Boy Scouts of the Philippines

BSP immortalizes young WWII hero


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Oscar Joson was a young Scout when World War II broke out on December 8, 1941. He would have been 12 or 13 years old.

Traffic was very heavy in Balanga, Bataan, and the USAFFE soldiers were retreating and reforming at more advantageous points, so Scouts from the Civilian Emergency Administration directed the traffic at the Town Plaza. Scout Joson was assigned to the day shift of traffic management, and rested at night.

It was New Year's Day, a Sunday, when Japanese planes strafed Balanga. Oscar Joson and another Scout from Troop 8 of Balanga were to attend to traffic duty that day; however, his partner would be moving house. Thus, Scout Joson was the only one to man the traffic post.

On Jan.1, 1942, at 1:30 PM, the planes returned and bombed Balanga once more. Despite advance warning that the planes were coming, Joson thought of the vital importance of the army to national resistance. He stuck to his post and kept his calm, directing traffic until a bomb landed near the Balanga marker, a big clay pot, only a few meters from where Scout Joson was directing the retreat. He was hit by shrapnel in the head and one of his arms was nearly severed. He died on the spot beside the traffic island.

Scout Oscar Joson, wearing full Scout colors, was buried the following day, Monday, January 2, 1942 at the Balanga Cemetery. The American and Filipino forces, due to Scout Joson's presence of mind and sacrifice, lived to defend the country.

In 1946, the National Court of Honor of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines posthumously presented to Scout Joson the Gold Medal of Honor befitting his gallantry and selflessness.

Today, 66 years later after his death, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines will immortalize the young hero by naming a special award of the Search for the Ten Outstanding Boy Scouts of the Philippines after him.

A brainchild of the Ten Outstanding Boy Scouts of the Philippines Association, the Gawad Oscar Joson will be handed to one of the 26 finalists of the Coca-Cola Export-sponsored Search for the Ten Outstanding Boy Scouts of the Philippines.

The winner will be chosen for his involvement or for initiating projects that have impact or benefit members of the community. The project must be characterized by ingenuity, resourcefulness and personal sacrifices in project implementation.

The winner will receive a medal, Certificate of Recognition and a cash prize of P5,000.00 from the TOBSPA in addition to the prices he will receive from Coca-Cola as finalist of the Search.

The winner may not necessarily be from the top 10 of the 26 finalists.

Awarding Ceremonies will be held on Oct. 26, as one of the highlights of the announcement of the Search for the Ten Outstanding Boy Scouts to be held at Mt. Makiling, Los Baños, Laguna.

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