The Philippines unveils World War II sex slave statue in Manila

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada lauded the installation "of yet another historical marker" in Manila.

"Like others before it, this reminds us of a chapter in our past. Whether it reminds us of an event, a place, or an honored person, it is nevertheless worthy to be remembered for its impact on our nation. This morning we remember the plight of the comfort women," Estrada said in a speech read by his representative during the unveiling ceremony.

"While we cannot erase all of their pain and suffering, we can at least do our humblest best to show them that they are not alone. Through this marker, we are expressing our intention never to forget what they went through, and to do all we can to make sure such a tragedy never happens again," he added.

Rechilda Extremadura, executive director of Lila Pilipina, an organization of WWII comfort women, said that her organization collaborated with the commission in conceptualizing the statue. "I was the one who suggested that the woman wears a Filipiniana dress," she said.

"Our objective really is to raise the awareness of the Filipino people about the plight of the comfort women, not just in the Philippines but also in Asia, so that they will not forget. We especially want to remind the younger generation that there is such thing as victimization of war by the Japanese," she told Xinhua.

Lila Pilipina (League of Filipino Women) has documented 174 "comfort women" who have gone public since early 1990s. Only a few of them remain alive, according to Extremadura.

"Only one lola (grandmother) can move around now. She's in her late 80s. They are dying fast. It's very sad. They died without getting justice," she said, explaining why not a single surviving "comfort women" made it to the unveiling ceremony.

Another group, the Malaya Lolas (Free Grandmothers), has documented 90 but the number dwindled to a few following the death of the rest over the years.

Both groups are demanding: official apology, just compensation and inclusion of the comfort women issue in Japan's historical accounts and textbooks.

However, the Japanese government has officially denied and continues to deny the existence of a "comfort system" in Asia during WWII.