Corregidor is one of the most historic sites in the Philippines due to the very important role it played during World War II. It is part of the province of Cavite and because of its location, right at the mouth of Manila Bay, it served as a fortress to protect Manila from the invading Japanese forces.
My family and I joined the day tour organized by Sun Cruises. The ferry terminal is located right behind Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas (previously Folk Arts Theater) at the CCP complex. We checked in at around 6:30 AM and boarded the ferry shortly after 7 AM. The ferry departed the port at around 8 AM and it took about an hour and a half to reach Corregidor. The tour itself took about 5 hours, including a 45-minute lunch break at the Corregidor Inn (buffet lunch is included in the package). We left the island at around 3PM and got back to Manila at around 4:15 to 4:30 PM
The tour is pretty well-organized. Upon check-in, we were given stickers that indicated our ferry seat number as well as which tranvia we were assigned to. The tour guides are all extremely knowledgeable. Our guide, Mar, not only had an incredible amount of historical knowledge about Corregidor that he shared with us but he was also very engaging, making it a lot easier to absorb the information he shared with us.
Some of the places we got to see when we were there include the ruins of the Mile-Long Barracks or Topside Barracks (they are only about a third of a mile long but there are three floors, hence the nickname mile-long),
the Eternal Flame monument, which was designed by Aristides Demetrios to commemorate the courage and heroism of the Filipino and American soldiers and serve as a symbol of never-ending freedom,
the Japanese Garden of Peace,
and the Corregidor Lighthouse.
We also visited the Malinta Tunnel. Entry to the tunnel is not included in the package rate (it costs an additional P200 per person) but the Sun Cruise tour provides enough time for guests to take a trip inside. The 30-minute light and sound show in the tunnel is called "The Malinta Experience" and it reenacts key moments during World War II. It features dioramas and sculptures created by National Artist Napoleon Abueva and a script written by National Artist Lamberto Avellana.
Because of all the information shared to us by our very knowledgeable tour guide Mar, I now know a whole lot more than I did before this trip. For instance, the name Corregidor comes from the Spanish word corregir which means 'to correct'. Supposedly, during the Spanish colonial times, the island served as a checkpoint for all ships entering Manila who had to submit their documents for checking and correction.
Corregidor served as the headquarters of Major General George Moore and as such, it was named Fort Mills. There used to be a swimming pool, a baseball field, and even a cinema here. Apparently, the last film shown before the cinema was destroyed was Gone with the Wind.
Corregidor eventually succumbed to the Japanese on May 6, 1942, twenty-seven days after the fall of Bataan. The invasion started on December 29, 1941 and apparently, the Japanese were expecting to take control of Manila and the Philippines in just 50 days. As it turned out, the Filipino soldiers were a lot more courageous, valiant, and tough, and while they eventually lost, it took more four months for the Japanese to win the Battle of Corregidor. This delay of more than two months threw off the plans of Japan and as a result, they were no longer able to attack Australia.
The Pacific War Memorial honors the Filipino and the American soldiers who fought in WWII. Underneath the dome is a circular altar located directly under the dome's oculus. Our guide told us that the oculus and the alter are placed in such a way that every year, on May 6 (the anniversary of the Corregidor surrender), the sun shines directly onto the circular alter through the oculus.
It's amazing to think that Corregidor held firm for so long considering that the guns and mortars here were all really old. The Japanese attacked the Philippines in 1941-1942 and most of the artillery on the island were built in the late 1800s to very early 1900s. That means they were all 40-50 years old when they were used to protect the Philippines. Our guide also explained the difference between a gun and a mortar: a gun is used for long range attack while a mortar has a higher trajectory and shorter range. As such, mortars are used to fend off invaders who manage to get past the long-range gun defense.
The tours organized by Sun Cruises are definitely worth taking. The day trip costs P2,250 per person (although we got ours at a massive discount thanks to Ensogo) which is actually pretty cheap when you take into account the fact that it includes a roundtrip ferry ride, very knowledgeable guides, and a buffet lunch (the food was also pretty good). The day tour is really crammed and we would normally have only about 10 to 15 minutes at each stop. If you want to spend more time at each point of interest on the island, it might be worth staying in the island overnight. (I think I may do this at some point in the future.)
I visited Corregidor once before with my extended family (there must have been about 30 of us!) when I was still in high school. I guess that maybe due to my greater appreciation of history and understanding of the significance of Corregidor now, this 2014 trip proved to be a lot more memorable and meaningful. There is a whole lot more information I could share but I think it would be much better for you to experience it directly. I really do think that a visit to Corregidor should be on the bucket list of every Filipino.
