This
configuration is reminiscent of the way shopping malls are
structured. It looked very commercial and inappropriate for
Middleside Barracks. What was particularly disturbing is that
fact that project would entail the removal of the "innards"
of the building - the second and third floors; thus significantly
altering its structure, and therefore, its stability. The
officer-in-charge assured me that proper measures would be
taken to reinforce and shore up the building in areas that
were weak or dangerous.
Early
next morning, I went back to Middleside to take more pictures.
|
|
| Facade
now looks worse than it did right after World War II |
Accompanying me was an American tourist and his wife who were
looking for something to do. We hitched a ride with one of
the hotel's utility vehicles, and asked to be picked up after
an hour or two.
Upon
reaching Middleside, we traversed the length of the Barracks'
backside. It was basically the same story. Everything looked
so BALD and barren. Twigs and debris were stacked on heaps
of rubble that had been swept from inside the building and
then brought out. Logs were stacked on top of each other,.
while little bonfires that were burning near the end of the
building continued to generate smoke..
|
|
| More
massacred trees at the backside of Middleside |
We
moved in and out of the ruins to take pictures, and then made
our way to the front (where we had been the previous day)
to make sure that we didn't miss anything. After an hour and
a half, the utility vehicle passed for us, and we headed back
to the hotel.
My
position is that:
1.
It is possible do walkthroughs of the building without altering
anything. The building's main attraction is precisely this
bombed-out look - complete with debris on its floors, mortar
and bullet-holes on its walls, and other fine detail that
makes the building look like it had just gone through a bombing
run, A theme park would spend fabulous sums of money trying
to re-create a setting like this, and here we are, trying
to obliterate this unique ambience. I have successfully conducted
walkthroughs of this very same building,
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|
|
Adventure
walkthrough starts with trail outside Middleside (2004)
|
and
I can say that the power of this experience never fails to
leave a powerful imprint upon the minds of people who have
gone through it. Just Imagine it: vines creeping on the floor
of the ruins. The crunch of pulverized concrete breaking the
silence as you walk on the floor. The sight of walls with
mortar holes; pock-marks made by high-caliber firearms, Patches
of the sky showing through massive holes made by 500 pound
bombs. The sound of crickets ...
|
|
| Middleside
Barracks offers the ultimate World War II ambience;
unique thills; exploration and discovery (1998 photo) |
...The roots of old banyan trees dangling from the windows.
It is indeed, very theme park-ish. AND THE THEY ARE OBLITERATING
IT RIGHT NOW AS YOU READ THIS ARTICLE. What we will end up
with is a mall-like walkthrough devoid of this unique sensory
experience.
Furthermore,
it seems ridiculous to me to be spending money on a project
like this, when what we really need is already there, ready
to be used. If there should be any "improvements"
done on Middleside Barracks (or any other structure for that
matter), these changes should be limited to providing safety
to tourists and visitors, and should NOT entail major structural
alterations. As the old saying goes, "If it ain't broke,
don't fix it!."
|
|
| The
backside of Middleside Barracks (southern building)iin
better days (1999). Mysterious, awesome, and inviting.
Over the years the vegetation grew even lusher. - that
is, until this so-called restoration project got rid
of it all. In the picture below, is the backside of
the other (northern) building |
For
a job like this, we need RESTORATION and PRESERVATION experts
-not ordinary workers armed with bolos and acetylene torches.
I am afraid that irreparable damage has already been done.
I hope that some higher authority has the good sense to stop
this project before more structures are affected.
2.
When one is in Corregidor Island, One walks on hallowed ground.
The island, along with all its old buildings, bunkers, gun
emplacements and ruins are part of our cultural heritage and
history. In the course of hatching this project, were veterans'
groups, conservation groups, travel agencies, or tour operators
consulted as to whether they agreed with this kind of makeover?
|
|
| A
bed of grass, fallen leaves and vines creeping up the
ruins used to make walks through this area exciting and
refreshing. Somehow, I can't see how paved walkways and
elevated catwalks could even begin to approach the feeling
of adventure one used to get here. (2004 photo) |
The
Filipino nation has a stake in Corregidor and all its structures.I
think the public has a right to be informed BEFORE a project
like this is implemented.
3. Why are the trees around the building being cut? I heard
that these trees were eliminated because they posed a threat
to the building during storms. This reason is not valid, because
many of the trees are several meters away, and have no way
of falling on (and therefore damaging) Middleside Barracks.
Behind
this same building, the small trees and saplings that used
to stand somewhat closer to the building have also been cut.
Today, only a long row of small tree stumps remain. Surely,
trees of this size did not pose a threat to the building.
If there were any larger ones, the they could have have been
balled up and transferred elsewhere.
My
photographs show that they are making construction materials
out of these trees. One picture shows sawdust on the grass,
along several pieces of lumber that had just been hewn out
of logs. Why are they cutting these scenic trees?
|
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| Can't
they get their lumber from somewhere else? |
For
them to be doing that in a PROTECTED AREA like Corregidor
Island is really the height of irresponsibility. Let them
not say that Typhoon Millenio felled these trees, because
my photos of tree stumps show root systems that are still
firmly embedded in the soil. Furthermore, Middleside is a
semi-sunken spot in Corregidor's terrain. With Middleside
Barracks shielding the trees from strong winds on one side,
and a small hill protecting them on the other, I could safely
say that these trees were in no danger of being blown down.
