Malinta Tunnel
“First stop was the Malinta Tunnel, one of the favoured places in the trip. It took us quite some time before we got to enter because it was unfortunately not part of the tour we availed of. About 15 minutes were wasted as students paid for a ticket. As the gates of the tunnel closed upon entrance, chills spread all over my body. I just didn’t know what to expect from the light show, and it was way too dark that it took quite some time for my eyes to adjust. Finally, the show started. The walk through the tunnel showed us the chronological events that happened during Commonwealth up until the end of World War II. A few remnants of how it was in that tunnel were seen and all I could think of was how hard it was to hide in those dark and narrow holes. The Malinta Tunnel tour was ended with the singing of our national anthem, and I couldn’t feel much prouder to be a Filipino after seeing what they had to go through. I could say that this was the most educational part of the tour as we were fed with a whole lot of information. To add to that, this was also the part that touched me the most. I felt bad for the situation that the people were put in. I tried my best to imagine what I would have done myself. It was hard to not think of anything else but stay in one corner, probably cry, until the entire thing ended, with the hopes of me surviving. This is why my pride as a Filipino grew because the people who experienced it did not give up, as I imagined myself to do.”
-Catherine Isabel Mendoza
“Perhaps the most interesting feature of the Corregidor trip is the Malinta Tunnel along with its lights and sounds show. One would initially be apprehensive to watch this show especially with all the eerie stories that surround the place. The tunnel is an 835-feet long passage that has housed numerous important events in Philippine history.
The "Malinta Experience" is an optional Corregidor feature that re-enacts the different events that happened during the Second World War. What is interesting about the show is that it was created by the joint forces of by national artists Lamberto Avellana, a film director and Napoleon Abueva, a sculptor. The show made use of lights that flickered and changed in color, sounds that narrated and effects that surprised the viewers, sculptures that re-enacted different events and short videos that showed actual happenings during the war. Together, these elements were woven beautifully to create a one-of-a-kind historical experience.
But beyond the show, the Malinta Tunnel is an important historical structure for the Filipinos. The tunnel was originally created to be the storage for ammunition, food and supplies but was then used to protect the soldiers from artillery attacks and to house communications and medical units during the war.
There are also other interesting facts about the tunnel. If one looks at its laterals, one would see its ruined insides with concrete and wood scattered on the inside. These laterals were the places where in the Japanese soldiers who did not want to surrender to the Americans bombed the tunnel along with themselves.
Another interesting fact about the tunnel is that at the west entrance of the Malinta tunnel, Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña were inaugurated for a second term in 1941.
But perhaps the most interesting fact about the tunnel that appeals most to the young tourists is that story behind its name. It was given the name "Malinta" because during its construction, numerous leeches were found there!
This feature truly is an interesting and educational aspect of the trip. If one visits Corregidor, he should not miss out on this interesting feature.”
-Bea Oliveros
-Catherine Isabel Mendoza
“Perhaps the most interesting feature of the Corregidor trip is the Malinta Tunnel along with its lights and sounds show. One would initially be apprehensive to watch this show especially with all the eerie stories that surround the place. The tunnel is an 835-feet long passage that has housed numerous important events in Philippine history.
The "Malinta Experience" is an optional Corregidor feature that re-enacts the different events that happened during the Second World War. What is interesting about the show is that it was created by the joint forces of by national artists Lamberto Avellana, a film director and Napoleon Abueva, a sculptor. The show made use of lights that flickered and changed in color, sounds that narrated and effects that surprised the viewers, sculptures that re-enacted different events and short videos that showed actual happenings during the war. Together, these elements were woven beautifully to create a one-of-a-kind historical experience.
But beyond the show, the Malinta Tunnel is an important historical structure for the Filipinos. The tunnel was originally created to be the storage for ammunition, food and supplies but was then used to protect the soldiers from artillery attacks and to house communications and medical units during the war.
There are also other interesting facts about the tunnel. If one looks at its laterals, one would see its ruined insides with concrete and wood scattered on the inside. These laterals were the places where in the Japanese soldiers who did not want to surrender to the Americans bombed the tunnel along with themselves.
Another interesting fact about the tunnel is that at the west entrance of the Malinta tunnel, Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña were inaugurated for a second term in 1941.
But perhaps the most interesting fact about the tunnel that appeals most to the young tourists is that story behind its name. It was given the name "Malinta" because during its construction, numerous leeches were found there!
This feature truly is an interesting and educational aspect of the trip. If one visits Corregidor, he should not miss out on this interesting feature.”
-Bea Oliveros
“As we arrived around 10 am, I was greeted by the scorching sun which accompanied us until late afternoon and I swear, it is the type of light that makes you lazy. But who cares right, let’s make the most out of this! I knew I was in for a treat given we had to pay over P1000 for that whole day affair. I was ready and so was my camera. In this account, I will narrate my experience regarding one place which I believe summarizes the whole journey to Corregidor. This place is like no other and I’ll tell you why.
