Corregidor Island is a small rocky islet, located at the entrance to Manila Bay, 48 kilometres from Manila. It is sometimes "The Rock". The entire island is covered with lush tropical vegetation, with wild orchids and other flowers. The size of the island, which is shaped like a tadpole, is small - 6.5 kilometres long and just over 3 kilometres wide.
The name of the island comes from the Spanish word "corredir", which means "to correct." According to one version, during the Spanish colonial period, all ships entering Manila Bay had to stop on the island and show their documents for inspection and correction - hence the name "Correction Island", which in Spanish sounds like "Isla del Corredigor". According to another version, the island served as a penal colony for the Spanish and was called "El Corredigor".
In the pre-Hispanic period, it was inhabited mainly by fishermen, and there's no question that it was also a base for pirates who could easily attack any ships that entered the bay. The Spaniards turned Corredigor into a signal post, where fires were lit to warn the inhabitants of Manila of the return of the galleons and the approach of enemies. The Spaniards founded a military shipyard and a naval hospital on Corredigor in 1795. In 1836, the first lighthouse was built, and at the end of the 19th century - in 1897 - a more elaborate one was built, which remained in operation until the outbreak of World War II. The administration of the island was based in the small town of San José, which had also been founded by the Spanish. The Americans, who gained control of the Philippines in the late 19th century, in 1907 turned Corregidor into their military reservation, where units of the regular U.S. Army were stationed. The soldiers built defences here to secure the maritime approach to Manila - concrete firing pads, bomb shelters and roads. And so began the transformation of a former fishing village into a fortress and the site of one of the most heroic battles of World War II.
When Japanese soldiers invaded the Philippines in 1942, Allied troops were holding manoeuvre defences at Corregidor. The story goes that when Bataan province was occupied on 9 April 1942 after the fierce "Bataan Death March", Filipino and American troops retreated from Corredigor as well. And it was from here that Philippine President Manuel Quezon and the famous American Gen. Douglas MacArthur were flown to Australia. You can still see the battlefield guns, tunnels and the ruins of fortifications that are a reminder of those terrible days.
One of the most important parts of Korredigor is the so-called summit - the highest point on the island, where the firearms were placed. In 1968, the Pacific War Memorial was erected here to commemorate the Filipino and American soldiers who died fighting against the invaders. Another important memorial is the Eternal Flame of Liberty, which overlooks Manila Bay, Bataan Peninsula and the Cavite coastline.
The so-called Midlands, located at an elevation of 100 to 400 feet, there are also many war-era structures and sites. For example, Philippine-American Friendship Park, the Bird Park and Aviary, and the and the Youth for Peace Camp. In addition, on the island it is worth visiting the Japanese Peace Garden and the Memorial to Filipino Heroes with an area of 6 thousand square meters. and the 253-meter Malinta Tunnel.
Corregidor can be reached by ferry throughout the year except during the period of typhoons. There are several hotels and motels operating on the island, which offer comfortable accommodation for a few days to explore the nature and history of the island.
