The third main stop for the Corregidor Day Tour is the sprawling Filipino Heroes Memorial at the tailside of the island.

It was designed by famed Filipino Architect Francisco Manosa (notice the similar building material used with those he utilized at the Edsa Shrine in Ortigas) and was inaugurated in 1987. It features 14 murals, each one painstakingly carved by sculptor Manuel Casal on bronze. It chronicles the following revolutionary moments from the annals of Philippine history:

  Battle of Mactan
  Datu Sirongan and Sultan Kudarat in Mindanao
  Bankao’s Apostasy in Leyte
  Sumuroy Rebellion
  Andres Malong of Pangansinan  
  Dagohoy Revolt  
  Palaris Revolt in Pangasinan
  Diego and Gabriela Silang in Ilocos
  Hermano Pule Revolt
  Philippine Revolution
  Filipino-American War
  World War II
  Guerilla Movement
  Edsa Revolution 

The plaza is one of the newest installations in Corregidor and it also features a museum on one of its wings. Currently the museum holds old photographs of Manuel L. Quezon and a host of paintings depicting the horrors of World War II by painter Lideo Mariano.

The tour requires that each designated stop be limited to ten minutes so I was really unable to explore much of the place. I had to go back the next day just to fully appreciate the details of this plaza.
 
The thing about exploring Corregidor alone though is once the passing tranvia’s had already made its rounds, the roads, parks, plazas and ruins that are usually full of tourists are left totally devoid of people. The only sounds you would hear are the rustle of the leaves as the wind passes through it, the occasional birdcalls, and your own lonely footsteps. The silence was totally deafening and it kinda creeped me out even if it was broad daylight.

I can just recall how I failingly tried not to hurry when I took all those photographs inside that very quiet museum in the memorial; me very alone, with my own nervous breath and the camera shutter the only sounds inside the room.

Corregidor Sun Cruises Tour
02-5275555 | 02-8346857
corregidortours@suncruises.com.ph
www.corregidorphilippines.com
Day Tour (round trip ferry with buffet lunch) | P1,999.00 per person
Overnight Package (roundtrip ferry, 1 buffet lunch, 1 night stay at Corregidor Inn) | P2,880.00 per person
Check their website for more detailed rates for group packages