At
the CCP Complex in Pasay
City,
visitors can proceed to the historic Corregidor
Island
26 nautical miles across the sea via a ferryboat. The 5.6-kilometer long island, also known as
the “Rock” because of its huge limestone formations,
played a significant role during World War
II.
During
the Spanish regime, all ships entering or
leaving Manila
Bay
were required to stop at the island to have
their documents checked.
Corregidor is
the Spanish term for “corrector”.
Fortifications were later put up on
Corregidor, until the
island came to be known as a bastion of defense
for the city of Manila.
During
World War II, Corregidor
served as the last stronghold of American
and Filipino soldiers against the invading
Japanese army.
The war left the island fortress in
ruins, and until now, a tour of the island
depicts the ravages of war.
However, many facilities built by American
forces have been restored for the tourists.
A
tour of the island starts at General Douglas
MacArthur Park, which features a life-size
bronze statue of the American general; Manuel
L. Quezon Park, in honor of the president
of the Philippine Commonwealth; the Malinta
Tunnel, an 835 foot tunnel which served as
headquarters of General MacArthur and President
Quezon; and the Filipino Heroes Memorial,
a 6,000-square meter complex with 14 murals
of heroic battles from the 15th
century to World War II.
Then,
there are the 2.2-hectare Japanese Garden
of Peace, the smaller Filipino-American Friendship
Park, a 3,000 square meter aviary, and the
famous Middleside Barracks, composed of two
three-storey buildings.
A
continuation of the tour brings the visitor
to Battery Way, which during the war was armed
with four 12-inch mortars; the Battery Hearn,
a 12-inch seacoast gun; the Mile Long Barracks,
reputedly the world’s longest military barracks;
the Pacific War Memorial built by the United
States; the Eternal Flame of Freedom, a wing-shaped
steel sculpture; Spanish Lighthouse; the Battery
Geary; and the Battery Crocket.
Getting
around is not a problem, as buses and jeepneys
are available for tourists.
You
can choose between day and overnight packaged
tours or make your own way around. There is
much to see on Corregidor
and it is best to make a weekend of it if
you have the time. Visitors can also enjoy
the crystal clear waters and fine sand to
be found on the beaches of the island.
Accommodation ranges from cottages
to hotel.