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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2007 23:07:45 GMT 8
We took a second trip to Corregidor on Jan. 6, 2007 to see what was cooking. Well, this is one of the sights we saw: A silent sentinel to Middleside Barracks no more. A fallen witness to some 50 years of post-war historyFor more details about new "revelations" in this unfolding saga, click on this link: geocities.com/savecorregidor/arkhot.htm
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Post by Julia Holz on Jan 11, 2007 4:31:26 GMT 8
I applaud all efforts to save Corregidor from ill fated attempts and thinly disguised efforts to commercialize the solemnity and natural beauty of the island and its monuments.
I have been resident in the Philippines for 26 years and have "adopted" Corregidor for its peace, clean air, and hiking opportunities- not to mention the giant bats which take up residence in James Ravine when not in Bataan. It is one of the last unspoiled vistas in easy commuting distance from Manila.
Please count me in on any efforts required to stop the wanton defacing of monuments and the cutting of trees. If they can keep Da Prom as a tree grown monument visited by millions of tourists in Cambodia, why must we excise all trees from Corregidor's structures? Julia Holz
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2007 22:05:44 GMT 8
On January 5, 2007, We sent out an email bulletin regarding the latest discussions going on. Here are contents of that message: We've got the latest updates in our on-line forum discussion!
Visit the discussion forum now and find out the the answers to these thought-provoking questions in light of the Middleside Barracks (Corregidor) controversy:
What gives one the right to ask questions regarding the way Corregidor Island is being managed?
Are large sections of Middleside Barracks really crumbling because of falling trees, moisture, ashfall and typhoons?
Is Middleside Barracks being cleaned up or made over as part of "regular" maintenance, or is there something else being planned?
Why the reluctance to even mention the terms "scrapper", "chipper", and the extensive damage they have inflicted on Corregidor's structures?
Click here to see the latest updates at the forum (page 3)
Click here to see previous postings in the forum (page 2)
Click here to see previous posting in the forum (page 1)[/color] Last night, I received a short email message from the the Historical Conservation Society. At the end of this short message, was a forwarded letter. Hi there Mr. Ramos,
Please find below the reply of Ms. Leslie Murray of the American Chamber of Commerce/Filipino American Memorial Endowment.
HCS ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Leslie Ann Murray Date: Dec 18, 2006 6:43 AM Subject: Re: On-going "clean-up" at Middleside Barracks threatens to destroy Corregidor To: Heritage Conservation Society < heritageconservationsociety@gmail.com>
Thanks for sending this....Art and Corregidor Foundation, Inc. - (CFI) and F.A.M.E. are already "on" this...and think we have managed to dispel some of the "negatives" Jay has circulated. The NHI and the Dept of Budget and Management are the agencies which have provided the finances and the plan...and as I explained to Jay - we have (since 1998) been pursueing funds and techinal help for this project to "save Corregidor) - spoken directly with some UNESCO reps, followed up with them, applied to other such agencies, Mrs. Romulo even made pleas through personal contacts with influential people abroad, Toti Villalon has been out the the island...the list is considerable...Jay even sat in on some of our FAME meetings when the plea and need for preservation and funds for same was discussed.... BUT --- no positive reaction from any quarter for years - all has fallen on deaf ears (you know the story when it comes to funding for heritage!) ...finally we were able to get some minimal (in relation to the actual scope of the work that needs to be done) support for the work.....and now we have critics and "brickbats" from people who claim to be "concerned" ...well, I am glad if it awakens the public to the need (where was the "support" in the past!!) ...well, you know how it is.... Anyway - Jay is now ready to help us out by doing a video and this may help to get the considerable amounts we need --- amazing how UNESCO can save the terraces and the churches --- and here we have vestiges of one of the most famous chapters in recent history on the doorstep that could bring in a whole niche market of visiors (WWII survivor - and fatality - families; historians, etc.) to a site that really turned the tide of that war - and no body (until now) has seemed to care. I can fill you in properly on all we have been trying to do and why the work in progress is so necessary - but am up to my ears in just getting our AmCham publication to press before the holidays - so after that will pass on all...We have photos of the deterioration - and also of all the "positive" things we have accomplished on CI that seem to have escaped attention...isn't it always the way??? Many thanks again and hope the "other side of the coin" is seen too. No - I did not make it to the festival - as I wrote the mayors office, we had a long-standing personal commitment for that night...I enquired if there was a chance to see the lanterns on display afterwards - like this week? - but did not get a reply. If you have any news on this please let me know.... Many thanks for keeping in touch - and all best for a Merry Christmas - and to success in heritage endeavors in the new year!!!! Leslie And so i replied to the Historical Conservation Society:Greetings!
