Sixty nine years after the last world war, "Corregidor" which became the symbol of the last bastion of freedom against Japanese aggression still remains as the impregnable repository of historical relics of World War II in the Philippines. Together with the island are the countless stories of courage and valor among the Filipino-American forces that gave this legendary island its eternal place in the history books. "The Rock" as it was called by the Americans is an enduring witness to the struggle of changing hands, first under the Spaniards, then the Americans, then the Japanese and then the Americans again and finally was given back to us where we eventually regained our genuine and lasting independence after the war.
The environment of the island itself has experienced an ecological struggle and succession from being a tropical rest-and-recreation getaway for American colonists to a war-ravaged, barren ecosystem compliments of the Japanese war machine and finally into a present-day lush, evergreen sanctuary for flora and fauna and tourist destination that took half a century to return again to it's natural splendor with no permament human residents but only tourists, tourism personnel and monkeys abound the place.
It took a lot of thinking and pondering for me in choosing Corregidor to be the venue of one of the most important venue and event of our lives. Most people who visit this island fort are attracted to the historical legacy that this place left for Filipinos, Americans or even Japanese.
But for us, we see Corregidor for its romantic side: the lush green forest left alone to recover its rugged beauty, the isolated beach that offers seclusion to persons who prefer privacy and the adventure it offers to people who believe in spirits roaming the island or just plain adventure of roaming the island on your own without having to go along with the guided tours.
For me, this will be the D-Day so to speak, where we will be landing on the beach of "The Rock" and for me to drop the bomb, I mean "pop the question" to my ever dearest fiancee whom I refer in the well-known phrase "behind every great man is a woman". While I really don't consider myself a great man, I sincerely believe that with me in my quest is a great woman. Oblivious to the sneaky plan I was hatching for this trip, Malen was just excited in visiting Corregidor for the first time. Actually, it is the first visit for the both of us. But little did she know, she was going to receive the biggest surprise attack since Pearl Harbor.
Our journey to this milestone event began with a ferry boat to The Rock. In Manila Bay, Sun Cruises have the exclusive rights to bring tourists onto the island in a package deal which includes a roundtrip sea travel on an airconditioned ferry boat , a guided tour complete with a tour guide and vehicle that will bring tourists in many sites around the island and finally a buffet lunch at the famous Corregidor Inn. I opted to go for the 1night-2days package because I feel that the island has more to offer to its visitors if you stay for the night rather than just a daytour. I found out I was right!
Aside from Sun Cruises, there are also outrigger boats plying from Bataan which is already very close to Corregidor or from Cavite which is a little bit far off. However, since Manila Bay has a very busy shipping route for ocean-going vessels, it would be risky to travel on small outrigger boats that might capsize when inundated by big waves created by big ships. It's better take the best option here to make sure everything turns out right in the end. The morning sea was calm that day ushered in by a slight drizzle on a cloudy day.
The boat trip to the island was uneventful but since it was the first time Malen would be traveling on a big boat, she became seasick and had to take medicine for dizziness. But as soon as we arrived in Corregidor, the excitement must have taken over Malen and she was up and eager to go on the tour. We rode on a trambia-style shuttle which is just one of the attractions of the tour because it gives one a nostalgic feeling of the Philippine transport system before the Japanese invasion.
The first attraction of the tour is actually the main attraction of the island which is the visit to the famous Malinta Tunnel. The tunnel got its name from the hordes of leeches called "linta" in the native language that bugged the workers during the construction of the tunnel. The tunnel was an engineering marvel of that time because workers literally bore a hole through the granite wall of the mountain from one side and came out on the other side.
Seeing Malinta Tunnel made me remember the newly opened Kaybiang Tunnel in Mt. Palay-Palay which is similar in depth but not yet tested by time. Malinta has seen its toughest test when it had survived all the bombs that the Japanese dropped and likewise when the Americans bombed it again when it retook the island from the Japanese. Today, the Department of Tourism offers a lights and sounds show for tourists that highlights the historical events that transpired in the tunnel during the second world war especially the moment when Corregidor fell into Japanese hands on the fateful day of May 6, 1942 signalling the end of organized resistance to the Japanese Imperial Army in the Philippines. Being well versed with many parts of Philippine history, the show is not something that excited me but it did entertained Malen on that part. What really stimulated our interest was the night tour through the lateral tunnels which is offered separately.
