At the entrance to the Manila Bay, a tadpole-shaped island stands guard to the Manila harbor. For well over 1000 years, the island had been an invaluable real estate for those excelled in piracy as well as trade in the South China Sea, or as Filipinos call it, the North-Western Philippines Sea. The island is a major tourist attraction for visitors to Manila and managed by a monopoly, a Filipino Company, with access to the ruling elite. The company, Sun Rises, runs the ferry between Manila and Corregidor, owns the only hotel on the island, and conducts guided tours for visitors. I have not seen such an arrangement elsewhere. Without them, no one can enter the island. The cost of the trip is relatively high (about 60 USD for the ferry, lunch and the guided tour of four hours). A return trip to another port nearby, Bataan, by ferry will cost 12 USD. The lunch is very ordinary, and the artifacts/exhibits are very few.
The ferry can take up to 285 passengers comfortably, the ride takes about 2 hours each way, and the ambiance gives a feeling of being in a small cruise ship – clean, well maintained, and the crew dressed as naval officers. They looked smart. The day I traveled, there were about 200 passengers, most of them were a delegation from a Mormon Church based in California. As we arrived at Corregidor, Trams were waiting for us to be taken to the exhibits. Each Tram could take up to 35 passengers, and there were seven of them waiting for us.
So, what is special about Corregidor? It was the theatre where Japan demonstrated its might, and where it was soundly defeated during WW II. It was the base for Douglas McArthur, who commanded the Allied Forces in the Pacific and Australasia.
The Island was second only to Malta, in terms of the number of bombs fell during the WW-II. The Allied forces lost the island to the Japanese in 1942 and regained in 1945. We were told, that the island was almost burnt by the end of the war, but, now the Island looks luscious, just like any tropical forests. This gave me the hope, that, if we stop messing up the world, it may recover, and the earth may forgive us.
Major exhibits at the island were some mortars used to bomb ships, a few cannons, a lighthouse, a cemetery for the Japanese, a memorial for the Allied forces, a mile-long barrack, and the Malinta Tunnel.
We were told, that the technology to bomb ships entering the Manila Bay was very primitive. Along the coasts were ‘spotters’, who will send a telex to a ‘command center’ of mortars, who will calculate the angle to fire, and then fire the mortars. Some of them could shoot a 1000 lbs bomb to a distance of 7-8 miles. Many of them missed the targets, but, obviously, enough hit the targets for the island to be lost and won in four years.
The lighthouse had been re-furbished, the mile-long barrack (its actually three miles long barrack) is in ruins, and the Malinta Tunnels offers a sound and lights show, telling how the war was lost and won by the Allied forces.
Each Tram had a guide, our guy put on a good show, often repeating the same old jokes. His narration was pro Americans, and it suited the passengers well. I paid a lot of attention to the narration provided by the Guide, not for the content though. He depicted the Americans in good light, the Japanese as brutal conquerors, and the Filipinos as confused people. He lamented the discrimination of the Filipinos by the Americans and complained that the Filipinos paid a very high price. About 100,000 Americans and 1.2 million Filipinos died during the war. He was reasonably funny, and every time he told a joke, I wondered how many times he would have told the same joke again and again. He could sing a little bit – actually most Filipinos sing reasonably well, and they are not shy to sing in public. I thought he earned his keeps.
The passenger next to me in the Ferry, Mike, is a retired OB-GYN from California. A tall 5’ 16” guy. Yep, not 6’ and 4”, as others would see him. He heads the Mormon Mission in Manila and has been living in Manila for about 18 months. His name tag identified him (and several other men) as Elders. All women in the group were identified as “sisters”. I wondered why Mike was not a brother, and how come none of the women were ‘Elders’. Mike was very proud to introduce himself as the father of seven children and grandfather of fourteen children. We discussed my faith in God. I told him that I belong to the Church of Prathapar, I have my own rules and beliefs. I told him that I do not believe in Hell or Heaven after death, both are just around us. I also said that I believe that, each one of us should be net-givers than net-takers, which will be the yardstick how we have lived our lives. He talked about Mormon church briefly, wanted to know I like to have a copy of the Mormon’s Guide book. I told him about one of my supervisors in the USA, who gave me a copy, which I still have in Sydney. I was very comfortable talking to him, and I think he too was. When we departed, he said that he felt enriched – I hope he meant it.
Overall, it was a good day to be out, instead of sitting in my flat, watching TV.
Tadpole Island. Corregidor
The ferry can take up to 285 passengers comfortably, the ride takes about 2 hours each way, and the ambiance gives a feeling of being in a small cruise ship – clean, well maintained, and the crew dressed as naval officers. They looked smart. The day I traveled, there were about 200 passengers, most of them were a delegation from a Mormon Church based in California. As we arrived at Corregidor, Trams were waiting for us to be taken to the exhibits. Each Tram could take up to 35 passengers, and there were seven of them waiting for us.
Trams with Guides, Ready for Showtime
Douglas McArthur, Promises to his troops: I Shall Return
Luscious Corregidor
Major exhibits at the island were some mortars used to bomb ships, a few cannons, a lighthouse, a cemetery for the Japanese, a memorial for the Allied forces, a mile-long barrack, and the Malinta Tunnel.
Pacific War Memorial
A mortar, almost ready to fire
The lighthouse had been re-furbished, the mile-long barrack (its actually three miles long barrack) is in ruins, and the Malinta Tunnels offers a sound and lights show, telling how the war was lost and won by the Allied forces.
The Mile Long Barrack
Each Tram had a guide, our guy put on a good show, often repeating the same old jokes. His narration was pro Americans, and it suited the passengers well. I paid a lot of attention to the narration provided by the Guide, not for the content though. He depicted the Americans in good light, the Japanese as brutal conquerors, and the Filipinos as confused people. He lamented the discrimination of the Filipinos by the Americans and complained that the Filipinos paid a very high price. About 100,000 Americans and 1.2 million Filipinos died during the war. He was reasonably funny, and every time he told a joke, I wondered how many times he would have told the same joke again and again. He could sing a little bit – actually most Filipinos sing reasonably well, and they are not shy to sing in public. I thought he earned his keeps.
Lord Buddha at the Japanese Cemetry
The passenger next to me in the Ferry, Mike, is a retired OB-GYN from California. A tall 5’ 16” guy. Yep, not 6’ and 4”, as others would see him. He heads the Mormon Mission in Manila and has been living in Manila for about 18 months. His name tag identified him (and several other men) as Elders. All women in the group were identified as “sisters”. I wondered why Mike was not a brother, and how come none of the women were ‘Elders’. Mike was very proud to introduce himself as the father of seven children and grandfather of fourteen children. We discussed my faith in God. I told him that I belong to the Church of Prathapar, I have my own rules and beliefs. I told him that I do not believe in Hell or Heaven after death, both are just around us. I also said that I believe that, each one of us should be net-givers than net-takers, which will be the yardstick how we have lived our lives. He talked about Mormon church briefly, wanted to know I like to have a copy of the Mormon’s Guide book. I told him about one of my supervisors in the USA, who gave me a copy, which I still have in Sydney. I was very comfortable talking to him, and I think he too was. When we departed, he said that he felt enriched – I hope he meant it.
The Sun Rise Liner - Note it is only one at the Dockyard
Overall, it was a good day to be out, instead of sitting in my flat, watching TV.