Thank you for your reply, and update regarding the American Chamber of Commerce's reply regarding the Middleside Barracks issue.
Sad to say, the matter is not as simple as Ms. Murray projects it to be.
My idea behind the video (as mentioned by Mrs. Murray) is to create awareness about the many problems of Corregidor Island - and show exactly why Corregidor Island needs help. This video therefore, would deal with the "negatives" that so many people seem to be so hesitant to tackle. Before this video is even conceptualized, it would be necessary for the Corregidor Foundation to first recognize and admit what its problems really are.
Ms. Murray (and many other people) wonder why it's so hard to solicit funds for Corregidor Island. Well, that's because no one ever dares speak about the reality of the matter (the "negatives" as they have termed it). My point is that if no one knows the island is in trouble, why would anyone bother to help it at all? If there are two people in the water, and one of them is just splashing about merrily, and the other one is hollering for help, which one of them would be more likely to attract the attention of rescuers?
Furthermore, the official stand of Corregidor Foundation, as per an article published in the Manila Bulletin by CFI President Mrs. Beth Day-Romulo, fails to answer the questions that we have raised. The CFI continues to insist that the rationale for the "renovation" or makeover of the Middleside Barracks is to create a safety perimeter for its twin buildings (They keep on attributing the weakening of the buildings to natural causes, when the PRIMARY issue of the weakening has been the failure by the CFI to control metal "scrappers" and concrete "chippers".) The activities of these nefarious elements has caused many structures on the island to reach such a weakened state that they have become very susceptible to natural forces like typhoons and earthquakes.
If these scrappers and chippers cannot be controlled, additional funding or renovation projects will be all for naught as these unscrupulous elements will just undo whatever measures have been taken to strengthen the buildings. (we have shown this problem via photos in our website)
One thing is that they haven't mentioned is the real reason why they're cleaning up Middleside Barracks -- (to clear the way for a the construction of walkways and catwalks INSIDE Middleside Barracks)
For the environmentally conscious, the wanton disregard for trees vis-a-vis this clearing operation in Middleside Barracks is both shocking and outrageous. Once they're done with Middleside Barracks, we've heard that they're going to work on the structures and trees of Topside as well.
We have received statements (albeit indirectly) from Assistant Secretary Jerry Adevoso from the office of the President, but he likewise seems to ignore the main issue at hand.
As explained by one of my articles in the discussion forum (see link below), Funding is not the only answer (please refer to my article on the forum entitled "funds fixation.". Recognizing the real problems of the island is the key. One such problem is that they are basing this renovation on a 20-year old development plan that is based on the marketing environment of the mid-1980s, and which is not in tune with present-day market realities and environmental concepts
For a better appreciation of this highly controversial issue, kindly refer to this disussion forum at:
corregidor.proboards79.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1165512503&page=3
corregidor.proboards79.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1165512503&page=2
corregidor.proboards79.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1165512503&page=1
By the way, have you read the latest webpage regarding our latest foray into the island last Jan. 6? As a matter of interest, we were actually tailed by unidentified men in a utility van during our visit.
geocities.com/savecorregidor/arkhot.htm
Sincerely yours, Jose Maria N. Ramos savecorregidor movement
(Our replies to Mrs. Romulo and Sec. Adevoso can be accessed via the second link)
_________________________________________
I've posted this emailed "thread" at the risk of sounding redundant - but I guess I've done this just to prove my point that in spite of way the PRIMARY ISSUE has been articulated on this discussion board, we still have to hear anyone (from the CFI, FAME, or any organization for that matter), even mention the problem of "scrappers" and "chippers".
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2007 1:21:40 GMT 8
Above is the second email message that I've seen coming from Leslie Murray of FAME, and if you examine the column piece that CFI President Beth Day Romulo wrote recently, all three actually bear some resemblance so peculiar they seem to have been written by one and the same person. But I could be wrong and I hope I'm wrong.
Point is, both Murray and Romulo complain about not having been given credit for their past and continuing herculean efforts to raise funds which have been for naught, until the recent P5 million funding through the NHI and the DBM. They're also complaining about the "brickbrats" and the "negatives" coming from this internet campaign mounted as the "savecorregidor movement" and "Quo Vadis Corregidor."
Again, we REPEAT ... how the hell will the entire world know what you're doing if you're not COMMUNICATING? Have you ever sent these "concerned" people bulletins in the past? Have you ever mounted a massive information campaign to update them of what you've been doing on Corregidor Island?
