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Post by EXO on Nov 6, 2011 9:40:46 GMT 8
GOV'T TO RESTORE HISTORIC CINE CORREGIDOR By Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star) Updated November 06, 2011 MANILA, Philippines - The government will spend P25 million to restore the historical Cine Corregidor Complex in Bataan, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said in a statement over the weekend. Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad said the move is part of government efforts to preserve the country’s cultural heritage. “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,” Abad said. According to DBM, the P25-million allocation will be released to the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region IV. The DOT is in charge of the structural retrofitting of the Cine Corregidor Building and peripheral works which would include concreting of access roads, installation of solar lamp posts and the rehabilitation of the Pacific War Museum using solar panels for its solar power supply system. Abad said the completion of the project is necessary because of the growing number of tourists visiting the area. There is a seven-percent increase in the number of tourist arrivals in Corregidor, to 76,224 in 2011 from 70,891 in 2010, Abad said. The Aquino administration is restoring the historical structures in Corregidor Island because some parts have been damaged by recent typhoons. “The ruins of Corregidor buildings, structures, tunnels and what’s left with the Allied Forces’ armory remind tourists of that fateful day in history that claimed many innocent lives,” Abad said. According to historical accounts, 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 Island thus became the headquarters of the Allied forces and also the seat of the Philippine Commonwealth government. Thanks Karl for the heads-up.
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Post by one50 on Nov 6, 2011 10:52:03 GMT 8
For a living I install sound systems in large theatrical venues. It would be a dream come true to put a sound system on Corregidor...how many watts does the new Cine need?
Dan
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Post by tomasctt on Nov 6, 2011 18:49:19 GMT 8
I am opposed to this "restoration" work! IIRC, it was during the first Pres. Aquino that Fort Mills became a touristy place. Tramlines were IIRC paved and became the roads nowadays, the hotel was built, guns were painted over, etc etc etc.
And now they'll "restore" the movie house? Restore? It sounds like a wholesale rebuilding of the ruin. So, they'll bulldoze it, and build a NEW one? Even if they'll follow the very same architectural blueprints of the building, that is NOT restoration work. That will be a NEW building, and NOTHING will be restored.
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Post by okla on Nov 6, 2011 21:12:45 GMT 8
Hey Thomas....I couldn't agree with you more. Leave the ruin as is, except for "shoring up" decaying areas,etc. You can bet that any "restoration" will result in some "glitzy" monstrosity catering to the tourist trade. That structure is part of the total Corregidor Island shrine and should be preserved as much as possible as it is.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2011 23:09:40 GMT 8
The biggest issue to me is what they are going to do with the restoration. I hate the tendency for all tourist places to become over-the-top presentations that actually obscure history instead of enhance it. I hated what they did with the Malinta Tunnel - the manniquins were ridiculous. Now if they want to restore the cinema and show original footage of Ft. Mills and the war as an explanation of what happend there, I am okay with that. But something tells me that won't happen.
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Post by okla on Nov 6, 2011 23:36:21 GMT 8
Hey Sealion...You can bet it probably would evolve into a "penny arcade" type presentation. All that should be done, in my humble, is keep it cleaned up and safe for visitors. Same kind of operation that is in effect at Pompeii and such places. You wouldn't want to "restore" the Acropolis in Athens, would you. Same thing as far as I am concerned. Cheers.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2011 0:00:38 GMT 8
Any "restoration" or "retrofitting" work should be for the purpose of making the ruins of the cinema (and all other ruins on Corregidor for that matter) stay as they are ----as ruins so that they can be grim reminders of the horrors of war, and not crumble any further so that future generations of Filipinos (and visitors) can learn from its history. The operative work to be done, therefore, should be PRESERVATION / CONSERVATION and not RESTORATION.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2011 0:20:41 GMT 8
I see the early votes are mixed because specifics of the proposal are not in the article, but I suspect it would be very difficult to please the variety of people with interests in the island under any circumstances. I post with great hesitancy. I only post to speculate how my father, a "defender," might vote today. It would not be easy to represent his varied beliefs if he were still alive. He probably would not be allowed to post on here, because he wouldn't follow rules of civility. I forwarded today's notice to my brother so he too might weigh in, since we both were privileged to our own escorted visits to the island with our father. I see there was mention of the Pacific Museum, and since my father contributed items on display, I have always wondered if it would be maintained. But, I would always defer to those who served there, or lived there. On one hand my father would be wary & skeptical of any efforts by any government, not the least of which such involvement & improvements might bring regulations that would restrict his access as a survivor in any way, if healthy and living. I do believe he would be very supportive of governmental efforts to maintain the island as a historical setting. Each time he went filipinos on the island would cut a path to his searchlight, and had to dig out his location after mudslides. On my trip they carried him by stretcher to save his legs. He was very pleased with the memorial designed for illumination at the precise same time every year. I worry that once the survivors are all gone the stories will never be told the same, so I do believe it will be a challenge to tell the story without offending with exhibits too much like the mannequins in the tunnel. (I have a written account of a short visit he made to the tunnel while under siege that leaves quite a picture for me.) At once he despised the both statues commemorating the General's return, and any tribute to a Japanese presence on the island; he found the idea of their "peace garden" especially offensive. Finally, if improvements made on the island meant jobs for filipinos and their families that would have pleased him.
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Post by dmether on Nov 7, 2011 7:45:55 GMT 8
Wonder how much of the allocated money will actually make it into the project.
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Post by Karl Welteke on Nov 7, 2011 14:08:44 GMT 8
I think I like the idea that the Philippine Government is planning to spend some money on Corregidor. To me that is positive. Also it is too early for me to get exited because I don’t know what exactly is planned or whether it is really going to happen. Let’s see maybe some details will come to light in a not too distant future.
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