The Day of Valor, officially known as Araw ng Kagitingan, is a national observance in the Philippines that commemorates the fall of Bataan to Japanese troops during World War II.

[4] The majority of these prisoners of war had their belongings confiscated before being forced to endure the infamous 140-kilometer (87 mi) Bataan Death March to Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac.

En route, thousands died from dehydration, heat prostration, untreated wounds, and wanton execution while walking in deep dust over vehicle-broken Macadam roads, and crammed into rail cars for transport to captivity.

[5] The few who were lucky enough to travel by truck to San Fernando, Pampanga would still have to endure more than 25 miles (40 km) of additional marching.

[6] Only 54,000 of the 76,000 prisoners (66,000 Filipinos and 10,000 Americans) reached their destination;[7] the exact death toll is difficult to assess because thousands of captives were able to escape from their guards.

The order referred to the holiday celebrated on the Monday nearest April 9 as "Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan and Corregidor Day)".

It is usually attended by the President of the Philippines, the Governor of Bataan, the ambassadors of the United States and Japan, and surviving veterans groups.

Japanese ambassador to the Philippines Toshina Urabe expressed "deep apology and a deep sense of remorse to the tragedy", while the United States Deputy Chief of Mission Leslie A. Bassett (representing U.S. ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr.) said that their embassy has provided a total of US$220 million (over ₱9 billion) to Filipino war veterans.