The place was called Malinta Tunnel. It was so funny how it was not really part of the package we paid for but since we were all so eager to see what was inside and how it looks like now. The whole procedure would take 30 minutes and I felt that was too short and it was money not worth spending. Eventually, I realized that if I chose not to go with them, I would have missed the most essential spot in the whole island. As we entered, I was quite surprised how commercialized and technical it was already. I imagined it to be in ruins but they preserved it along with huge wide screen television sets, speakers to relive the experience. It showed the scenes by depicting the time line during the Commonwealth Era until the end of World War II. It gave me goosebumps knowing that it was the very place where the soldiers lived and fought during that time. Hearing their accounts was literally beyond words. I was inside the very same tunnel where thousands of Filipinos have died to give freedom to the Philippines. It was the very same tunnel where Manuel L. Quezon instructed his people for combat. The portion that struck the most was when we witnessed how a very young American soldier was dancing with a fellow American who was either a nurse or staff member and she said that it won’t be a surprise if this was the last time he will ever dance with a woman knowing how dangerous it was. I tried to put myself in his position and I was literally shivering. After that, we went on to watch more scenes and clips as narrated by Frankie Evangelista. As we finished, all I could was pray and thank these people for helping make the country what it is now.
-Jay Vergara
Guns and Canon Placements
-Catherine Isabel Mendoza
“As the class went to tour the historic Corregidor Island for our class field trip, I had a sense of historicity and nationalism creep into my skin. These were the very grounds that friends of my grandfather fought and died on. My best experience was when we visited the disappearing guns. A little history first, these anti-ship guns are known to disappear because when they recoil from their shots, the whole platform moves backward and lower. Since the platform is elevated, the ships cannot pinpoint the direction of the shots for return fire since they can’t find the guns. While these guns are hidden, they are reloaded and will only appear when they are about to fire again. Anyway, when the tour guide let us explore the place. I went to one of the corridors towards the inside of the shelter. It was very dark and cold. My friends and I tried to post but we heard sounds and chills went up our spine so we left right after the shot was taken. None of us had the guts to go further inside even on broad daylight. Another interesting corner was that the guns were disassembled and the barrels were displayed. I rode one of the barrels that were as long as a bus and one of my friends took my picture.”
-Ray Roderos
War Memorial
Many of the greatest battles the World has seen were fought in that very island. The glorious past of Corregidor tends to outshine the bloodshed that also took place. Many people lost their lives fighting for their country. Most of their names are not even written in the history books to honor them. It is very pleasing to see the Pacific War Memorial because it gives the souls of each and every one of those who died in the war the honor they deserve. It is also a symbol of peace and an end to whatever suffering they may have experienced. Finally, the memorial is a calling to every living person to put into mind the heroes of Corregidor and remember the sacrifices that they have given for us.”
-Juan Paolo Clement
Freedom Memorial Museum
“The museum was filled with various artifacts that the Americans, Filipinos, Japanese, and Australian soldiers actually utilized. It was exciting to see little things that served as windows to the past. The whole experience was like being brought back to the time when many unsung heroes fought with courage and bravery.”-Bianca Arcega
Lorcha Dock
“A favorite place of many was the beach where we had our lunch. I wish we could have stayed longer in that place because the view was very peaceful and relaxing. It took my mind away from the stress of the island. Putting myself in the setting of a movie, standing there would be the part towards the end, where the war is finally over and everything is peaceful once again.”
-Catherine Isabel Mendoza
South Dock
HIDDEN TREASURE AT CORREGIDOR“If you’re planning on going on a treasure hunt or just looking for something to make your experience in Corregidor more historic than it already is, here’s a secret tip from our very own tour guide. According to him, the south dock at Corregidor was previously used as a dumping ground for coins as the U.S armed forces were retreating during their battle with the Japanese. This was done in order to prevent the Japanese from reusing these coins and turning them into bullets for the ongoing war. As of today, most of the coins had already been returned to the Central Bank of the Philippines but there are still some coins that remain hidden at the south dock area.
Now, what exactly do these coins look like? First of all, they are made out of pure silver. On one side of the coin, there is an image of an eagle symbolizing the United States. On the other side, there is a picture of a woman that is said to represent the Philippines. If you search hard enough and managed to retrieve one coin from the beach, you can decide to keep it as a memorabilia or sell it off for around P1500-P3000. But if you want to take it a step further, here’s another advice from our tour guide: Considering that these coins are historical and made out of pure silver, why not turn these coins into wedding rings to add something special to one’s wedding day!”
-Jackie Yu
