Corregidor Island

jescapes on 08 12, 2008

World War II was the largest and most violent armed conflict in the history of mankind. Though more than half a century has passed, it continues to absorb the interest of many especially the veterans and their families. Part of that history is Corregidor, a small rocky island located about 48 kilometers west of Manila in the Philippines. A tadpole-shaped island which is four miles long and about 1.5 miles at its widest point, it served not only as a fortress of defense and a penal institution but also as a signal outpost to warn Manila of approaching hostile ships and as a station for Customs inspection.

Historians, scholars, veterans and their families and tourists flock to this island because of the critical role it played during World War II. Here, visitors can discover for themselves the landmarks of the ruins of war.They can also catch the lovely sunset at Battery Grubb’s, one of the disappearing guns perched on a hill overlooking the magnificent Peninsula.

A significant landmark perhaps is the tunnel system, the most extensive construction in the island. It consisted of a main east-west passage 826 feet long with a 24 foot diameter and had 25 lateral passages, each about 400 feet long, branching out at regular intervals from each side of the main passage. A separate system of tunnels north of this main tunnel housed the underground hospital and had its own 12 laterals and space for 1,000 beds. The facility could be reached either through the main tunnel or by a separate outside entrance on the north side of Malinta Hill. The Navy tunnel system, which lay opposite the hospital, under the south side of Malinta was connected to the main tunnel by a partially completed low passageway through the quartermaster storage lateral.

This is the place where, the day before the U.S. and Filipino forces on Bataan surrendered to the Japanese, the Army evacuated its nurses. Japanese pilots subjected the island to heavy bombing for weeks following the surrender. East of the Malinta tunnel was the location of Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s headquarters. Reinforced with concrete walls, floors, and overhead arches, blowers to furnish fresh air, and a double-track electric tramway line along the east-west passage, the Malinta Tunnel furnished bombproof shelter for the hospital, headquarters, and shops, as well as a maze of underground storehouses.

For visitors who wish to stay overnight there is the Corregidor Inn which is strategically located at the middleside of Corregidor Island. It provides comfortable accommodations amidst the green and serene ambience of the island. This is a place to stay for people who want peace and quiet, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The Inn has thirty (30) standard rooms and one (1) suite room. The rooms are fully airconditioned and well maintained and are made of wooden materials. La Playa Restaurant, which is also at the Corregidor Inn, has a selection of local and foreign dishes to satisfy one’s craving.

Another place to stay is the Corregidor Hostel. The hostel is a dormitory type accommodation with two wings. Each wing has thirteen (13) double deck beds and can accommodate twenty-six persons. It has a conference room to hold seminars, conferences and team building sessions.

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