Corregidor, heroes never die they just fade away

Some of the perks of being in the Office (emphasis on capitalization meant) are:

1. free food (via CWS Division where yours truly belongs)

2.(if lucky) bonus grocery give-aways (through AFPCES fluctuating supply of gift checks)

3. minimum zero (by foot), two-peso (via peso ride services) to a maximum forty-peso or US 95 cents (by cab) ride cost of transportation (n/a to non-GHQ residents)

4. per diem pay on out-of-the-city conferences (have not experienced but willing to take part of)

5. free tours (depends)

6. TTH 1500H Athletics (3pm dismissal need I say more?)

7. and of course, remarkable holistic growth.

Underrated as the AFP may seem, it had proved itself to be an imperative catalyst to my growth as an amateur careerist. On a lighter note, let me take number 5 point and let you in one of the tours that I've been lucky to be hitched on.

"It is my earnest hope and indeed the hope of all mankind that a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past - a world founded upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance and justice."

- General Douglas MacArthur

I've been in the island before, mostly with my dad and his big boats but all I did was walk around and take a swim. It was rocky I tell you. I never thought the big guns and canons where honest to goodness, interesting. But now you know what I've realized, they once were and still are only thing uninteresting was my then perspective.

Corregidor, or the "Island of the Corrector" or "the Rock", is a small island strategically located 48 kilometers west of the port of Manila Bay. The island epitomizes valor and heroism of the Filipino and American soldiers who fought side-by-side against the overwhelming multitude of Japanese forces in World War II. Corregidor, taken from the Spanish word "corregir" meaning "corrector", became a warning outpost for incoming ships, a customs outpost, and a correctional (prison) ergo, the Island of the Corrector.

It is my sincerest wish, that history classes where held outside the classrooms, it renders fruitful, comic even and heartfelt when kids, like me, learn history up close.

As an add-on to one's formula to successful smart Alecking, here's a trivia: Did you know that Douglas MacArthur's world renowned "I shall return" was actually proofread and revised by our very own first Filipino Pulitzer Prize winner for Correspondence, Carlos P Romulo? Imagine what pronouns could do when you're hanging onto the cliff of death.

Not in toto or verbatim even, but I think their conversation, if there ever was one went something like this: Only if Barney Stinson said the story though.

MacArthur: Hey Carlos, yah think my closing remark (points to "WE shall return" line 3 of his last paragraph) compelling enough to up the hype and bring our soldier bros to the awesomest nirvana of battle hypetitude?

Romulo: Nah Dude, yah think (as if he'd say Yah) people read "we" as if they're convinced enough to stand on rocky island grounds with nil power, nada food or null what have yous? No they'd probably say., "we" my a**". WE are for wimps nay, we are for wimplings. That's why in the future, Wii would be a game for cyber boxing, all cyber, dude, no world. Now tell you what, when you say I, you're like their super-bro (superman only NOT with his tight brief out of his pants). It's like you carry all the kryptonite. You put the I in winner, the I in integrity and subsequently in the future again we'd put your I and my I and create Wii. You know.

MacArthur: I just have to hand you a patriotic five for that! (Slap!) Then, I shall return it is.

TRUE STORY. (roflmao)

Anyway, since the tour was practically for free I regret to inform you that I do not have a breakdown of expenses from the NAIA airport (for non-Luzon or Manila residents or simply for Plane travellers to Manila) or even from anywhere in Manila. But okay, an estimate would be for NAIA airport 1, 2,3 passengers, when you ride the yellow taxi to Manila Bay be ready to splurge unusually on a fare that only takes around 15-30 minutes to accomplish give or take (300-500 pesos or US $6 - US $10). So find a way to get a bus or jeep or white regular taxis(outside the airport or maybe at the departure area: for taxi cabs only). For Manila travelers there's always the taxi give or take 150-200 pesos (US $3 - $4) when you're from Quezon City or better yet ride a bus and/or fx going to Vito Cruz (located along Edsa) then take an orange jitney to Harrison Plaza, MOA etcetera. I'm not that hundred percent sure though, it won't hurt to ask other ops on this one.

Here's a rundown of the tour:

Here's Laurie, DJ and Pau at the Manila Bay Port waiting for the Sun (transit) to arise.

Ruins, this is only one of the many condominiums or housing for the soldiers' families living in a small community in Corregidor.

Here's the tranvia we road all throughout the tour. Picture (Laurie, Melai and Ali)

Actually, this was the first stop of the tour, the John Wainwright memorial park

The tranvia, the old train transport of the Philippines back in its hayday

The little American community the soldiers built for their family.

Did you also know that Corregidor had American houses with little chimneys on top. Without any regard for the tropical weather, the Americans built those chimneys as a memory of the homeland they've sailed way from to do a courageous act of patriotism and camaraderie with the Filipinos. Those little chimneys as cumbersome as they may seem, was a reminder of "home". :')

It's one of those trip where I only remember snippets and true facts are mixed with true fiction (see previous MacArthur-Romulo conversation above), so this time when you go to Corregidor, what I may have said and/or shared would only be 10 percent useful. Nonetheless, it was a history worth revisiting.