Interview with Bening. Bienvenida Lim Dawang (Daoang), second world war veteran, wife of a second world war soldier, American immigrant (1954), resident of Dau, Pampanga during the 1950s.
WWII survivor and wife of a Philippine Army soldier, Bienvenida Daoang briefly recalls her husband’s career as a storekeeper and life on the military base. She concedes to harboring feelings of animosity towards the Huk due to ethnic and linguistic differences, as well as opposition to their embrace of communism, seen as the antithesis to democracy. However, Daoang also reveals that she had no direct contact with Huk members or their leaders, as she was geographically far removed from Luzon, the epicenter of Huk operations. She notes that life near the base was insular, peaceful and that she did not notice significant differences between the Quirino and Magsaysay administrations. Lacking much contact with the locals or American soldiers, she surmises that the military was generally viewed positively.
Interview with Bening. Bienvenida Lim Dawang (Daoang), second world war veteran, wife of a second world war soldier, American immigrant (1954), resident of Dau, Pampanga during the 1950s.
Interview conducted 22 February 2020 at UC Davis Medical Center and Nursing School, Sacramento, California.
B: We didn’t like the Huks because they were communists. Huk guerillas didn’t reach Visayas. We didn’t like them because they’re from the different ethnic group; they speak a different dialect.
V: What year did you stay in Clarkfield or Dau?
B: Okay, year. Ina was born in 46 (1947). We left Catbalogan (Samar) in ’47 in February. We stayed in Nichols field for a while and then we went to Clark Field and my second son was born. My husband stayed for a while after he was … not really… *pauses* He qualified for a storekeeper because of the abuse, you know, Pinoys back then… they were low-grade scholars. He didn’t qualify for a civil service schooling. He only stayed for schooling… So, soldiers who qualified took over.
V: What is your name? An enlisted personnel, am I right? Did he go to military schooling?
B: He joined the Army after the war. The first Filipino regiment they went to Samar and Leyte. They did not fight Japanese too much. They were just mopping up. The first ones who came were Americans, Filipinos came later. Filipinos were just mopping up.
V: That’s what they said when McArthur arrived in the Philippines. What was your daily life in Clark like?
B: Same thing. As usual. We lived outside the base. We go there for medical. We buy stuff there in commissary.
V: Were you threatened by the Huk?
B: We were strangers there. We don’t speak the dialect.
V: You had no encounter with the Huks? Did they attack your community?
B: Nothing happened.
V: What sort of news you heard about the existence of Huks?
B: Not much. We didn’t see them. They were in Luzon, while we were in Samar.
V: When you were in Dau, did Quirino or Magsaysay mention anything about communist invasion?
B: We didn’t like it. There was not much. They didn’t like the Huks…but after a while he surrendered too. Look up his name.
V: Luis Taruc.
B: Who? Taruc! I didn’t see him.
V: But do you think he’s a good person? Or so because you never met him?
B: I don’t know, because I never met him. But he was a communist… so it’s not the… It’s against democracy. But people there, when we were there, they were very nice. Although we don’t go out especially at night.
V: What about the soldiers stationed in Clark? Were they good to the people?
B: I don’t have any complaint about the soldiers there. We only go there... going to the… PA, and commissary.
V: What do you remember about the military? Do they have a good reputation or bad?
B: To us? Good reputation.
V: People respect the military?
B: Some.
V: What was their comments/complaints of the military?
B: We didn’t communicate outside in Dau, Pampanga.
V: What was the large picture of the military back then? Why do they hate the military? Just thinking perhaps military was evolving, Filipino or Americans, was there a time military men were perceived as protector of the people?
B: I didn’t know. I had little the contact with the Americans… very little. Minimal contact with soldiers.
V: But do you approve the administration of Quirino or Magsaysay back then? Or not at all?
B: There’s not much difference when we were there and when we leave…. Ah I know some people who don’t like. Always does. There were two sides. For us, to me there was nothing different.
V: But if you will compare Magsaysay or Quirino, who do you think is better?
B: I think Magsaysay is better.
V: In what sense?
B: I don’t know.
V: But of course, you have the reason to like him.
B: I don’t know... how’s, what’s the difference… because we, there was not much contact with Filipinos and the government back then.
Interviewer: Veronica Sison
Interviewee: Bienvenida Daoang
Transcript Notes
None
To what extent is the “threat” of the Huks real, and/or perceived?
How does Daoang’s positionality shape her testimony and view of the Huks?
What does Daoang’s testimony suggest about the process of knowledge production about the Huks, the communist threat, and the Cold War itself in the Philippines?