Corregidor

Corregidor is a tadpole shaped island on the mouth of Manila Bay. When the Philippines was yet a colony of Spain, Corregidor served as a fortress; an early warning outpost to warn Manila of any hostile ships; a customs outpost; and a correctional (prison). Because of the corrective effect of hard labor on prisoners, the island was named Corregidor, from the Spanish word "corregir" meaning the corrector. Corregidor is also known as "the rock" because of its rocky landscape and heavy fortifications. Corregidor island is approximately 4 kilometers long, 1.5 kilometers at its widest and a total area of approximately 3 square miles. At the tip of the tail, 2 kilometers south, lies Caballo island. Both Corregidor and Caballo islands are part of the province of Cavite.

In 1898, after almost 400 years of colonization, the Philippines was ceded by Spain to the United States after payment of US$20 million. Soon after, the Americans used Corregidor as an army post and named the it, Fort Mills in honor of Brig. Gen. Samuel M. Mills. The Americans built bomb-shelters, concrete emplacements, a hospital and trails around the island. In 1922 construction of the Malinta Tunnel started to protect military installations and wares in case of war. In addition, 56 Coastal guns, 13 anti-aircraft artillery batteries and 10 searchlights was installed. In 1941, hours after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, the Japanese invaded the Philippines. Corregidor served as the last resistance point of the retreating Filipino and American forces fighting the Japanese. Gen. Douglas MacArthur used Corregidor island as a base for the Allied forces form 1941 to 1942. Corregidor also served as the temporary shelter for the government of President Manuel L. Quezon and his family for two months (December 24, 1941 to February 19, 1942) prior to the eventual exile of the Philippine Commonwealth government to the United States. After the fall of Bataan to on April 9, 1942 to the Japanese, Corregidor surrendered after holding out for 27 days.

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