The next biggest attractions are the numerous big guns that are scattered across the islands in artillery emplacements called "batteries". The big guns of Corregidor were installed in the island because of its strategic location in the mouth of Manila Bay. It was intended for a naval battle to repulse any invasionary fleet that might attempt to enter through the narrow straight between the Bataan peninsula and Cavite. We were able to visit some of the famous guns such as Battery Way, Grubb, Crockett and Hearn. The other smaller batteries are already beyond our schedule so we were not able to visit all. Some smaller islands were also fitted with big guns to augment the defense of the bay, such as the Caraballo Island and the unsinkable Fraille Island which was retrofitted to resemble a battleship from afar. However, the Japanese fleet, knowing the risks of facing Corregidor head on, landed at Lingayen, Pangasinan and attacked Corregidor from the north after it had overran Bataan.
Sadly though, the big guns of The Rock were never really a force to reckon with because it saw action only at a time when airplanes are already the main assault machinery of the time and being stationary and fixed on the ground makes them a sitting duck to this menace in the sky. The rules of engagement in war has evolved in such a way that mobility and concealment gives you the edge over your opponent and with the skies controlled by the enemy, Corregidor doesn't have the tactical advantage to win the battle. Although I would not consider Corregidor as the folly of the Americans against the Japanese because their stubborn resistance to surrender delayed the Japanese timetable of their Pacific conquest, which gave the opportunity for the Americans to launch a counteroffensive. On the other hand, the seemingly impregnable "Maginot Line" that the French built to defend France against German invasion suffered a humiliating rout because Hitler invaded France by going around where the Maginot Line ends in Belgium. The French army, never expecting an attack from the direction of their homeland had their gun turrets permanently facing the east, so it was completely useless thereby leading to their eventual downfall. The Maginot Line was also built for trench warfare and since Hitler revolutionized the concept of the "Blitzkrieg" or lightning advance using tanks, battles were no longer fought in trenches because speed changed the rules of engagement forever.
After visiting several batteries during the morning tour, we were brought to the Corregidor Inn for a buffet lunch which was more than enough to satisfy the hunger brought by walking here and there.
We ate our lunch along the balcony overlooking the North Dock of the island. You could see Bataan on the other side so close to the island that an experienced swimmer will have no problem crossing the channel. Guided tours are somewhat hectic because you won't be able to enjoy leisurely eating your lunch due to the hectic shedule and the constant herding of the tour guides. After lunch, our next stop will the ruins of the soldier's barracks.
Corregidor has a lot to offer its visitors. You really get to take countless photos because of the many attractions all confined in one island alone, although you need to travel constantly around to be able to visit as many sites as you can given the short time of stay. This is the Middle Side Barracks, home of the Filipino Regiment of the Philippine Scouts. The ruins really create an eerie atmosphere of long forgotten spirits still roaming the corridors of the decaying buildings and I think that the scary feeling intensifies more during the night.
This is the topside barracks, the location of the Mile-Long Barracks of the commissioned officers and soldiers on the American side. Judging from how long the buildings stretch across the landscape, you can just imagine how strong the presence of the American forces is in the country terms of the number military personnel. And this is just one base alone. There are still other US bases scattered throughout the archipelago during the American era. Even though the concrete edifices are slowly crumbling into oblivion and its ghosts still haunts the dark hallways of its structures, the Mile-Long Barracks remains as the most romantic place in Corregidor as evidenced from the many prenuptial photoshoots that I have seen.
There is also a vast open field for parades and games. Behind us is the ruins of the Spanish Embassy, where the US still maintained its close diplomatic relations with our former colonizer.The topside barracks is the central commercial district of the island.
Aside from the Mile-Long Barracks, there is a cinema, where soldiers get to spend their time off watching movies by MetroGoldwyn-Myers. Today, the topside barracks is also the location of the Pacific War Memorial and the Eternal Flame Shrine as well as a museum for relics of the war.