The mere fact that somebody concerned sort of "stumbled" on your clean up project and got "very disturbed" by what he saw (to the point of hyperventilating and palpitating) proves that things are NOT OK, or at the very least do not settle well with the public's sensibilities, especially the wholesale massacre of those beautiful trees. Furthermore, it's was not only april_thunder who was shocked by what he saw, so were the tour guides, tourists and concessionaires. And you call these "brickbrats" and "negatives?" Sure, negatives for you people who are the guardians of Corregidor!
Quo Vadis Corregidor certainly was not set up to heap praises on your fruitless efforts to raise funds, that's very clear. Neither was it set up to destroy nor malign the many good acts and projects that you've undertaken so far, that is farthest from our minds (READ BACK TO REPLY #3 POSTED 13 DEC. 2006 WHERE YOU'VE ACTUALLY BEEN COMMENDED HERE). If Corregidor's stakeholders are satisfied with what you in FAME and the CFI are doing, the praises and commendations will come and the appropriate tributes will happen.
The concerns of this campaign have been extensively articulated both in the mother website and most especially in this forum for the past month or so. But up to now, NO ONE, not you Ms. Murray nor Mrs. Romulo nor CFI's executive director nor the Presidential Adviser on Veteran's affairs have responded satisfactorily to the core issues being questioned, and you know very well what these are. ARE YOU PEOPLE HIDING ANYTHING? OR ARE YOU JUST PLAYING DUMB? If not, then come forward and face the issues squarely.
Funny, why is it the FAME doing all the talking for the Corregidor Foundation?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2007 1:58:23 GMT 8
In the course of my regular web surfing, I came across an interesting entry in a certain blog. The posting reads as follows: Save Corregidor!
There was this e-mail message circulating about something happening in Corregidor. I didn't want to react to it immediately since I knew the people who were involved and wanted to ask for their side first before I made any shout-outs. It turns out, the e-mail message was one-sided and the only thing that was true about it was the fact that the government is not giving any attention to Corregidor!
Leslie Murray af the Filipino American Memorial Endowment writes, "Amazing how UNESCO can save the terraces and the churches, and here we have vestiges of one of the most famous chapters in recent history on the doorstep that could bring in a whole niche market of visitors (WWII survivors' and fatalities' families, historians, etc.) to a site that really turned the tide of that war. And nobody, until now, has seemed to care."
Indeed, we are wasting the potential of this island. In fact, I think the World War II Memorials of Bataan and Corregidor should be nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The A-Dome in Hiroshima is in the list already. ivanhenares.blogspot.com/index.html(Mr. Henares is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Heritage Conservation Society)
Kudos to Mr. Henares for recognizing the fact that the potential of Bataan (and most specially) Corregidor Island is being wasted. However, I am curious as to what he meant by saying that "... the only thing true about it [the email message] was the fact that the government is not giving any attention to Corregidor!"I'm wondering just exactly what is not factual in the aforementioned email, or in any of the material that appears in our website at geocities.com/savecorregidorIn fairness to the government, it has done a lot to help redevelop Corregidor. The government has in fact been giving Corregidor attention -- but not enough of it, nor the kind that the island needs to keep up or stay in tune with the times. You might also be interested in my next post (see page 4 of this forum thread) which shows a letter from Mr. Graham Brooks, the Chairman of the ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2007 11:07:28 GMT 8
Here's an email transmission that we received from Mr. Graham Brooks, the Chairman of the ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee.
