|
The Island of Corregidor: Bastion
of Freedom and Courage
Guest Traveler: Alan T. Manansala
I have always been fascinated about the interesting technology
man has introduced in war; the fighter aircrafts, the tanks,
the smart bombs and for the information of everyone, even the
friendly internet. But beyond having model aircrafts and war
rifles as toys when I was growing up, it never ceased to amaze
me how I learned to enjoy watching war movies inspite of their
gruesome storylines and bloody scenes, perhaps I took delight
in how these ordinary folks can transform themselves and become
real heroes, sacrificing even to the brink of risking their
own lives and limbs for the cause of freedom and the love of
country. Admittedly, I failed to fully appreciate the ultimate
significance of Bataan's Fall, Corregidor's Last Stand, the
infamous 'Death March' and the 'I Shall Return' passage, by
simply reading mandatory history books way back in school and
watching World War II clips, for indeed knowing was just half
the battle. Never did I realize the value of being there, and
the first hand account I had with the wounds of war, the ruins
of defeat, the faces of soldiers, and the memoirs of heroes,
but beneath these hallowed grounds and horrid garrison laid
a momentous testament etched in the hearts of all freedom-loving
people of the world: the grandeur that was Corregidor.
Corregidor was derived from the Spanish word "To Correct",
since it served as the station of the Corrector, who had the
sole authority to permit entrance to the port of Manila for
any ship to dock. This island is strategically located at the
very mouth of Manila Bay, surrounded by Mariveles and the province
of Bataan to the North and Cavite province to its far south,
hence the reason for a perfect fortress to be built in defense
of the capital city.
The day tour kicked off at exactly 8 am at the marina pier beside
the CCP complex along Roxas boulevard. For a mere P500, one
could avail of a free history supplement class on World War
II, and for an additional P100, the Malinta tunnel experience
can be included (this is an optional treat). A very decent and
comfortable cruise via an air-conditioned hydrofoil fast craft
was a nice way to start the journey. Travel time to reach the
shores of Corregidor was exactly 1 hour and 20 minutes. By this
time, the morning mist (or should I say the pollution) shrouded
the vast Manila skyline preempting a great view of the structures
along the fabled bay.
As we negotiated our way off the ferry, we immediately transferred
to the waiting jeepneys, where a tour guide by the name of Arman,
took us on a trip down memory lanes, back to the basics of history
101. It was fun, informative and interactive as we headed for
every nook and cranny of the island. From one battery to another,
one ruin to the next, and one barrack to the other. Special
mention goes out to the Malinta tunnel experience, a light and
sound production directed by no-less than national artist Lamberto
Avellana, that depicted the events that led to the fall and
resurrection of this proud fortress. Stood there were larger
than life figures of the main players of this war, presented
at every lateral of the main tunnel. The singing of the national
anthem culminated the side show. This may sound akward, but
that really gave me the goose bumps - some shivers down my spine.
By this time it was about noon, lunch was in order. We headed
down to the Mac Arthur's cafe for our meal. Visitors had the
option to either pack their own food or buy them right there
for convenience. The cafe was right in front of the docking
area, a heavy sea breeze was very refreshing and unadulterated,
certainly a catnap was hard to resist but we managed to keep
ourselves busy as Armand shouted at the top of his voice, "All
aboard", that was the cue for us to board our respective
jeepneys.
The second part of the tour brought us to the ruins of the island,
the Mile Long and Cine Corregidor at the Topside, the museum
which housed all the important memorabilia and pictures of the
war, included there were the well-kept original classic cars
of President Manuel L. Quezon and General Douglas MacArthur.
Adjacent to the musuem was the Pacific War Memorial and the
sculpture of a Filipino artist based in Greece referred to as
the Eternal Flame of Peace. At that very spot, one can view
the picturesque bay where the Malinta channel is feebly visible.
The last tourist stop was the lighthouse, which provided the
breath-taking panorama of the entire expanse of land and forest
cover, Manila can be insufficiently seen despite the smog, the
Mariveles mountains of Bataan and the other solitary islands;
among them is the Caballo island (its form resembled that of
a horse) and the miniature island of Lamonga.
A visit to south beach concluded our momentary stay in Corregidor.
A dip could have been irresistible but the stay at the beach
front was cut short for call time to move out was 3pm - the
time to leave for Manila.
Simply put, the Corregidor trip was both entertaining and educational,
especially for us baby boomers (born after the war), but for
some it could prove quite emotional for either they lost some
loved ones or they themselves experienced the agony of war.
In any case, Filipinos, old and young alike, should never miss
out a chance to visit the island. It's full of history, drama
and heroic tales, a definite must-see for all. As blazing and
powerful as the guns and artillery of Corregidor are the stories
waiting to be told and heroism waiting to be appreciated.
(Footnote: A friend of mine expected to discover
what World War II was all about, but hey he found a charming
rose oozing with felicity, she's definitely a stunner - serendipity
I must say).
Alan Manansala is a licensed Mechanical
Engineer, certified Java Programmer and an amateur Photographer.
He loves the great outdoor, tennis, badminton, hiking, travel-writing
and a lot more. Basically, it's all about staying active. He
records his experiences through his "canon" lens and
shares them with family and friends. For him, PHOTOGRAPHY is
a repository of "good" memories.
|