Not far from topside is the island's lighthouse and communications center. We stopped by briefly, climb the tower, took some pictures of the surroundings and proceeded to the next site which is the Filipino War Memorial.
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The Filipino War Memorial is dedicated to the the gallant Filipino soldier who fought side by side with the Americans in the defense of our homeland. It highlights the important brother-in-arms role of the Filipino soldiers as it defends the country against the invading Japanese forces. Among them are several distinguished Filipinos such as Pres. Manuel L. Quezon and his successor Sergio Osmena Sr..
Our last site for the day tour is the Japanese Memorial. It is a small patch of land to commemorate the unfortunate role of the Japanese in Philippine history.
We need to be able to accept the hurt of the past because it is learning from the past that makes us stronger as a nation in order for us to move on to the future. Although there were resistance by some quarters in allowing a Japanese memorial in the island, our government in fostering a new diplomatic relationship with its former colonizer gave the patch of land to the Japanese people in memory of their loved ones who also died in the island and never returned back to Japan.
Well, the day is over for the day tourists, it's time to head back to the dock and ride the ferry back to Manila. For us we were left behind in the waiting shed to stay in the island overnight. It's still three in the afternoon and this gives us plenty of time to visit other sites in more leisurely, romantic pace.
Perhaps there's is no other person in the history of the Pacific War that is more colorful than this guy over here. He is Gen. Douglas McArthur, the commander of the USAFFE which stands for United States Armed Forces of the Far East. He was then the Governor General of the Philippine Commonwealth when war broke out between the US and Japan. He ordered a tactical retreat of all forces to Bataan and Corregidor and declared Manila as an "open city" to spare it from being destroyed by the advancing Japanese. The Japanese bombed Manila anyway despite the declaration. When McArthur finally decided to leave Corregidor on March 11, 1942 en route to Australia via a submarine, he uttered his famous words in this very spot as a promise to the Filipino people and the American soldiers left behind - "I Shall Return". He did return to liberate the country when he finally returned on October 29, 1944 when he landed on Palo, Leyte during the Battle of Leyte Gulf and said "I Have Returned!"
This is what I was telling you all about Corregidor being a romantic place. You have the isalnd all for yourselves as you stroll along its shores together with the one you love exchanging sweet nothings and talking things you have in common while imagining the future together. These are the simple pleasures in life that this romantic and historical place has given us. This is the eastern port of the North Dock where the "Dugout Doug" set sail for Australia in a submarine.
Of course it's not all romance and all that sweet stuffs that can be done around here. There are also lots of fun things to do around with the many war relics strewn across the island. You're pretty sure to capture a memorable pose in a picture such as this while shouting in Japanese "Banzai!". ha ha ha ha!
After building up a sweat strolling along the north side of the island, it was now time to check out the pool. The swimming pool is a small kidney shaped pool just beside the hotel atop a hill that allows you to view the north and south side of the island. There are only few people who take a dip in the because there are ony actually few who stay overnight in Corregidor. All guests here have pretty much the time to wait for their turn to swim especially if you prefer to have the pool for yourself. I let Malen do the poolside pose because she definitely has the body for it. If I did pose, you might probably stop reading this blog. ha ha ha! After taking pictures it's time to swim and relax for the rest of the afternoon. I intend to spring the surprise I had in store for her in the early morning next day.
Just like any tourist destination, Corregidor also has its own zipline to cater to the needs of people who likes a little excitement. However, for someone like me who have rode the fast ziplines like the Dahilayan adventure, the ride here no longer excites me.
It was late afternoon when we decided to settle in for the night. Corregidor Inn is the only hotel in the island and is also managed by Sun Cruises. The island power is off the grid and only generators provide electricity for the hotel. McArthur Cafe down the North Dock also have some rooms for rent, but judging by the looks of it, it doesn't seem to be comfy to stay in due to the dilapidated state of the bungalows.
But the Corregidor Inn is a quaint, quirky place but elegant enough to spend the night. The hallway is stylish with its oak-colored woodworks reminiscent of the American period and as you can see, there are only a few rooms that the hotel provide so only a few guests stay here. We were fortunate to be in the company of Elizabeth Oropesa while they were shooting scenes from a movie of which I don't remember the name.