Note: ICOMOS is an acronym for "International Council on Monuments and Sites"
From: "G & C Brooks" <brooks@bigpond.net.au> To: savecorregidor@yahoo.com CC: "Augusto Villalon" <afv@pacific.net.ph> Subject: Corregidor Island Middleside Barracks
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 06:34:46 +1100
As a recipient of the Philippines Heritage Society Chat-Line, I have been made aware of the concerns expressed by Ms Bambi Harper regarding the excessive level of tree removal around and within the Middleside Barracks on Corregidor Island in Manila Bay. I visited the Barracks as part of an Island tour in 1998 and fully understand both the heritage significance of the place and the need to preserve the Barracks in their heavily war damaged (WW2) state. The collection of war damaged buildings within this section of the Island speaks volumes about the ferocity of the fighting during this criucial period of Filipino history. I am concerned about the way that the vegetation is being removed from the building and about the apparent project to gut the building for some form of tourism experience. I accept that there needs to be a constant process of vegetation maintenance to prevent damage from this source and it appears that the trees etc have been left unpruned for far too long. I do not accept that the place should have the romantic tree covered ruin imagery, as does the Ta Prohm Temple at Ankor Wat in Cambodia. It is the starkness of the damaged buildings that is the most evocative, not the out of control vegetation. I do support the calls for the current adaptive re-use or tourism project to be stopped and re-evaluated. It appears to have been poorly considered and poses the risk of destroying the very significance and character of the place that are so highly regarded. Corregidor Island is a place of international heritage significance. Tourism activities and projects must be well managed or the place will be adversely impacted upon and ultimately degraded in both heritage and tourism terms. I call for a re-evaluation of the project and greate consultation among concerned people before any further work on the place is undertaken. I have attached a copy of the ICOMOS International Tourism Charter, which establishes best practice principles and guidelines for the management of tourism at heritage sites. Kind regards Graham Brooks Chairman ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee Sydney, Australia
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2007 11:21:40 GMT 8
Once and for all, we'd like to reiterate our position regarding the cutting of trees around Middleside Barracks. To make this piece more readable, We've formatted our statements in question-and-answer style.
Why are you focusing so much on the "tree" issue regarding the Middleside Barracks controversy?
The wholesale cutting of trees is environmentally and ecologically unsound practice. There were a lot of small trees and saplings that could have been balled up and transported. Larger trees could have been pruned instead of felled.
They say that the trees were cut to minimize moisture in the buildings.
Moisture? What about rain water? Water that pours, and cascades,DOWN through the ruins everytime it rains. Since the buildings no longer have roofs, is this not more of a threat? The ditch that they're presently digging to channel water runoff away from Middleside Barracks might work, but what about the water that comes from ABOVE and THROUGH the ruins?
They also say that cutting the trees around the building will allow the sunlight to shine through and minimize moisture damage.
You can let in the sunlight by pruning those trees, or balling them up and transferring them elsewhere. As for the lower floors of the building, there is no way to let direct sunlight in, unless they remove all the floors that block the light coming from above.
The problem is that these trees were allowed to grow uncontrolled. And when they reached sizes that were "perceived" to be threatening to the structures, they were mercilessly chopped down. Regular trimming and pruning certainly could have done the job. This brings us to the next question: who's are they going to hold responsible for this?
Are falling trees a threat to the Middleside Barracks?
There are many factors to consider:
1. Proximity to the building 2. Height 3. Overall weight and mass 4. Wind resistance 5. Root system
If regular upkeep is neglected, any or all of these five factors will conspire to make a simple tree a direct threat. Assuming that a sapling will increase in height by an average of two to three feet a year, the island's administrators have a lot of time to decide whether this sapling could eventually grow to pose a threat to the buildings. If allowed to grow without being controlled, this little sapling could attain a height of at least 20 feet in about ten years. By then its trunk and main branches would have gained enough mass to pose a threat to existing structures.
So you do admit that some trees indeed posed a threat to the Middleside Barracks?
If some trees had indeed become a threat to the buildings, then they became so only because they were not regularly trimmed or pruned. As I just said, it's the job of the island's administrators to anticipate these risks and take corrective measures before things go out of control. As mentioned in the factors listed above, there are many ways by which a tree can "threaten" a building. All these have to be constantly monitored.
So you don't want the Middleside Barracks to be safe from falling trees, then?
This is a common misconception that we would like to correct. We are not against protecting the buildings! Rather, we are protesting the methods being presently employed in clearing the area around Middleside Barracks.
The sad fact is that even trees that were far too small to pose even the slightest threat to the buildings were cut down. Even bamboo trees, whose mass and weight are not enough to damage the walls of Middleside Barracks, were cut down. Their stumps were burned, and sprinkled with ash to prevent them from regrowing. Talk about overkill!
Some people say that Middleside Barracks would look better if we were afforded an unobstructed view of it.
It depends on individual taste. But let's take a theoretical case: What if we chopped down all the coconut trees along Roxas (Dewey) Boulevard to give us an unobstructed view of the sunset? Would that be necessarily better? In my personal opinion, the coconut trees add a quaint touch, and give a sense of depth and contrast that act an excellent foreground for those spectacular sunsets that Manila Bay is known for.
And if we look at it in terms of recreating an authentic look and feel of that bygone era, then you should take a close look at a pre-war photo posted by eXo in the second page of this forum. In this picture, you'll notice that trees used to line the road in front of Middleside Barracks, as well as the road behind it. Trees then, were part of its original "scenic setup".
