Batteries are included

We have landed. This is it - the start of our day-long Corregidor Tour.

There are two choices on how to get around the island - first, for the more adventurous souls (and have booked a room or two in Corregidor Island Hotel), a day-long trek and hike. Warning though, be prepared as you would surely pass by wandering snakes and other forests creepers along the way. My group opted for the more convenient, but less cool option - colorful open tourist bus. Fiesta!

Thanks to the drizzle, the wind blows crisp, but the twisted, hilly, steep and narrow roads became slippery. The bus would stop once in a while along monuments and old ruins for tourist to take photo ops and listen to a tale or two courtesy of our tour guides. It's like grade school field trip all over again...

There were amazing spots around the island - several of which include batteries where in the old cannon-sized guns are still erected. Gigantic in proportions, these artilleries where used by the American soldiers to gun down tora-toras and battle ships - cool! There are also deep tunnels, bunkers, passage ways and underground holes which are quite daunting. I could feel the chills running through my veins (hmmm... sounds like a line from an old Alamid song). I have counted at least four major batteries visited by my tour group.

On top of one of these batteries, you could view the splendid South China Sea over the horizon, accentuated by grassy hills and lush flora that resembles a backdrop for a dramatic soap scene... where in the "bidang lalaki" would chase the "bidang babae" and chances would allow the male hero to raise his prized trophy girl by her curvy waist and spin around like there's no more tomorrow... how cheesy-romantic!

On a serious note, the batteries of Corregidor are standing monuments reminding us about the horrors of war. So many lives were lost and properties damaged by these monstrous instruments of man. But the more important thing is that we do not forget and continue to honor the courage and dignity of the heroes who have once fought for our freedom that we continue to cherish up to the present.