The Middleside Barracks (photo by RUDY LIWANAG)

In 1942, the island bastion of Corregidor, 48 kilometers west of Manila, was the remaining obstacle to the advancing Japanese Imperial Army in its conquest of the Philippines.

The Japanese forces, led by Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma just had to take Corregidor, with its network of tunnels and formidable array of defensive armament so they could go through Manila Bay, then considered the finest natural harbor in the Far East.

History books called the Battle for Corregidor as the culmination of the Japanese campaign for the conquest of the Philippines. The fall of Bataan on April 9, 1942 ended all organized opposition by the US Army Forces Far East to the invading Japanese forces on Luzon in the northern Philippines. The US and Filipino army recaptured the island in 1945.

The name Corregidor comes from the Spanish word corregir which mean “to correct.” According to legend, all ships entering Manila were required to dock in the island and have their documents checked and corrected; hence, the name.

The tadpole-shaped island is actually a remnant of Corregidor Caldera, a volcano that was active about one million years ago, but the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology still considers it a potentially active volcano.

The rocky landscape and the existence of the Fort Mills fortifications give the island its moniker “The Rock.”

Due to its strategic location, the island becomes focal point for the naval defenses of Manila. It partially blocks the entrance to the bay, and creates a northern and southern entrance which can help in military subterfuge.

The topside

In the globular part of the island lies a large flat terrain, the Topside, which is considered the nerve center of the island.

The area houses the Mile Long Barracks, a three-story concrete building which used to billet American officers and enlisted personnel working in the garrison. Contrary to its name, the barracks is just a third of a mile. Measuring about 1,520 feet, the building is considered the longest military barracks in the world.

To commemorate the bravery of the Filipino and American soldiers, a Pacific War Memorial was erected financed with appropriation by the United States Congress and completed in 1968.

It has a rotunda where a circular altar was built right under the dome’s open center. The light passes through the open center of the dome and casts a beam on the altar during daytime. A museum is situated nearby where historical relics and memorabilia are displayed.

Then, there’s the Eternal Flame of Freedom, a large steel sculpture located at the rear of the memorial dome which symbolizes hard-fought freedom. Designed by Aristides Demetrios, it is built on an elevated platform which gives tourists a panoramic view of Manila Bay, the Bataan Peninsula, and the Cavite coastline.

Nearby are the ruins of the movie theater Cine Corregidor. Although the ruins seem bare, one can still see the concrete walls, the stairway leading to the upper balcony, and the remnants of the stage.

Corregidor is never without a touch of the Spanish heritage. A Spanish flagpole stands amidst the various structures. It was a mast from a Spanish Warship which was captured by the American fleet under the command of Admiral George Dewey during the Battle of Manila Bay in May 1, 1898.

There is the Spanish lighthouse which was originally built by the Spaniards in 1836. It was replaced by a much bigger lighthouse 60 years later when it was destroyed during WWII. Guests can climb up the stairs of the lighthouse for a panoramic view of the coastline.

The middleside

A small plateau called the Middle Side interrupts the upward slope going to the Topside, and houses the other landmarks and structures such as the Filipino-American Friendship Park and the Youth for Peace Campsite.

A ten-foot high sculpture depicting Filipino and American soldiers helping each other is the main focal point of the park. The statue symbolizes the friendship and camaraderie between the Philippines and America during the time of war.

The Youth for Peace campsite is an open area where tourists can set up camp and relive the soldiers’ lives. Behind it are the ruins of the former YMCA building which served as the recreational facility for the garrison personnel in Corregidor.

A stone’s throw away is the Army Hospital. From an aerial view, the three-story medical building was shaped like a cross to distinguish it from the other buildings as a peaceful haven. But still, the Japanese bombarded it.

There are two three-storey military barracks buildings which used to house the 60th Coast Artillery Regiment and the 91st Philippine Scout Coast Artillery Regiment personnel as well as the 4th Marine Regiment when they arrived in Corregidor in December 1941.