But won't an unobstructed view look better?
As far as I know, in spite of this "tree-obstructed view", tourists tend to linger longer around Middleside Barracks than Mile Long Barracks. Furthermore, they also tend to pose for more pictures in front of Middleside Barracks. I'm talking from experience here. I've taken that bus tour so many times, that I've lost count.
So why do they stick around Middleside Barracks longer?
Because it's cooler there. You can actually walk down the length of Middleside Barracks, and stay in the shade most of the time. Ditto for the stretch of road that runs from Middleside all the way to Battery Way.
But they haven't cut those roadside trees, have they?
They've cut mature trees on the embankment, and a few bamboo groves right along the road. What I'm trying to point out here is that the shady road along Middleside Barracks is more tourist friendly than the road in front of Mile-Long Barracks; the same applies to that shady embankment I'm referring to.
For me, there are three "iconic" images that represent Corregidor best:
1. Battery Way 2. Mile-Long Barracks 3. Middleside Barracks.
Mile Long Barracks sticks in our consciousness because of its sheer length and stark grandeur. Battery Way stands as a powerful image of strength and defiance, while Middleside Barracks, by virtue of its bombed-out, "rising-out of the jungle" look, reminds us of the horrors of war. That's why we've got to be careful how we "restore" or "clean up" these places. Each location has its own unique attributes. The stark look is great for Mile-Long Barracks and the old Cinema, but for other buildings, it might not be as appropriate. To make everything look uniformly "stark" or "clean" or even "green and lush with foliage" in application of an across-the-board formula (for all structures) is certainly not a good idea. In short, each of these different structures must be given "customized" treatment consistent with their innate thematicity. .
I'm very worried as to what they've got in store for the Senior Officers' Quarters on Cheney Drive. There are quite number of beautiful, mature trees along this road, and I hope they're not going to be part of the "Corregidor Chainsaw Massacre Part II".
But those Middleside Barracks walkways are going to give tourists a different kind of experience. Once built, these walkways will allow people to see the Middleside Barracks from inside.
If I recall right, the original development plan of Corregidor called for the preservation of Topside and Middleside as the "Memorial Zone". Are these walkways not violative of this original plan to preserve Topside and Middleside?
Imagine putting a walkway up and down Cagsawa Ruins so tourists can go up the belfry. Or painting Barasoain church pure white to make it look "cleaner". Or erecting a tall, obelisk-like metal crown on top of the Rizal Monument to make it look more grand (they actually did this in the 1960s. Good thing someone had the good sense to remove that monstrosity. Sheesh!).
Imagine putting a surgical supporter on the Oblation Statue to make it look more "decent", or giving Magellan's Cross a paint job or worse, a hastily-applied coat of varnish. What about a white outhouse with a bright-colored roof near the entrance to Battery Way's main courtyard? I could go on and on.
Enhancing the appearance of historic sites, is one thing, but making alterations that violate their innate thematicity would not only result in tacky and awkward combinations, but waste money as well.
For a fact, we've been able to conduct exciting, high-impact walkthroughs of Middleside Barracks without adding anything, altering any structure, or cutting even a single blade of grass.
Moreover, if a walkthrough experience is what they're looking for, there are still intact structures in other parts of the island (i.e. the old Post Hospital, or Mile Long Barracks) which could accommodate this activity without having to spend anything for infrastructure. In light of Corregidor's lack of funds, isn't this a better idea?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2007 15:37:20 GMT 8
I accept that there needs to be a constant process of vegetation maintenance to prevent damage from this source and it appears that the trees etc have been left unpruned for far too long. I do not accept that the place should have the romantic tree covered ruin imagery, as does the Ta Prohm Temple at Ankor Wat in Cambodia. It is the starkness of the damaged buildings that is the most evocative, not the out of control vegetation. Kind regards Graham Brooks Chairman ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee Sydney, Australia The interplay of ruins and jungle in Corregidor hardly conjures imagery that's anything close to "romantic" if I may say so. Instead, one oftentimes becomes awe-struck by a consuming feeling of mystery, fantasy and adventure. And this isn't just some theory or uneducated opinion ... rather this has been observed up close and actually experienced over more than a decade of conducting activity-packed experiential tours for groups ranging from pre-school kids and their dads, high school boys, young working people and executives, to CEOs and Chairmen of the Board in their 50s and 60s, Filipinos and foreigners alike. When you strip away all that vegetation (as can be seen above), the clinging vines and trees, you take away that sense of mystery, fantasy and adventure as well ... YOU KILL THE EXCITEMENT .... and you're left with what? just a pile of ruins that look more like burnt warehouses in some suburb of the Metro, inspite of all that history. And for many of today's young tourists (who have far less sense of affinity with Corregidor than the veterans and their kin, or are not history buffs at all), plain history embellished by a lot of shrines and memorials are simply not enough to make them come and keep coming back. These young tourists want adventures with nature, exploration, discovery, active fun, a sense of danger and heart-stopping experiences. That's why to capture this market, world-class theme parks today go to great lengths to recreate, through cinematic production design and high tech special effects, settings of ruined temples over-run by jungle ... of lost cities and civilizations ... and of historic relics and buried treasure. Corregidor doesn't have to recreate anything ... IT'S ALL THERE ... and a lot more appealing (AND MARKETABLE) when seen and experienced through the jungle. Just like a beautiful woman who's more tantalizing in see-through lingerie than completely naked. So CONTROL IT ... DON'T STRIP (i mean the jungle).
