ILOILO — The site where Japanese forces in Panay Island formally surrendered to American troops at the end of World War II will soon be formally marked as a place of national historical significance.
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) set to unveil a historical marker at the Tiring Landing Strip in Cabatuan town.
Now part of the runway of the Iloilo International Airport, the Tiring Landing Strip was the location where Japanese forces under Lieutenant Colonel Ryoichi Tozuka surrendered to American forces on September 2, 1945 — a pivotal moment in the Liberation of Panay.
In a letter dated February 6, 2026 NHCP executive director III Carminda Arevalo informed Acting Civil Aviation Area Manager Engr. Diego Eric Abecendario of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Area Center 6 about the commission’s decision to recognize the site.
“We are pleased to inform you that the NHCP has recognized the national historical significance of Tiring Landing Strip through the proposed installation of a historical marker in Cabatuan, Iloilo. The marker stands as a symbol of the nation’s recognition of the historical worth of the site for all to see and value,” Arevalo wrote.
The NHCP, the local government unit of Cabatuan, and CAAP are currently coordinating the schedule for the unveiling ceremony.
Cabatuan mayor Elizalde Pueyo welcomed the recognition, describing it as a source of pride for the municipality and a reaffirmation of its commitment to heritage preservation.
“On behalf of the Municipality of Cabatuan, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for the recognition of the historical significance of the Tiring Landing Strip through the proposed installation of a historical marker. We are deeply honored by this acknowledgement, as it not only brings pride to our municipality but also reinforces our commitment to preserving and promoting our rich heritage for future generations,” Pueyo said in a letter.
Constructed in 1942, the airstrip was originally accessible through Barangay Tiring in Cabatuan — from which it derived its name. Although initially built by American forces, it was later used by Japanese troops during their occupation of Iloilo before being recaptured by Allied forces during the Liberation of Panay.
Today, access to the airport is through Barangay Duyan-Duyan, also in Cabatuan, but the runway still traces its roots to the historic Tiring Landing Strip — now poised to be permanently recognized as a symbol of the province’s wartime history./PN
