NAIA Terminal 3 is a (literally) hot mess and it deserves it's reputation as being one of the worst in the world. But we already have an alternative. #Philippines#AirTravel
I have nothing against him. There are meanings behind road names, and “Lawton Ave” is not a positive meaning since the US transferred control of the camp to the Philippines.
The camp was originally known as “Fort William McKinley”. It was established in 1901 during the Philippine-American War.
Henry Ware Lawton was killed during the Philippine-American War, and thus, it is understandable it was named after him.
However, after the war and the #US occupation of the #Philippines, the connection of the name started to, allow me to say, “degrade”.
By 1949-05-14, the US officially transferred control of the camp to the Philippines, and it was renamed to “Fort Bonifacio”, in honour of the #Filipino hero, war veteran, first revolutionary general, and the founder of #KKK, Gat Andres Bonifacio.
This effectively and logically changed the meaning of “Lawton Ave”. It is no longer about Lawton's achievements, as that was from the American perspective.
From the Filipino perspective, “Lawton Ave” means:
Mortal enemy #1
Multiple failed attacks against President Emilio Aguinaldo.
First and only US General killed during the Philippine-American War
Highest ranking American officer killed in both the Spanish-American and Philippine-American wars
First US general killed in overseas action
As a human being, those are definitely not a good way to honor someone, regardless if they were an enemy or not.
Imagine this, a Filipino tour guide explaining the history of Fort Bonifacio and they're on a bus traversing Lawton Ave. Do you think a Filipino guide will only mention how Lawton was a hero, especially when he was only a hero from the eyes of the Americans?
It is only very important to rename Lawton Ave in Fort Bonifacio to Gerónimo Ave.
General Gerónimo was the Filipino sharpshooter who fell General Lawton.
We should honor General Gerónimo for valiantly facing a battle where the infamous (Filipino perspective) General Lawton was in the midst of it.
In addition, it will be the Filipino people's final honor to General Henry Ware Lawton. Though he was an enemy of the Filipino people, he still deserves respect as a soldier and as a human being.
Renaming his namesakes is an act of respect and honor. We should not remember him as an enemy, no matter his personal disposition for/against the Filipino people. He was a soldier. He did his job. He fell on duty during the war.