P25 M for rehab of Corregidor complex

MANILA, Philippines - To boost tourism through the preservation of historical sites, President Aquino has directed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to allocate P25 million to restore the historical Cine Corregidor Complex.

“The Aquino administration recognizes the importance of preserving historical sites like Corregidor. Apart from preserving our cultural heritage, such also supports our bid to boost tourism in the country,” Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad said.

“Aside from having a picturesque view, Corregidor stands for the courage, valor and heroism of Filipino soldiers who fought during World War II. That is certainly a cultural heritage that we would want to preserve and showcase to the world,” he added.

The P25 million will be released to the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region IV, which will continue the structural retrofitting of the Cine Corregidor building and peripheral works, the concreting of access roads, solar lamp posts installation, and Pacific War Museum reproofing using solar panels for its solar power supply system. The allocation is part of the P72 billion disbursement acceleration plan recently approved by President Aquino.

Abad added that completion of the project is necessary since there is an increase in the number of tourist arrivals in Corregidor, from 70,891 tourists in 2010 to 76,224 tourists for this year. Aside from this, an international marathon is set to take place in the island on Dec. 19, expecting to bring 500 to 1,000 runners.

The implementation of the restoration project is needed to save the historical structures in Corregidor Island from collapsing, which were aggravated by the damage brought by previous typhoons.

The ruins of Corregidor buildings, structures, tunnels and remains of the Allied Forces’ armory remind tourists of that fateful day in history that claimed many innocent lives. When the Japanese invaded the Philippines in December 1941, the military force under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur carried out a delaying action at Bataan. Corregidor became the headquarters of the Allied forces and was also the seat of the Philippine Commonwealth government.