Top officials of the Philippine Veterans Bank led by its President and Chief Executive Officer Ricardo Balbido, Jr. was here last week as the bank brought to this city the travelling exhibit featuring World War II memorabilia. Other officials gracing the event were Col. Francisco San Miguel, PVB director; Jesus Vicente Garcia, PVB executive vice president; Daisy Sibya, PVB area head-Visayas; and Annabelle Clarete, Tagbilaran branch manager. Also on hand to grace the exhibit were Orestes Lopez,, Veterans of the Phils. regional VP VFP and District Commander Venerando Dumadag. Doing the honors to cut the ceremonial ribbon were Gov. Edgr Chatto, V-Gov. Concepcion Lim, Valencia Nayor Henrietta Gan assisted by Balbido.

The city event was in partnership with the Island City Mall and Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP) and the PVB. The exhibit was entitled as "War of our Fathers...A Tribute to the Filipino Freedom Fighters". It paid homage to WWII veterans and survivors. The educational exhibit has vintage WWII-era photographs, artifacts and memorabilia on display, with the aim of sharing to the public the mostly unknown stories of Filipino World War II heroes so that today's generation may have a better grasp of the nation's history. The exhibit was open to the public free of charge starting July 29 to August 10, 2010. For over three years, Veterans Bank's traveling exhibit's has gone through 33 other cities and municipalities all over the country in malls, museums and schools in time for key World War II events, most of which are little known until today. This exhibit has also been shown abroad when it traveled to Nanjing, China last 2009. According to Balbido, through this project, the bank hopes to honor the WWII heroes and to help educate Filipinos today, especially the youth, on their struggles, sacrifices and victories in one of the darkest chapters in the history of the nation. "Many Filipinos at that time, men and women, young and old, rich and poor displayed flashes of heroism, which many of us have not taken notice" he added.

Apart from this project, each year, PVB provides 20% of its net profits for programs that benefit the World War II veterans, their widows and families. Through the Board of Trustees for the Veterans of World War II (BTVWWII), the Bank supports the Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP) Out-Patient Center in Taguig: a modern medical facility that provides free medicine, medical services such as x-rays, laboratory services, physical therapy, eyeglasses and dental care to veterans. The other is the VFP Museum, Library and Archives, a repository of war memorabilia, books and documents and houses a state-of-the-art showcase of the veterans' heroism. A private commercial bank, PVB is owned by some 300,000 World War II veterans and heirs. The occasion also coincided with the blessing and inauguration of the local veteran's bank, in this city. The new bank is located infront of the Bohol Cultural Center.