Extract from the Manila BULLETIN of March 27, 2007

 

 

Developing Corregidor

 

By Beth Day Romulo

 

 

ON March 14th, the National Defense College of the Philippines hosted a round table discussion on "Developing Corregidor: Challenges and Prospects.'' Some nit-picking criticism of our present preservation efforts, under the aegis of the National Historical Institute, which had appeared on the Internet, had whetted their curiosity and 40 members of the college visited Corregidor the day before the meeting to see what was actually going on. Both our host, Commodore Carlos Agustin, and his group and the presidential adviser on veterans affairs, Jesus Terry Adevoso, agreed that "no desecration had taken place.'' Both seasoned world travelers, they made comparisons to ruins that have been preserved in Greece and Italy, and Mr. Adevoso suggested that Corregidor could be the Philippines Acropolis, its Coliseum. But much needs to be done. What we are working on now is simply the most urgent repair, that of Middleside Barracks, which took a direct hit in the last back-to-back typhoons and the trees close to it destroyed portions of walls.

 

It was suggested we need a real master plan for the preservation of all the ruins from the Spanish period through World War II. Not restoration. We have no interest in recreating what was once there, but preserving for posterity the ruins that remain. We have had sporadic interest from the government, from the President herself when she visited Corregidor to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the retaking of the island March 2nd 2005. And from Senator Richard Gordon and from Speaker Joe de Venecia, who found us an appropriation sufficient to get the fountains flowing in the reflecting pools again.

 

Topside and Middleside hold the important ruins, of barracks from the American period, some of which are not available to the public at this time because they have not been maintained for lack of funds. It is only at the island's bottom level that tourist accommodations, food and lodging are available. Last year, the Eternal flame on Topside was finally lit by solar power through the good office of the Filam Memorial Endowment and Sun Power Manufacturing Philippines. We are now using solar power for streetlights, and need many more. The deep well is also run with solar power.

 

The discussion concluded that we all need to work together, military, government, and private sector to bring Corregidor to its fulfillment as the most important historical military memorial in Southeast Asia. Funding has always been a problem but national pride should see to it that the questions of adequate power, security, and the reclamation of areas that are not yet available to the public should be pursued.

 

Lt. Col. Matibag, the executive director of Corregidor, was charged with creating a master plan of all the things Corregidor needs to be properly developed, which can be presented to Congress.

 

Beth Day Romulo