The bottomside

The “neck” that connects the tail and the head of the island, the Bottomside, encompasses the lower part of the island. Guests can roam around and see the landmarks such as the three main docks, the Administration Building, San Jose Chapel, Gen. Wainwright Park, and the Corregidor Hotel as well as the Rockets, the zip line.

Tourists head to the South Dock beach area for the “bloodstones” (stones with blood-like designs on their surfaces). Legend has it that the stones were actually tainted by the blood of the Filipino, American, and Japanese soldiers who died during the war. But geologists explain that the blood patterns are actually just a chemical reaction caused by the sea water on the rocks. Tourists can do a rock balancing using the bloodstones, which is considered as an ephemeral art linked with photography and landscape art.

The batteries

Scattered throughout the island are the 23 batteries, composed of 56 coastal guns and mortars including the two longest-range 12-inch guns of the batteries Hearn and Smith (each had a horizontal range of 29,000 yards), as well as 13 anti-aircraft artillery batteries with 76 guns and 10 60-inch Sperry searchlights.

Two of the most popular batteries are the Battery Way and the Battery Geary. Named after the Coast Artillery Corps of the US Army, Battery Way was the mainstay of the Corregidor Garrison during the Japanese invasion. Using the mortars with a 360-degree traverse, this battery brought the most damage on the Japanese defenses during the attempted landing on Bataan in January to February 1942. However, it was silenced by enemy shelling in May 1942.

Battery Geary is composed of eight 13-ton, 12-inch mortars, and was subjected to heavy shelling. It is said that a direct hit by a 240-mm shell proved to be the most crippling shot during the entire siege since the shelling tossed the mortars around. One mortar still has a live round in its breech.

The Tunnel of History

One of the must-see tourist sites in Corregidor is the Malinta Tunnel which is located in a hill with an elevation of 390 feet. The main tunnel is 835 feet long (East-West passageway), 24 feet wide and 18 feet high.

It has a complex passage system, branching out with 13 laterals on the north side and 11 on the south. Each lateral is about 160 feet long and 15 feet wide. A double-track electric trolley line was once used in the main tunnel. Blowers were installed to allow air circulation.

The construction of the tunnel started in 1922, and was significantly completed in 1932. According to history, the Americans needed to drive a shaft from a rock quarry at the Bottomside directly through the hill to create the bomb-proof tunnel. During the siege, the tunnel was used as an underground hospital with a 1,000-bed capacity as well as the headquarters of Gen. MacArthur and Major Gen. George Moore.

Tourists can experience history through the “Malinta Experience,” a 30-minute light and sound show scripted by National Artist Lamberto Avellana with sculptures by National Artist Napoleon Abueva. The show re-enacts the dramatic events during WWII.

For the night tour of the Malinta Tunnel, tourists can visit the different laterals, including the Fort Mills Hospital and the headquarters of Gen. Moore. The pitch darkness of the tunnel gives an eerie feeling, especially when the tour guide would ask the visitors to switch off their flashlights for 20 seconds.

During this time, guests can relive how the tunnel’s occupants lived in the dark. During the siege, the hospital laterals had no lights. Everyone walked in pitch darkness, sensing where they were heading by just feeling and touching the walls of the tunnel.

An Island of Adventure

Although most tourists go to Corregidor for a historical tour, the island also offers several adventures. Grab a compass (or a map) and hike along the woodland trails. Or perhaps, rediscover some unbeaten paths, explore mysterious tunnels, and lose your way in the forests and hillsides.

While trekking, catch a glimpse of various bird species such as the kingfisher, Zebra Dove, starlings, sparrows, among many others.

Ride on an outrigger boat and speed away around the island and visit the neighboring isles such as the La Monja, Caballo, and the coast of Mariveles.

Another attraction is the Rockets, a 30 feet high and over 200 meters long zip line stretching from the Corregidor Inn to the South Beach area. It takes about 25 seconds to ride the zip line. Don’t worry about your safety. The zip line follows a double standard system, which means two cables and two double pulleys.

Whatever draws you to Corregidor, a tour on this island fortress is a walk through history and helps you get reacquainted with the past.  It’s an adventure you simply shouldn’t miss.