Ludovico Arroyo Bañas

Ludovico Arroyo Bañas
Ludovico Arroyo Bañas, c. 1919, a pensionado at the US Naval Radio School in Cavite, Philippines.
Regional Telecommunications Superintendent,

Region IV (Panay, Negros, Romblon, Palawan)

In office
c. 1950's
Telecommunications Bureau in Manila, United States of America, Insular Government (Philippines)
In office
1919–1942
Civilian Employee Warning Service of the United States of America (Iloilo City Station)
In office
10 October 1941 – 2 January 1942
61st Signal Company of the of the 6th Military District of the USAFFE's Philippine Army
In office
2 January 1942 – 16 April 1942
61st Signal Company of the of the 6th Military District of the USAFFE's Philippine Army
In office
5 November 1942 – ---------
64thSignal Company of the of the 6th Military District of the USAFFE's Philippine Army
In office
--------- – end of World War II
Personal details
Born 16 January 1901(1901-01-16)
Died 29 July 1979(1979-07-29)
Iloilo City, Philippines
Spouse(s) Carmen Jalandoni Jover
Profession Telecommunications Superintendent, Soldier
Religion Roman Catholicism
Military service
Allegiance Philippines
United States of America
Commonwealth of the Philippines

Ludovico Arroyo Bañas (16 January 1901- 29 July 1979) was one of the pioneers in the history of Telecommunications in the Philippines[1] who, through his professional specialization and expertise, made an important contribution in the liberation of the Philippines during the World War II, in the field of communications.

Contents

Service in the Bureau of Telecommunications in the Philippines

During the American Regime, Ludovico Arroyo Bañas was chosen as one of the ten personnel of the American government telegraph service in the Philippines to compose the first and only group of Filipino pensionados who, in 1919, underwent advanced training in wireless telegraphy (radio), at the US Naval Radio School in Cavite. The training of the ten Filipinos was made possible through a special arrangement between the US Naval authorities in the Philippines and the Insular Government. To select the trainees, a special examination was conducted among the 398 students of the Post-Telegraph School.[2]

After the training, Bañas was appointed to the office of Assistant Radio Inspector and Radio Superintendent in Manila, until the World War II broke out in 1942.[3]

After serving the United States of Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) during the war, Bañas left the military service with the rank of Second Lieutenant, and went back to Telecommunications Bureau (this time under the Philippine Republic). Later, he became the Regional Superintendent of the Bureau of Telecommunications (BUTEL) in Region IV (Panay, Negros, Romblon, and Palawan), until the time of his retirement during the late 1950s.[4] He died in 1979.

Military Service during the World War II

At the beginning of the War (on 10 October 1941 ), Ludovico Arroyo Bañas was drafted in the Civilian Employee Warning Service of the United States of America (Iloilo City Station), under the command of Major Campbell. This task was short-lived for on 2 January 1942, he was inducted to the USAFFE, in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo by Lt. Col Crispen Gorriceta. From 4 January to 16 April 1942, he was assigned to the 61st Signal Company of the of the 6th Military District of the USAFFE's Philippine Army stationed in Sta. Barbara. Lt. Col Amos Francia, who was in command of the unit, disbanded his men on 17 April of that same year. That forced Bañas to go home to Banate, Iloilo, where he farmed his land.[5]

Lack of equipment, difficult terrain and undeveloped infrastructure made coordination of the groups of disbanded USAFFE forces nearly impossible, and for several months in 1942 all contact with Philippine resistance forces was lost. Communications were restored in November 1942 when the reformed Philippine 61st Infantry Division (Philippine Commonwealth) in Panay island, led by Colonel Macario Peralta, was reorganized.

Upon the reorganization of the 6th Military District in Panay, Ludovico Arroyo Bañas again joined the defense of his Country, and worked with Capt. Eliseo Espia in the 61st Signal Company of this Military Division (stationed in Passi, Iloilo), on the 5th of that month. Later, he was sent to the 64th Signal Company of the same Military District, under the Command of Lt. Col. Cesar Hechanova, where he served until the end of the war.[6]

2Lt Ludovico Arroyo Bañas made an important contribution to the US and Filipino forces during the war, in the field of communication. He was responsible in successfully making the first radio contact with the US War Department through the USAFFE command in Australia, months after the United States Armed Forces was disbanded in the Philippines. This first radio contact affirmed the continuous existence of Filipino resistance forces against the Japanese, thereby providing the joint and combined U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth military forces important data for the liberation of the Philippines.[7] This enabled the forwarding of intelligence regarding Japanese forces in the Philippines to SWPA command as well as consolidating the once sporadic guerrilla activities and allowing the guerrillas to help in the war effort.[8]

Family and Marriage

Ludovico was one of the three sons of Celestino Barboza Bañas and Francisca Arroyo, both were native and residents of Banate, Iloilo, Philippines. His siblings were Martin and Maximo. He was married to Carmen Jalandoni Jover - sister of Dominador Jalandoni Jover, who was Mayor of Iloilo City. The couple had seven daughters (Thelma, Alsina, Maja, Emma, Manajama, Nancy, and Francily) and a son (Richard).

References

  1. ^ Federico A. Oquindo and Rafael R. Oquindo, History of the Philippine Telecommunications Industry (cf. http://www.angelfire.com/pq/telecommunications/). N. B. Federico A. Oquindo was a senior executive assistant and head of the Public Information Office of the National Telecommunications Commission, prior to his retirement from Philippine Gevernment Service in 1998.
  2. ^ Federico A. Oquindo and Rafael R. Oquindo, History of the Philippine Telecommunications Industry (cf. http://www.angelfire.com/pq/telecommunications/).
  3. ^ Officer's and Warrant Officer's Qualification Card of 2Lt. Ludovico Arroyo Bañas O-26746 PA, dated 27 March 1946, signed by 1Lt Quirico Mijares INF. The Document can be found in the Non-current Records of the Office of the Adjutant General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
  4. ^ Federico A. Oquindo and Rafael R. Oquindo, History of the Philippine Telecommunications Industry (cf. http://www.angelfire.com/pq/telecommunications/).
  5. ^ Affidavit H18179, 6th Military District, Unit Number T-8, Province of Iloilo (for USAFFE Guerilla), dated 9 January 1946, signed at OTC, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo, Philippines by 2Lt Samuel L. Bell O-1329677, Summary Court Officer, US Processing Team No. 8. The Document can be found in the Non-current Records of the Office of the Adjutant General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
  6. ^ Affidavit H18179, 6th Military District, Unit Number T-8, Province of Iloilo (for USAFFE Guerilla), dated 9 January 1946, signed at OTC, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo, Philippines by 2Lt Samuel L. Bell O-1329677, Summary Court Officer, US Processing Team No. 8. The Document can be found in the Non-current Records of the Office of the Adjutant General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
  7. ^ This was the testimony of retired Col. Eliseo S. Espia PA (the Capt. Eliseo S. Espia, with whom 2Lt Bañas worked during the war) in an interview made by Capt John Bañas Brillantes, at Col. Espia's home near Gate 6, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Q.C., on 4 March 2007. That time, the World War II Veteran was already 87 years old, but was still lucid in his judgment and memory, and could still walk.
  8. ^ Dolan 1991-21

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