BOHOL EXPERIENCE . . . In Honor of Maj. Rustico Luga

THE BOHOL EXPERIENCE

The Bohol Experience, were people are empowered to govern,
was an illusive dream that our forefathers and their descendants
continued to fight for . . . for generations.

"We the veterans, are already old, but before we die, there is only one wish that I am asking from God. Even though we have no money to leave behind because we are poor, we do wish that before we go to our final resting ground, we can see that you who are left behind can enjoy the fruits of the freedom we have been hoping for."

GEN. MATEO NORIEL LUGA

IN HONOR OF MAJOR RUSTICO LUGA

[Maj. Rustico Luga with children on his 94th Birthday]

Maj. Rustico Luga is the son of Gregorio Luga, the cousin of Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga, who together with Manalo organized the Katipunan in Cebu and Bohol when Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga was sent to Cebu by the First Philippine Republic as the military adviser of the Philippine Government in Cebu and Visayas, per se. Gregorio helped organized the Katipuneros and the Philippine Military in Bohol. He and his family settled in Hininobanga after the Fil-am War. He regularly visits Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga in Sagay, Negros Oriental after the war and even after Mateo left the Philippine Scout because he cannot accept the U.S. foreign policies being imposed in the Philippines by the United States. Gregorio, later settled at Hinobanga, Bohol, then left for Davao. While Mateo joined the Register of Deeds for the titling of lands in Negros under the Torrens System, he did not enriched himself despite the position he held. Mateo settled in Sagay , Negros Oriental, he has three children with Ruperta Valdez Luga, Maria, Jose and Emilio, Senior. On the other hand, Gregorio settled for a while in Bohol, it is where most of his lineage can be traced in Hinobanga, Bohol. Some are from Tanjay and San Carlos, Negros Oriental, where he usually stay and regularly passes by, whenever he visits Mateo. He has five children in Bohol many of whom, however, migrated to Davao, Jimmy Luga are some of Greogorio's grandchildren. Gregorio has five children in Bohol, the youngest was Rustico Luga, who joined the Philippine Army and when our country was invaded by the Japanese Imperial Forces, Rustico joined the guerilla movement after US fled the Philippines. He helped organized the Marking's Fil-American Forces as G-3, the one in charge of operations. Their mission is to identify placements of Japanese Forces and its assets and to conduct sabotage operations to pave a way for the Liberation of the Philippines. The Markings, Fil-Am Forces was so succesful that when the US Forces landed in the Philippines, the Japanese Imperial Forces were already neutralized in Bicol Region and the Southern part of Luzon.

It is but fitting to honor MAJ. RUSTICO LUGA for the heroism he displayed for the Freedom of our country from the Japanese Imperial Forces. Recently, Maj. Rustico Luga, celebrated his 94th Anniversary with his love ones and relatives. It is but fitting to honor one of the forgotten Hero of World War II, who played an important role, together with Fil-Am Forces, to Liberate Bicol, the entire Region V and Southern Luzon per se from the Japanese Imperial Forces - for his deeds to live in the hearts and minds of our future generation . . . [The offsprings of the "Ybanag Tribal Warriors", from Isabela, Negros, Bohol, Davao and the United Sates of America honoring Maj. Rustico Luga, the "Markings Fil-Am Forces, USAFFE, WW II. NOTE: The person in yellow at farthest right [Roland, a doctor, came with his father and wife. We haven't had a chance to take the pictures of their family because their arrival was delayed because of traffic. They came in all the way from Pangasinan, pardon us . . . ]. The 3rd person from far right of Ronald , beside Engr. Tony Luga, are the Luga Clan from Pangasinan, the father of Ronald is the offspring of Manolo Luga who was with Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga and Gregorio Luga, during the Spanish American and Fil-American War. It was Manolo who made it back to Luzon after the Fil-Am War. Manolo settled in Pangasinan, where most of his descendants can be traced, others are now in Cagayan Valley and Ilocos Region.) [Maj. Rustico Luga with daughter, Carol Luga Tsaousis and son, Spiro and Pastor Mar.]

[After the Grand Reunion of the Luga Clan during the 75th Death Anniversary of Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga, Engr. Tony Luga, the offspring of Vicente Luga, brother of Mateo Noriel Luga, representing the Cagayan, Ilocos Region and Luzon; Roy, the 4th generation direct descendant of Mateo Noriel representing the Mateo Noriel Luga side with Maj. Rustico Luga; and Jimmy Luga, representing the offspring of Gregorio's descendants in Mindanao, once again met. The person at far right in the son of Engr. Tony Luga]