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Post by Karl Welteke on Jan 28, 2007 15:31:22 GMT 8
Just received more information about the on-going rehab project on the Middleside barracks from the web-master of the Hellships Memorial Foundation in Subic Bay. The web-master wrote me an email, pasted here, saying that he posted all available information on his ProBoard. This includes some drawings of the project, a letter and before and after pictures which I had not seen before. here is the email: From: "Kjonnnarkoman" <kjonnnarkoman@yahoo.com> To: bonotrowena@yahoo.com> Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 1:07 PM Subject: Re: Middleside Barracks on-going project I posted information on the on-going rehab program on Corregidor Island on the Hellships Memorial Forum. There are before and after pictures, an official letter about the project, and a map. It has drawn a lot of fire. What do you think about it? www.hellshipsmemorial.com/Click on FORUM at the top of the page and then look for the category "Corregidor". NOTE of 11 Jan. 2010: The above URL doesn't carries the above information anymore.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2007 1:01:56 GMT 8
Oh.... so NOW it's a driveway they're building! Didn't they say initially that the purpose of "clearing" of the area around Middleside Barracks was to prevent the trees from falling on Middleside Barracks during typhoons? The sketches seem to have been hurriedly done - almost as if they had been made as an afterthought. Surely, a project of this magnitude has formal architectural projections, engineering diagrams and other schematic diagrams? Would it have not been better if these had been shown instead? Or are they still being made? ;D The sketches can be viewed at: www.hellshipsmemorial.org/forum/corregidor/index.htmWhat about the sketch of the catwalks and walkways that Mr. Benadero showed me while I was on the island last Dec. 5? It would be good to show those on the website, too. Or will these be shown too, at an "appropriate" time as another fait accompli? Up to now, no one has been able to answer our questions regarding how materials extracted from the worksite are accounted for, much less the questions regarding the control of chipping and scrapping activities on the island. Up to now, no one has dared face the latter problem squarely. If I may say so, the silence regarding this matter is deafening. In fact, some of the photos displayed on the CFI webpages (showing the result of massive damage from chipping and scrapping) only serve to reinforce our arguments for the immediate stoppage of operations, and the COMPLETE photo-documentation of Middleside Barracks (and ALL existing buildings), pending a reassessment of these "restoration" or "clean-up" plans. Photographs serve as an indisputable record of existing conditions of each building, as well as existing MATERIALS, such as loose concrete chips, iron bars, columns that have been worked loose from the buildings because of of World War II damage, AND/OR illegal chipping or scrapping activities. By not stopping these "clean-up" or "restoration" operations as we have suggested, traces of these chipping and scrapping activities are slowly but surely being eradicated. Question: Will existing, visible damage to the buildings now be exclusively attributed to World War II bomb damage, or ashfall, or moisture, or acid rain, pixie dust and everything else under the sun -- that is, except illegal chipping and scrapping? Middleside Barracks itself stands as a grotesque example of what kind of damage these nefarious chippers and scrappers can inflict. Among the buildings along the regular tour bus route, it is in the worst shape. From the outside, it looks intact, but its innards have been eaten, and many portions of it are but hollow shells, waiting to crumble during the next earthquake or typhoon. Again, either World War II or nature will get the blame, but the real problems will remain. I've got a lot more to say about this, but I'm not going to pre-empt myself, as we will soon be releasing a new article that will cover this very, very intriguing aspect of the controversy. - april_thunder By the way, Middleside Barracks still looks better to me with all those trees surrounding it.
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