Cavite

Before the Spanish, Chinese junks were already mooring at what is currently Cavite City. The Chinese had already established trade with the settlements around Manila Bay. After the arrival of the Spanish, Cavite City was established as both city and port. Although Cavite City was fortified, due to military importance it was attacked unsuccessfully by the Dutch in 1647 and occupied by the British 1762 - 1764. In 1872, 200 Filipino navy men turned on and murdered their Spanish officers. The mutiny was brutally suppressed by the Spanish who used the incident to unjustly crackdown on reformists and liberals, resulting in the public execution of Fathers Burgos, Gomez and Zamora. Cavite was one of the eight provinces to rise up against Spanish rule and be placed under martial law in the revolution for independence from Spain. It is also from Cavite that General Emilio Aguinaldo, first president of the Philippines, proclaimed independence from Spain.

Cavite City

The name Cavite comes from Kawit which is Tagalog for hook. This is because of the hook-shape of the area on which Cavite City is situated on. The early Tagalog settlers called the area Tangway, which means peninsular. In May 1571, Cavite City was given a land grant and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi named the area Cavite la Punta meaning Tip of Cavite. The Spanish realised the place was suitable for the construction and repair of ships and galleons and the place became known as Cavite el Puerto or Port of Cavite. In 1614, the port was fortified with thick, high walls and moats. When the Americans arrived, they too established naval facilities. On September 7, 1940, under Commonwealth Act No. 547, Cavite was established as a chartered city. The Japanese bombed US naval facilities during World War II and after invading, established their own naval base in Cavite City. The city served as province capital until 1954.

Cavite City and Corregidor Island from the Air

The hook-shaped Cavite City as seen from the air. (April 2006)

The tadpole-shaped Corregidor Island as seen from the air. It is part of Cavite City. (April 2006)

Corregidor Island

Corregidor is one of several small islands located at the entrance to Manila Bay. The name comes from the Spanish word corregir meaning to correct. There are two explanations as to how the island got this name. All ships entering Manila Bay had to stop at Corregidor to have their documents checked and corrected. The other is that Corregidor was used as a correctional institution. The Spanish used this tadpole-shaped island to alert Manila of a home coming galleon by lighting a bonfire. In 1795 they built a naval dockyard followed by a naval hospital and a signal station to warn Manila of an enemy approach. A lighthouse was built in 1836 and was replaced by a bigger one in 1897. Following the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898, Spain ceded the Philippines and its other colonial possessions to the US. Corregidor was designated as a US Military Reservation in 1907 with an army post being established in 1908. In the following years, Corregidor was transformed into a military fortress as part of the Harbour Defences of Manila and Subic Bay plan and roads, barracks, a hospital, batteries and guns were built. The Malinta Tunnel was built 1922 - 1932. With the outbreak of Word War II and as the Japanese forces began to invade the Philippines, the big guns of Corregidor were used to support the defenders of Bataan. With the fall of Bataan, Corregidor, also known as The Rock, was alone, but despite this, the island withstood an attack that lasted 27 days. Finally, with supplies almost gone and the fall of Corregidor inevitably upon them, General Jonathan Wainwright surrendered on May 6, 1942. Early in 1945, Corregidor was under siege once again as the American forces reclaimed the island from the Japanese. Today, the big guns of Corregidor are silent and the island is now a memorial to those who once defended it.

Tail End

President Sergio Osmeña Park. Vice-President Osmeña accompanied Quezon the US in exile. He became President on Quezon's death and returned with General MacArthur. (April 2006)

A statue of the Filipino farmer by day and soldier at night. (April 2006)

A statue dedicated to the Filipino Woman who "...served as a symbol of peace and inspiration to our gallant men in their fight for the preservation of our honour and freedom." (April 2006)

President Manuel Quezon relocated to and took oath for a second term in office at Corregidor. There are 14 murals here depicting different struggles from Lapu-Lapu at Mactan to EDSA. (April 2006)

The last mural portrays the EDSA revolution that overthrew President Ferdinand Marcos. (April 2006)

The flags of the Philippines and Japan stand side by side at the entrance to the Japanese Garden of Peace. (May 2004)

Within the Japanese Garden of Peace are these anti-aircraft guns. (April 2006)

This stone Jibo Kannon (Buddha of Children) stands in the Japanese Garden of Peace. (April 2006)

The dark rectangular is Fort Drum (El Fraile Island). It is essentially a rock with guns attached and can be described as a concrete battleship. (April 2006)

Bottomside and the Malinta Tunnel

The Corregidor Hotel near the old pre-war barrio of San Jose, originally a fishing community. Since its destruction in the war, it only exists by name. (May 2004)