The rooms are superbly stylish as well. The windows were clad with capiz shells and the bamboo furnitures complemented together with the Victorian bed as their centerpiece. They have hot and cold shower and these altogether made the overnight stay in Corregidor a memorable experience sans of course the sounds that can be heard thru the walls since the walls are made up of wood. Sounds can be easily heard in the other rooms. So might as well keep your sounds down such as moans and the snores to avoid disturbing the other guests. ha ha ha ha!
The next morning I immediately woke Malen up and told her I would like to go out on a morning stroll along the South beach and she immediately rose up unaware of what will transpire in the next hour or two. We leisure went up the empty road leading to the opening of the Malinta Tunnel where we had the opportunity to take pictures of the tunnel's opening without tourists photobombing the scene. I then asked Malen if we could change into something better because I would like to have a decent photoshoot in the western port of the North Dock. She readily agreed and we went back to the hotel to change.
It was a windy August morning that day and when we arrived at the docks I started taking pictures of her as she stands in the foreground with the hotel perched up high in the hill from a distance. I told her I was setting up the timer for a time delay shot, but the truth is I had shifted it into video mode. At this moment, I came up to Malen, delivered my speech, knelt in front of her as I took out the engagement ring and presented it to her as I popped the big question. What happened next is history.
At that moment Malen was completely overjoyed by what had just happened. She was so happy she began to flash ring in front of the camera and proudly showed it while posing.
After that special event, we went back to the hotel to have some breakfast. We had breakfast in another spot in the hotel veranda which gave us a scenic view of the South beach. After breakfast we decided to explore the South beach this time.
The South beach is the spot where the hotel allows its guests to swim because of the gray sand beach it has, unlike the North beach which is all paved with concrete. The water is clear in this area although we noticed that they are probably cleaning it all the time with the huge heap of trash gathered at the end of the beach. These garbage must have drifted from the mainland and this is the main reason why people shun the beaches of Corregidor plus the fact that this beach was once the landing zone of tanks, amphibians and other military vehicles with their oil leaking from underneath polluting the sand and the sea and bodies of dead soldiers strewn around deep crater holes created by artillery shells and air-dropped bombs. It's all gone now but it has left some traces of degradation in the place. However, when swimming you should be on the lookout for sharks more than anything else. ha ha ha ha!
The South dock is more romantic than the North dock because of its secluded aura. The background resembles the long harbors jutting out into the sea along the beaches of the California off the west coast.
We took the remaining time to take pictures of this romantic place which will be etched in the history of our lives forever. The limestone cliffs added color to the unforgettable experience Malen had on this island rock.
This is another shot taken in the North Dock with a beautiful green background of a secondary forest after popping the question.
We also had a posterity shot in the South Dock with the sandy beach in the background.
We also visited and offered prayers in San Jose Chapel located in the North Dock.
Corregidor has other activities that it offers its guests. We were not able to go on the night tour of the Malinta's lateral tunnels, abandoned hospital and Japanese tunnels and caves in the jungle because of the rain that made the place muddy and slippery.
There are also Kayak and ATV rides that Sun Cruises provide to interested guests that seek more than strolling the island.
Finally, it's time to bid farewell to The Rock. Our brief stay in this once devastated but regenerated island is by far the most romantic date we had so far. It was truly a milestone event not only for us but for the people we love and people who love us as well. Pretty soon we will be embarking on the next chapter of our lives.
As our ship heads back to Manila, we began to talk and plan for the future ahead of us. Just like any couple planning to get married, we are contemplating on the many uncertainties that lies ahead but with the correct attitude and our love for each other, we are pretty sure that together we will be able to get through any life's challenges. Little did we know that we will be going through an unexpected trial that will change our lives forever.
The proposal at The Rock is my simple yet genuine expression of love to the woman I want to be with for the rest of my life. It may not be impressive to most of you because it is not lavish and extravagant as some people may want it to be. But with the correct attitude and genuine intentions, one does not really have to go to the extent of spending too much for the girl he loves, If she loves you truly, a simple expression will do.
