Legacies for Valor
Yul receiving the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal from U.S. Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson, with DND Senior Undersecretary Irineo C. Espino, DND Undersecretary for Civil, Veterans, and Reserve Affairs Pablo M. Lorenzo, PVAO Administrator Undersecretary Reynaldo B. Mapagu, Senior Defense Attaché and Chief of JUSMAG Philippines Col. Edward R. Evans, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office Representative Hung Vi Dinh, and FILVETREP Executive Committee Member Bing Cardenas Branigin.
January 27, 2025. Veterans Bank’s OIC Eulogio “Yul” V. Catabran III was among the 43 distinguished awardees who proudly received the US Congressional Gold Medal Award, the highest honor bestowed by the United States Congress to WWII veterans. Yul accepted the prestigious recognition on behalf of his late grandfather, Eulogio B. Catabran, a WWII veteran. The award is a tribute to the extraordinary bravery and selfless sacrifices of Filipino soldiers who fought alongside Allied forces during World War II.
The ceremony signifying the enduring gratitude of both nations for the heroism and sacrifices of WWII veterans was led by MaryKay Carlson, US Ambassador to the Philippines, with Irineo C. Espino, DND Senior Undersecretary; Reynaldo B. Mapagu DND Undersecretary and PVAO Administrator; Franco Nemesio M. Lorenzo, DND Undersecretary; and Hung Dinh, US Veterans Affairs representative.
Co-presenter at the event was Bing Cardenas Branigin, Executive Director of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP), a national organization whose mission is to obtain recognition for Filipino and American WWII soldiers for their wartime service during WWII.
Among the honorees were eight ( 8 ) living veterans; Sergeant Lucia V. Isnani (95 y/o), Private Paula R. Rolle (96 y/o), Private First Class Cresencia C. Pasion (96 y/o), Corporal Geronimo A. Decano (98 y/o), Private Filipinas P. Romero (100y/o), Private First Class Laly E. Perez (100 y/o), Private Virginia L. Lagasca (101 y/o), and Sergeant Mauro P. Antolin (103 y/o).
Additionally, 35 veterans were posthumously recognized, represented by their families.; BGen. Jose G. Syjuco Sr, BGen. Antonio G. Tamayo, Colonel Marcos R. Rosales, Colonel Daniel C. Lantion, LTC. Jacinto G. Barinos, Major Ricardo L. Madamba, Captain Enrique T. Galan, 1LT. Eugenio S. Santiago Sr. 2LT. Juanito C. Quita, 2LT. Esteban R. Ramos, 2LT. Justiniano V. Lambatin, 2LT. Amadeo L. Lanuza, MSgt. Augusto G. Alipalo, F/Sgt. Manuel S. Pajarillo, TSgt. Pablo G. Clemente, SSgt. Sotero B. Esperon, SSgt. Froilan P. Pobre, Corporal Tomas R. Landicho, Cpl. Salvador A. Bolicano, Corporal Jose DC. Salona, Corporal Apolonio B. Isip, Cpl. Martin D. Desuloc, Corporal Rosauro C. Julio, Corporal Juan A. Agapito, Corporal Salvador C. Quita, PFC. Perpetuo M. Abaricia, PFC. Victoriano B. Bernal, PFC. Alfonso B. Toribio, Private Ciriaco E. San Rafael, Private Jose M. Igloria, Private Cresencio A. Pasion, PVT. Norberto C. Duldulao, Private Amador C. Quita, Private Eulogio B. Catabran, and Colonel Narciso L Manzano.
OIC Yul V. Catabran, III (center) shares a proud moment with U.S. Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson and Col. Edward R. Evans
Yul with DND USec and PVAO Administrator Reynaldo B. Mapagu and Atty. Federico A. Manalo of PVB’s Veterans Affairs Office.
