The Boy Scouts of the Philippines Negros Oriental -Siquijor Council celebrated the life and heroism of 1st Class Scout Jose Fermin “Jojo” G. Magbanua, who was among the 20 Filipino Boy Scouts, aged 14 to 21 years old, who died with their four Scoutmasters when their plane crashed on July 28, 1963 in the Bay of Bombay in India, while on their way to represent the country in the 11th World Jamboree in Greece.
The BSP awardees this year include: Ernest Anderson Andres, Kish Samuel de Jesus, Dale Andrew Dy, Kylle Xander Gutang, Vince Lewyll Herrera, Milnee Ronan Larena, and Christian James Zerna.
Rover Scout Josefino Larena Jr. this year’s guest speaker who said that the values of Scout Jojo Magbanua like bravery, courage, and love of country live on in the lives of every BSP awardee.
The 59th Scout Memorial Day and Scout Jose Fermin G. Magbanua Day were held at the Magbanua grave site at the Dumaguete Memorial Park, celebrated together with the Girl Scouts of the Philippines Negros Oriental-Siquijor Council, the Department of Interior & Local Government- Negros Oriental, the Negros Oriental History & Heritage Society, Silliman University Church, and the Negros Oriental Arts & Culture office.
National Scout hero Jojo Magbanua is the son of the late Juanito & Monserrat Magbanua. The memory of Jojo Magbanua and other Scouts is immortalized in Quezon City with the 11th World Scout Jamboree Memorial Rotonda, around which the streets are named after the Boy Scouts who perished in the plane crash: Scout Albano, Scout Bayoran, Scout Borromeo, Scout Castor, Scout Chuatoco, Scout de Guia, Scout Delgado, Scout Fuentebella, Scout Gandia, Scout Limbaga, Scout Lozano, Scout Madriñan, Scout Magbanua, Scout Rallos, Scout Reyes, Scout Santiago, Scout Tobias, Scout Torillo, Scout Tuason, and Scout Ybardolaza. (PR)