This larger than life bronze statue of General MacArthur stands in the General Douglas MacArthur Park, near the ruins of Lorcha Dock where he departed from Corregidor in 1942. (May 2004)

A foxhole that was used by Japanese soldiers. (April 2006)

The east entrance of the Malinta Tunnel. A steep hill of solid rock called Malinta severs the Bottomside and tail end of Corregidor. It is under this hill that the Malinta Tunnel runs. (April 2006)

A map of the Malinta Tunnel which is bombproof and offers complete protection from artillery and air attack. It served as the seat of the Commonwealth government for a short time. (April 2005)

Looking down the main tunnel where there are two sets of electric trolley lines. Streetcars became the main form of transportation on the island in 1910. (April 2006)

One of the many lateral tunnels which once housed ammunition, food, supplies and served as a headquarters and a 1,000-bed capacity hospital. Within these tunnels, people would live and work during the siege of Corregidor. (May 2004)

The west entrance of the Malinta Tunnel and the exit for the tour of the tunnel which includes a light and sound show. The east entrance is the starting point of the tour. (April 2006)

Middleside and Battery Way

One of the many birds held in the aviary area at Middleside. (May 2004)

The underground reservoir that supplied Corregidor with water. One of the reasons General Wainwright surrendered was because there was no water left. (April 2006)

The remains of Middleside Barracks which consisted of two three-storey buildings. (April 2006)

The remains of the three-storey hospital. The building was cross-shaped when viewed from the air to distinguish it. (May 2004)

The Battery Way guns were designed to penetrate deck armour of warships. They could also be used against enemies on higher ground in Bataan. (May 2004)

Inside a bunker at Battery Way. (May 2004)

Topside and Battery Gear

The remains of Mile-Long Barracks. Despite the name, it is only almost a third of a mile long. General MacArthur's headquarters were located here. (April 2006)

The helipad to the left is post-war. President Marcos liked to have meetings on Corregidor. The Corregidor Incident was in 1968 when Muslim troops were murdered after training to infiltrate and destabilise the Sabah state of Malaysia. (May 2004)

This marker is on the Topside parade grounds in front of Mile-Long Barracks. Corregidor Island was also referred to as The Rock. (May 2004)

This larger than life statue is of an American and a Filipino soldier as brothers in arms. (April 2006)

The remains of the Cine Corregidor movie theatre. It was built prior to the war to entertain personnel stationed on the island. (May 2004)

Inside the remains of the Cine Corregidor are two cars. This one was the presidential car of Manuel Quezon. (May 2004)

Right beside Quezon's presidential car is General Douglas MacArthur's car. (May 2004)

The Pacific War Memorial was completed in 1968 and is dedicated to Filipino and American soldiers that fought at Corregidor. (April 2006)

The Pacific War Memorial Dome of Peace consists of an altar directly below the opening at the centre of the dome. (April 2006)

This steel sculpture is the Eternal Flame of Freedom, located at the rear side of the Pacific War Memorial. (May 2004)

There are various markers running along the side of a pool between the Dome of Peace and the Eternal Flame of Freedom sculpture. (May 2004)

Nearby the Pacific War Memorial is this museum which holds certain items from Corregidor's war-torn past. (April 2006)

The first US flag to be flown at Corregidor Island from December 2, 1898 to May 14, 1899. There are only 45 stars. (April 2006)

A bust of General Douglas MacArthur. (April 2006)

This flagpole was the mast of a Spanish warship captured by Admiral George Dewey at the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898. (April 2005)

The original lighthouse was built by the Spanish in 1836. It was replaced by a larger lighthouse in 1897 but this was destroyed in the war. A new post-war lighthouse was eventually built. (April 2005)

The view from the top of the lighthouse. The Pacific War Memorial Dome and Mile-Long Barracks are visible. Bataan can also been seen in the background. (April 2005)

Battery Geary together with Battery Way were considered the most effective anti-personnel weapons on Corregidor. A direct hit by Japanese artillery total destroyed Battery Geary. (May 2004)

Battery Grubbs and Battery Hearn

The entrance to Battery Grubbs. This battery was only put into service in April 1942 but was quickly knocked out of service and abandoned. (April 2006)

A disappearing gun - called so because it would pivot up to fire and then retract back down keeping them out of enemy fire behind the concrete fortifications. (April 2006)

The Japanese captured Battery Hearn almost intact when Corregidor fell. They repaired it and used it against the Americans during liberation. (April 2006)

A crater from the shell bombardment. The Japanese fired shells daily. On one particular day, Corregidor was hit with no less than 16,000 shells. (May 2004)

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