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Corregidor
The 3rd part of the journey takes us to the Middle Islands of the Philippines. Corregidor is an island in Manila Bay. The island is shaped like a tadpole with its tail running eastward. It is doubtful that this island measures even 14 km˛ in area. Along with Caballo which lies 2 km south of the "tail's" tip, this island partially blocks the entrance to Manila Bay, and thus forming a northern and southern entrance. 
Corregidor, is approximately 145 Kms. away from Manila. During the Spanish era, the island was a fishing village replete with a lighthouse and signal station through which all ships entering and leaving Manila Bay had to stop, thus earning it the name "Corregidor" which means "corrector."
When the Americans came, a hospital was built for wounded soldiers. In 1906, because of the strategic importance of Manila and the Bay, the Americans built a full-scale fortification on the island, equipping it with long-ranged and tractor-drawn guns, minefields and anti-aircraft guns.
During World War II on March 11, 1942 , General Douglas MacArthur abandoned Corregidor in front of advancing Japanese troops who forced a surrender of the remaining American and Filipino forces on May 6. The occupying forces, however, were to be vanquished upon the return of the Americans in 1944. If you get to visit this island, make sure you experience the "Malinta Tunnel" , wherein there is a lights and sound display of what it was like back then during the war. You can hear flying aircraft dropping bombs, the sirens blaring out it’s warning and you would also hear the taped voice of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. It is a very chilling documentation to the horrors of war and a testimony to the courage of those men who were witness to those times.
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Cebu has many excellent resorts, I have visited Maribago Bluewater Resort and Tambuli Beach Resort. Services and amenities are excellent and at par with the world’s best. This two resorts are located in the island of Mactan. This is the main bridge that connects the two island.
Magellan’s Cross is another site to see.
Planted by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand magellan for the glory of Spain in 1521. This marks the spot where the first Christian Filipinos were baptized. The original cross is now encased in Tindalo to protect it from the further deterioration and housed in a monument shrine.
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The Queen City of the South and the country's oldest city is considered today as the top business and tourist destination of the Philippines. From a small fishing village and trading port, Cebu has now grown into a highly urbanized metropolitan area ,the center of trade and commerce in the Southern Philippines since the Spanish colonial times.
Some sights worth seeing in Cebu City itself would be the Taoist Temple. You would find this on your way to the “Hill Top”… the “Hill Top” is best visited at night, you would see the lights of the city of Cebu and it’s like looking at stars down below.
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In the Island of Bohol is a site to behold. The so-called Chocolate Hills are what visitors come to see, but few leave without a glimpse of the elusive tarsier.
The Chocolate Hills are some 1268 eerie hillocks, ranging from 20 to 50 metres in height, which dominate the landscape for miles around. In summer months, their grass covering dries out, turning them a 'Chocolate' brown, hence their name.
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The tarsier looks like a cross between an owl and a monkey, with massive oval eyes and a long thin tail. Amazingly, they can turn their heads nearly a full 360 degrees. They are so small, you can hold one in the palm of your hand.
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The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 stands as the second largest eruption in the 20th Century (Mt. Novarupta, Alaska 1912 claims the largest eruption fame).Ash deposits of 5 cm thickness or more covered a land area of about 4,000 square kilometers, burning crops and other plant life around Pinatubo.
More than 350 people died during the eruption, most of them from collapsing roofs. Disease that broke out in evacuation camps and the continuing mud flows in the area caused additional deaths, bringing the total death toll to 722 people. The event left more than 200,000 people homeless. I was in Manila when Mt. Pinatubo erupted. I woke up one June morning and it was quite dark. I went out to get the paper and there was ash falling from the sky. A thin layer also covers the ground. For a while, I did think “is this the end?”
That eruption, affected the global climate. Fast forward to 2004, you can see that the area has recovered. Where once there was only lahar, now we see plants everywhere. This is God’s miracle at work, and we get to witness it first hand.
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Typhoon Yunya struck the area after the eruption. The weight of the rain-saturated ash, earthquake shaking and strong winds, caused numerous roofs to collapse in the communities around the volcano, including at the two large U.S. military bases Clark and Subic Bay.
