I went to Corregidor last June 23-24, for the first time with my daughter, Ayen and Boyfriend, Rain. We were celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary (we are not married but we celebrate it).
I thought this will be one of those out of town getaways were I will be relaxed or feel romantic of some sort, but it was different.
I never was a big fan of history (Yuck!) but when I got here, it was different. To some it may be baduy, I dont care. When I listened to the tour guide, Pablito, how he share the story of the place, halos maiyak ako. I then begin to appreciate our history. I started to admire McArthur's promise "I shall return" and saw corregidor in a different light. It is now a place of life for not liek before where I think of corregidor as a tourist spot.
It was so sad I was so tired that I didnt had the strenght to get up for the night tour. But nonetheless the following morning we went to the topside and got some more pictures.
On our way back home, at the boat, they were showing a film about McArthur. I almost cry. Hindi ko alam kung anong effect ng corregidor sa akin. Lalo na when the film got to the part that our president left his country and flew to HongKong dahil sa gulo. Niyaya pa nga si McArthur, but he refused. Sabi ni Quezon,kahit man lang daw yung asawa at anak nya e pasamahin para mailigtas but what McArthur said was, my wife is married to a soldier, and my son is a son of a soldier, so they should be by my side fighting". Hindi pinoy si McArthur but I have to give it to him, his dedication to a foreighn country. Tapos ang presidente ang binigay lang sa kanya e signage ring para daw pag nakita ang bangkay ni McArthur malalaman ng mga tao na namatay sya para sa country nya na iniwan nya.
McAurthur left for Australia dahil pinilit sya ni Roosevelt but he promised that he shall return, hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko for the soldiers na naiwan nya. They believed in his promise. I cant imagine kung anong hirap ang pinagdaanan nila and all they had to hold on was a promise. Sa Australia, McArthur insisted to make the Philippines a priority, kahit na against all odds pinilit nyang tuparin ang pangako nya. Parang nakinikinita ko na kung paano nabuhayaan ng loob ang mga sundalo nung balikan sila ni McArthur. The feeling na WOW.
I just wished noon pa ako nagpunta ng corregidor baka napahalahan ko ang history nung nag-aaral pa ako. Sabi ko nga sa kapatid ko na iba ang effect ng corregidor sa akin, iba talaga. Umalis ako sa place na yun hindi relaxed kundi dala ang mga hirap ng mga namatay dun na nagtanggol sa bansa ko,ang pagpapahalaga sa nakaraan, ang feeling ng pinangakuan ng buhay na payapa at ang pagtupad nito.
Baduy na kung baduy wala na akong magagwa. Yun ang naramdaman ko.
