Sunset was cloudy but very inviting. Atop the Battery Grubbs we captured the mountain-clad Corregidor in a magnificent hue. I marveled on how beautiful sunset was if not cloudy. I did not waste time in taking photographs, getting good shots of the neighboring island of La Monja and a panoramic view of Mariveles, Bataan. When the night falls, we proceeded to the spooky Malinta Tunnel for the lateral visit. But wait, I forgot to tell you that before we trooped to the Battery Grubbs we passed by the old hospital at the topside. As mentioned in the first series of this Corregidor story (A Brave Weekend at Corregidor Part I), that hospital was one of the first bombed by the Japanese. This incident drove the force of Gen. McArthur to put up a hospital area inside the Malinta Tunnel, which was later called the 1000-bed hospital.
Entering the main tunnel at night was very thrilling, much more was striding towards its laterals. Our tour guide evenly distributed among us big flashlights, which served as our only light source inside this historic fort of beleaguered World War II soldiers. "Watch your head!" was our consistent warning to each other as the passageway becomes narrower and we bent our knees lower. Then, "watch your feet!" because the excavation of some parts of the laterals was left unfinished, not to mention those holes and cracks brought by the offensive and defensive attacks in the war. As we reached the location where hundreds of Japanese committed suicide by blowing themselves up, I entertained creepy thoughts in my mind, making the exploration quite eerie but more stirring! Next point near the East Entrance was the lateral of Pres. Quezon where we found momentous framed pictures hanged on the walls. The photographs captured the commonwealth president's unwavering spirit despite being stricken with tuberculosis, which was incurable that time. Pres. Quezon stayed at the Malinta Tunnel less than 2 months, from Dec. 29, 1941 to Feb. 20, 1942, before being transported to the United States to seek medical treatment. He died in 1944, not able to witness the liberation of the Philippines which happened in March 2, 1945.
The longest lateral near the North Entrance is where the 1000-bed hospital was positioned. Few more laterals and we got to the headquarters of Gen. McArthur, then to his infamous escape tunnel which is parallel to the main tunnel, leading to the west entrance. His exit was well positioned to the Lorcha Dock where he boarded the boat for Cagayan de Oro, from where he was brought to Darwin, Australia through a chartered flight.
Sunrise, the Water and the Mountain
Sunrise the next morning found us just beside the Pacific War Memorial complex. Resting my back behind a century-old tree, I was energized with the breathtaking site of the daybreak --- enough to put me on the mood to rush to the beach and brave the morning waves. It was high tide at the South Dock Beach, but weren't we brave enough to dip our toes and run ashore when the waves dashed? When we learned later that the man standing beside one of the cottages was the lifeguard, we instantly became courageous soak and swim.
Mountain trek was the next inviting thing. I figured out Malinta experience would never be complete if only the tunnel was explored, so we decided to join the trek buffs. Hiking up the Malinta Hills was not tiring at all because the mountain provides plenty of acacia and ipil-ipil trees that give shade and cool wind. Confused why those two species of trees are dominant, I learned that a government effort after the war made possible an airdrop of seeds (of those species) to reforest. There are also wild fruit-bearing trees like granada and guava.
Thirty minutes have passed, and surprise! We were at the Malinta summit having an almost aerial view of Corregidor ! An awesome view of the South, North and the Engineering docks, and the Corregidor hotel almost held me back from leaving the summit. But more things are there to discover ---the gun emplacements, the water reservoir, and the searchlight.
Going down the slopes was the most exciting, not too slippery but you must have a sense of balance. "Else, you'll find yourself down the hills in just 2 minutes!" we joked around. While bracing ourselves down, we stopped by a tree sap where we found trees-sucking leeches. From there we were told how the hills got its name. "Malinta" in Filipino means "many leeches." The pre-war prisoners who built the tunnel had found lots of leeches on the hills while readying it for the excavation, so they cried "malinta!"
Things You Must Know in Corregidor
There are several other things to do in the island aside from those we tried and tested. Fishing and an island hopping called "Rock the Boat Around" are two of the options for water-fun. There are also outdoor facilities for the sporty type that include tennis and basketball courts and a swimming pool with fully-landscaped background. Nightlife lovers will never be bored as a recreation center which houses karaoke and videoke bars, billiards, table tennis and dart games is open as long there are guests around.
Visiting Corregidor can be done in two ways, one is to try its day tour which leaves the Sun Cruises Bay Terminal in Manila at 8:00 in the morning and return at 4:00 PM. The other one is to stay overnight where you can experience the comfort of Corregidor hotel and get involved in the must-try alluring activities the island offers.
For more information, you can e-mail suncruises@magsaysay.com.ph or sales_mttci@magsaysay.com.ph.
