Thelma Magturo was barely a year old when Japan attacked the Commonwealth of the Philipines in December, 1941. The United States had been transitioning the Philippine Islands to independence in a process drawn out over the preceding decades. In 1936 the U.S. had provided some funds to establish the Philippine Army. Facing growing concerns about Japan’s invasion of China and alignment with the Axis Powers, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued orders calling the Philippine troops into service for the United States in July of 1941.
By most accounts, the Philippine Army had been ill-equipped and poorly trained. Many of the troops did not speak the same languages. They were given old rifles, flimsy shoes, and insufficient quantities of helmets, gas masks, blankets, and other tools. Despite all this, Roosevelt asked the Filipinos to stand with the U.S. and fight alongside U.S. troops under Gen. Douglas MacArthur. Roosevelt restated the United States’ commitment to full independence for the Commonwealth.
In January of 1942, the Japanese army occupied Manila. Roosevelt ordered General MacArthur to withdraw in February. Filipino locals continued to resist the Japanese occupation. More than a million were killed. The U.S. would return in 1944 to fight until Japan’s surrender in August of 1945.
Thelma Magturo’s father, Major Dr. Jose Daluz Estrella, was one of the Filipino veterans of the war.
Philippine resistance movement propaganda, printed by the U.S. government
It was not just the events of the war, but the aftermath which would affect the course of Thelma Magturo’s life. In 1946, the U.S. Congress passed legislation to strip veteran recognition from the 250,000 people who’d fought with the U.S. They were even denied their right to become naturalized citizens.
In the 1990s, Magturo joined demonstrations and forums advocating for justice for Filipino World War II veterans. According to one obituary, “She provided rides and refreshments and was a constant presence at public forums and protest actions.”
Magturo worked with the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans, an organization that has gradually received some concessions from Congress, such as citizenship rights and some benefit payouts. Meanwhile, the numbers of the surviving World War II veterans have dwindled.
For Thelma Magturo, this work was a way to honor her father. “When I am with the veterans I feel that Papa is always on my side,” she said.
Magturo was also a passionate promoter of Filipino culture, teaching folkdance and organizing cultural events. Based on her obituaries from April 2019, she was a lively character who faced her terminal cancer diagnosis with an inspirational amount of courage.
“On November 5, 2017, Thelma posted a picture of herself on Facebook riding a mechanical bull, with this note: ‘At 77, a Filipina cowgirl. Hee Haw. I did it. Enjoy, today is the first day of my life. I live one day at a time. Every day is a new day to start and I like to explore. God be with us always and guide us through.’ The sign at the entrance to the bullpen said: ‘Ride at your own risk.'” – Thelma V. Estralla obituary, inquirer.net
Thelma’s recipe for “Embutido,” a sort of stuffed meatloaf, appears in the 1973 “Rosemary Hills International Community Cookbook” from Silver Spring Maryland. The book reflects the foodways of the DC-area I grew up in, with recipes for Peanut Stew from Ghana, Barfi from India, Arroz con Pescado from Guatemala, Gefilte Fish, and Chicken Nuggets.
Magturo declared that her Embutido goes good with ketchup, so I took the opportunity to use a beloved Fillipino condiment: spicy banana ketchup.
I’m not the best at understanding war, let alone writing about it. I was very touched by Thelma’s obituaries so hopefully I have done some justice to an issue that was important to her. I know I learned about a lot more than food. Once again.
Recipe:
- 1 kilogram ground pork
- 2 or native sausage, sliced chorizo
- 3 hard-boiled & sliced egg
- 1 raw egg
- sweet, sliced pickle
- 4 Tablespoon flour
- or broth stock
- pepper, black
- salt
Put together pork, raw egg, flour, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. On cheese cloth, spread this mixture and on it arrange pickles, hard boiled eggs and chorizo or sausage. Roll mixture into shape and wrap. Tie at both ends. Place in deep pan, cover with broth and simmer until done. When cooked, remove from fire and chill in refrigerator. Unwrap before serving. Slice. Catsup goes very well with this.
Recipe from “Rosemary Hills International Community Cookbook,” compiled by Gwendolyn Coffield and Juanita Hamby, 1973
