for Community Research and Innovation James Darwin Lagman, and TSg. Michael B. Peñalosa. A Petition to Declare Kamikaze East Airfield as a Peace Zone was read, and the signing of the petition was led by MCC Student Supreme Council President Jessie Dela Pena, with various student organizations as witnesses.
MCC is certain that this petition will garner public support and eventually lead to legislative action by the Sangguniang Panglungsod. The ultimate vision is to transform Kamikaze East Airfield, once a symbol of conflict, into a testament to the shared commitment to peace—a legacy for future generations. This initiative also reaffirms the City Government's dedication to peace-building and its active membership in the World City Mayors for Peace organization.
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