boy scouts of the philippines

Scouting was introduced in the Philippines by the Americans as early as 1910. However, the earliest recorded all-Filipino troop was organized in Zamboanga by a young second lieutenant by the name of Sherman L. Kiser through the sponsorship of Mrs. Caroline S. Spencer, an American widow who was in the Philippines to do works of charity with the people of Sulu in 1914. 

In 1923, the Philippine Council BSA was formed through the efforts of the Rotary Club of Manila mainly to launch Scouting as a nationwide movement and provide guidance to the troops which had been independently organized throughout the country. Eventually, through the issuance of Commonwealth Act No. 111 by then President Manuel L. Quezon on October 31, 1936, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines was established as a public corporation tasked to, according to Section 3 of the law - "to promote through organization and cooperation with other agencies, the ability of boys to do things for themselves and others, to train them in Scout craft, and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred virtues, using the methods which are in common use by Boy Scouts."

The photo shows a statue in memoriam to the Filipino boy scouts who perished in a plane crash on on July 28, 1963. The ill-fated plane carried 52 passengers and eight crewmembers. Among the passengers were 24 Filipino boy scouts and scout officials en route to the 11th World Jamboree in Marathon, Greece.

The boy scouts who died in the plane crash: from the Manila BS Council: Ramon V. Albano, Henry Chuatoco, Jose Antonio Delgado, Pedro Gandia, Wilfredo Santiago and Ascario Tuason, Jr. From the Quezon City BS Council: Roberto Castro, Romeo R. Rallos and Rogelio Ybardolaza. Felix Fuentebella, Jr., represented both the Manila and Goa, Camarines Sur BS Councils. The rest of the scouts: Victor de Guia, Jr. (Baguio City), Antonio Limbaga (Zamboanga City), Roberto Lozano (Dagupan City), Paulo Madriñan (Pasay City), Jose Fermin Magbanua (Negros Oriental), Filamor Reyes and Antonio Torillo (Cavite) and Benecio Tobias (Tarlac).

On April 24, 1964, the City Council of Quezon City renamed streets in the Kamuning and Roxas Districts after the 24 scouts and scouters.