12-inch mortars in Battery Way
My family and I joined the day tour organized by Sun Cruises. The ferry terminal is located right behind Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas (previously Folk Arts Theater) at the CCP complex. We checked in at around 6:30 AM and boarded the ferry shortly after 7 AM. The ferry departed the port at around 8 AM and it took about an hour and a half to reach Corregidor. The tour itself took about 5 hours, including a 45-minute lunch break at the Corregidor Inn (buffet lunch is included in the package). We left the island at around 3PM and got back to Manila at around 4:15 to 4:30 PM
Statue of Gen. Douglas MacArthur at the Lorcha Dock
The tour is pretty well-organized. Upon check-in, we were given stickers that indicated our ferry seat number as well as which tranvia we were assigned to. The tour guides are all extremely knowledgeable. Our guide, Mar, not only had an incredible amount of historical knowledge about Corregidor that he shared with us but he was also very engaging, making it a lot easier to absorb the information he shared with us.
Touring the island on a tramvia
Some of the places we got to see when we were there include the ruins of the Mile-Long Barracks or Topside Barracks (they are only about a third of a mile long but there are three floors, hence the nickname mile-long),
Mile-Long Barracks or Topside Barracks
the Eternal Flame monument, which was designed by Aristides Demetrios to commemorate the courage and heroism of the Filipino and American soldiers and serve as a symbol of never-ending freedom,
Eternal Flame Monument
the Japanese Garden of Peace,
Japanese Garden of Peace
and the Corregidor Lighthouse.
Corregidor Lighthouse
We also visited the Malinta Tunnel. Entry to the tunnel is not included in the package rate (it costs an additional P200 per person) but the Sun Cruise tour provides enough time for guests to take a trip inside. The 30-minute light and sound show in the tunnel is called "The Malinta Experience" and it reenacts key moments during World War II. It features dioramas and sculptures created by National Artist Napoleon Abueva and a script written by National Artist Lamberto Avellana.
Inside the Malinta Tunnel
Because of all the information shared to us by our very knowledgeable tour guide Mar, I now know a whole lot more than I did before this trip. For instance, the name Corregidor comes from the Spanish word corregir which means 'to correct'. Supposedly, during the Spanish colonial times, the island served as a checkpoint for all ships entering Manila who had to submit their documents for checking and correction.
Pacific War Memorial Museum
Corregidor served as the headquarters of Major General George Moore and as such, it was named Fort Mills. There used to be a swimming pool, a baseball field, and even a cinema here. Apparently, the last film shown before the cinema was destroyed was Gone with the Wind.
Ruins of Cine Corregidor
Corregidor eventually succumbed to the Japanese on May 6, 1942, twenty-seven days after the fall of Bataan. The invasion started on December 29, 1941 and apparently, the Japanese were expecting to take control of Manila and the Philippines in just 50 days. As it turned out, the Filipino soldiers were a lot more courageous, valiant, and tough, and while they eventually lost, it took more four months for the Japanese to win the Battle of Corregidor. This delay of more than two months threw off the plans of Japan and as a result, they were no longer able to attack Australia.
The Pacific War Memorial honors the Filipino and the American soldiers who fought in WWII. Underneath the dome is a circular altar located directly under the dome's oculus. Our guide told us that the oculus and the alter are placed in such a way that every year, on May 6 (the anniversary of the Corregidor surrender), the sun shines directly onto the circular alter through the oculus.
Pacific War Memorial
It's amazing to think that Corregidor held firm for so long considering that the guns and mortars here were all really old. The Japanese attacked the Philippines in 1941-1942 and most of the artillery on the island were built in the late 1800s to very early 1900s. That means they were all 40-50 years old when they were used to protect the Philippines. Our guide also explained the difference between a gun and a mortar: a gun is used for long range attack while a mortar has a higher trajectory and shorter range. As such, mortars are used to fend off invaders who manage to get past the long-range gun defense.
12-inch gun in Battery Hearn
The tours organized by Sun Cruises are definitely worth taking. The day trip costs P2,250 per person (although we got ours at a massive discount thanks to Ensogo) which is actually pretty cheap when you take into account the fact that it includes a roundtrip ferry ride, very knowledgeable guides, and a buffet lunch (the food was also pretty good). The day tour is really crammed and we would normally have only about 10 to 15 minutes at each stop. If you want to spend more time at each point of interest on the island, it might be worth staying in the island overnight. (I think I may do this at some point in the future.)
The Corregidor Inn
I visited Corregidor once before with my extended family (there must have been about 30 of us!) when I was still in high school. I guess that maybe due to my greater appreciation of history and understanding of the significance of Corregidor now, this 2014 trip proved to be a lot more memorable and meaningful. There is a whole lot more information I could share but I think it would be much better for you to experience it directly. I really do think that a visit to Corregidor should be on the bucket list of every Filipino.
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