November 20, 2011 A Walk on History at Corregidor
So what's the story? Amazing race style travel from Alabang to CCP Complex. Earlier in the week, Sir Ian suggested that we visit Corregidor by the weekend. So he made an online reservation for three persons with Sun Cruises. Having been re-assigned in an Alabang engineering office, I got to have five working days only in a week as compared to the six day shifting schedule previously. There's so much time to explore places. The day of our visit coincided with the Run for Pasig 2011, an annual marathon event for environmental cause primarily aimed in rehabilitating the Pasig River. So Dexter and I had to travel as early as 530AM just to avoid the traffic it will cause as soon we arrive in Manila. We took a jeepney from Madrigal Business Park to the Starmall near the Alabang market. From there we rode a bus heading to Fairview/Cubao and got off at Magallanes MRT. Then we rode the MRT going to Taft station, then transferred to the LRT train getting off at Ocampo St. On the MRT and LRT rides, we saw some participants for the marathon which made us worry a bit. We might get caught in a sea of people when we arrive in CCP area. We were supposed to take the jeepney from the corner of Ocampo St, the ones that go around the CCP complex but we were not lucky to find one. Perhaps they had been rerouted for the days event. Considering that I am more familiar of Manila than Dexter, I suggested that we would just walk the lengths of the street. By then, we were walking along with some marathoners who were making their way to Roxas Boulevard area. It was an early exercise for the two us. Soon we were on the starting point of the marathon by 630AM. We saw the sea of people preparing for the first event at the starting line. There were also people jogging on the grounds of CCP. Some had their bikes too. Armed with DLSR cameras, Dexter and I looked like media men covering up the event. We took photos here and there. Haha. Talked about nuisance for the event.
After spending some 5minutes Roxas Boulevard, we made our way to the Sun Cruises office at the PTA Bay Cruise Terminal where the pick up point was located. We were worried by then because Sir Ian who was coming from Mandaluyong was caught in a traffic jam. Good grief when he showed up. We had a little coffee first at the Starbucks store (for our planner stickers) at the Cruise Terminal before we queued and showed our reservation form in exchange of the boarding pass.
By 730AM we rode an airconditioned jeepney (my first!) which took us to the Sun Cruiser Ferry docking area. We left the port 30 minutes late of the scheduled ETD. One passenger got irate for such schedule and no explanations beforehand what's taking the ferry a long time before leaving. A Sun Cruises representative later apologized for the delay with reasons that there was one passenger who got late because of the traffic cause by the marathon. Anyway, what mattered was we were already sailing. We slept during the trip given that we woke up very early. The ferry arrived at Corregidor Port after 1hour and 15minutes with tranvias awaiting us at the docking port.
A guard in costume pointed our way to the waiting travias. The tranvias had signs which visitors will board who. We hopped in on a tranvia with some English speaking visitors. Soon an English speaking tour guide, Ms. Rowena, boarded and introduced herself. Then our Corregidor guided tour started. Our guide made running commentaries as we went around the island.
To refresh our memory, Corregidor is a tadpole shaped island located at the mouth of Manila Bay used as a fortress during World War II. Corregidor Island is under the jurisdiction of Cavite. Fort Mills is also located in Corregidor.
To refresh our memory, Corregidor is a tadpole shaped island located at the mouth of Manila Bay used as a fortress during World War II. Corregidor Island is under the jurisdiction of Cavite. Fort Mills is also located in Corregidor.
First stop was the MacArthur Statue and Lorcha Dock. A huge statue of Gen. MacArthur with the sign "I Shall Return" stood near the south ferry dock. A sign says that Lorcha Dock was the departure point of Gen. MacArthur from Malinta Tunnel to Australia.
Next stop was the Filipino Heroes Memorial. This area is located at the tail end side of the island with murals depicting the Filipino fight for freedom. The Memorial is dedicated to the Filipino who knows how to die for love of freedom and liberty.
We then proceeded to the Japanese Garden of Peace. This garden is a memorial to the Japanese soldiers who died in the area. Hmm... A memorial built for the attackers? Well anyway, it is not a cemetery but a praying area for the Japanese relatives of the soldiers who died during the war. Several anti aircraft guns look out into the open sea and fertility idol stood high at the far end of the garden. But upon my google search, the Guanyin or the Goddess statue that towered in the area is the Goddess of Mercy.
Just before lunch, we visited the famous Malinta tunnel. This was where Gen. MacArthur had his office during the siege of Corregidor. We also went to the optional Light and Sound Show amounting to PhP200/person of which more of the history and story of Malinta tunnel were shown. Great visuals and sculptures depict the notable events during the war. After the show, the national anthem was played then we exited at the end of the tunnel.
More of Malinta Tunnel on the next gallery.
Buffet lunch was then serve at the Corregidor Inn. The first part of the guided tour was just done and we were excited to learn more of Corregidor stories.
Passing through the Middle Side Barracks, our guide made more commentaries in relation to the ruins.
The tranvia then drove us to this four 12-inch mortars battery which heightened our excitements. The area is called Battery Way.
We were then taken to the Battery Hearn with a 12inch gun on a 360-degree platform, having the longest gun we saw.
Next stop was the two 10-inch disappearing guns enclosed in a colossal bunker in Battery Grubbs. The guns were located on an elevated structure. Bomb craters also were present in the battery area.
Further up the topside of the island, we went to the Mile Long Barracks considered to be the longest military barracks. A roofless three story building stood as it previously housed hundreds of soldiers during the war.
Nearby the Mile Long Barracks were the Cinema Corregidor, Pacific War Memorial, Dome of Peace, Filipino-American Friendship Monument, Pacific War Museum, Bachelor Officer's Quarters and the Eternal Flame. Several artilleries can be found on the grounds near the Filipino-American Friendship Monument. From the Pacific War Museum, war artifacts were on display including several war plane models.
After the time limit given by our guide to explore the area, the tranvia took us to the Fort Mills Post Headquarters and Chapel then passed through the topside flagpole of a Spanish warship. The last stop of the tour was the Old Spanish Lighthouse with a meteorological station built nearby. We tried climbing the lighthouse to see the view from the top.
The tour ended by 230PM. Soon the tranvia took us back to the port with the ferry waiting for us. It was a day full of learning allowing us to appreciate our country's rich history. By the end of the day, I had a better understanding of the lives of my grandparents during the war era, considering that two of my grandpa being war veterans.
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes. - Marcel Proust