A step into history

MANILA, Philippines - Known for its Binondo and Intramuros tours, Old Manila Walks takes a step out of its comfort zone with their latest offering – a walking tour of Corregidor Island.

While Corregidor strays away from their usual tours, guide Ivan Man Dy points out that it is only fitting for Old Manila Walks to offer a tour of the island because it stands as the port and gateway to the capital, a fact that has made Corregidor one of the most important and fought over pieces of land in the country’s history.

Dubbed “Of Bombs, Big Guns, and Lost Gold: World War II Tales Declassified,” the tour brings to life the war stories of the island that, with Bataan, put up a heroic fight during World War II. “This is a more intimate experience of Corregidor,” says Ivan.

On a usual tour of the island, guests hop on to a guided tram ride that circles the island, stopping at each landmark for the obligatory photo. The walking tour promises to be more engaging as visitors are able to walk the same worn trails that the soldiers once used. With Old Manila Walks, the group gets to explore the backstreets, trek the dirt paths, and sit among the ruins while the guide delivers not only relevant facts, but also the stories of the people that once occupied the space. After all, “Stories are more important than the structure,” says Ivan.

While Corregidor is a six-kilometer stretch, the walking tour concentrates on the “head” of the island, which houses the most historic landmarks. The walking tour begins at the lighthouse, the highest point of the island. Visitors are taken by tram from the pier to the starting point, so the tour is mostly a downward trek, not a reenactment of the Death March.

“This tour will make you sweat,” says Ivan once our group gets off the tram. He adds the tour will hopefully give visitors not only a physical workout, but a mental one as well – echoing Old Manila Walks’ slogan “Body Slimming, Mind Enriching!”

The lighthouse is not only the highest point of the island, but the oldest as well. Again owing to its ideal location, British and Dutch pirates would stop here to refuel in the 1600s. The name of the island comes from the Spanish coregir or “to correct,” as this was a check point for galleons during the Spanish era.

Corregidor is known for its part in World War II, Ivan says, but not many realize that the island was very important in history even before that. In fact, not far from the lighthouse, we stop at a flagstaff that is actually a mast – booty claimed from a fallen ship during the 1898 Battle of Manila Bay.

Another thing that Ivan says people do not usually realize is that while Corregidor was a military camp – also known to the Americans as Fort Mills – it was also full of American luxuries, a paradise island even. As we venture further into the heart of the historic area, Ivan rebuilds the ruins in our minds – here the soldiers could play tennis, golf, or baseball; this is the path that the Meralco-run tram would ply from the tip of the island to its tail; of course, there was the massive Cine Corregidor, with its concession stand and box office still intact, that would play Hollywood films and news reels. The last film shown there was “Gone with the Wind.”

As we walk up beside the iconic Mile Long Barracks, Ivan points out some of the details that show a mix of influences – wide capiz windows and surprisingly, a structure that resembles a chimney – a bit of home on the tropical island. Ivan shares with us one more piece of trivia – ironically, the quarters are constructed with Japanese-made concrete as it was cheaper at that time. When the Japanese bombed the island, the Mile Long Barracks was hit the heaviest.

“It’s always a case of ‘too late’ for Corregidor,” Ivan observes when we reach Battery Way to see the huge guns. He explains, when the guns were first installed they were top of the line, but when the soldiers actually used them years later, the technology was outdated, a factor that contributed to their defeat.

Ivan recalls another instance of “too late” when we start exploring the Old Hospital – a building that the bus tours do not visit. This hospital, like the guns, was already damaged by the time it was most needed by the soldiers and was not able to serve its purpose.

The story of Corregidor circa World War II is put on hold for a moment as Ivan directs our attention to some graffiti on the hospital walls. While most of it is from inconsiderate tourists, some of the “We were here” scrawls bear the year 1968 and names of soldiers from another chapter in Corregidor’s history.

In January of 1968, Muslim soldiers from Mindanao were stationed on the island to prepare for “Operation Merdeka” – Marcos’ alleged (now denied) plan to infiltrate and invade Sabah.

The soldiers assigned to the mission were said to be among the best, but they were billeted in the Old Hospital building and did not receive the benefits that they were promised. Some of these soldiers wrote to Malacañang to protest the ill treatment they had received, but on March 18, 1968, a group of soldiers was executed on the false pretense that they were being escorted to Manila. This came to be known as the Jabidah Massacre, said to be one of the catalysts for the establishment of the Moro National Liberation Front. In the light of the current Sabah situation, the 45th anniversary of the Jabidah Massacre was observed with heightened significance.

Seeing the names of the soldiers and their messages of discontent scribbled on the walls of the hospital is chilling. More unnerving, however, is the total darkness in Malinta Tunnel, where thousands of soldiers – Filipino, American, and Japanese – lost their lives.

As part of the Old Manila Walks package, guests can choose from a number of activities to do after lunch: a tour of Malinta Tunnel, all-terrain vehicle riding, zipline, kayaking, or just resting at the hotel lobby until the ferry arrives.

Our group, most of us first timers on the island, decided to check out Malinta Tunnel. Staying true to the nature of the walking tour, they do not let us join the popular light and sound Malinta experience. Rather, we gear up with flashlights and helmets and a guide takes us into the tunnel to explore it on foot. At one point, the guide tells us to switch off all our flashlights and experience how it was for the soldiers who would have hidden there during an attack. The clammy air and the bombs echoing from the light and sound show in a different area of the tunnel make it easier to imagine.

“Corregidor is a most sensitive island because of its experience of war,” Ivan reflects. The walking tour ends at the Pacific War Memorial and Museum which offers us respite from the heat of the sun. Ivan shows us propaganda posters of both the Japanese and the Americans.

We know about the war from the accounts of the Japanese and the Americans, but what about the Filipino point of view of the war, Ivan muses. “We are the in-between,” he says. On this introspective note, we are left to think about the many historic moments that were played out on this island – battles, tragedies, victories – and about those who gave their lives for freedom. “Local leaders should come here,” Ivan says, thinking aloud.

As we sit on the steps inside the memorial to rest and reflect, I see the Eternal Flame monument in the distance, triumphant against the clear blue sky.

For inquiries, visit www.oldmanilawalks.com.