During the
time of the World War II the Filipinos suffered a lot from the hands of the
Japanese. Many Filipinos were killed, tortured, and women were raped. Freedom
is all that we longed to have and finally we have it. It is really amazing to
see that there were Filipinos who fought for our freedom.
There were
some remembrance that reminds us about the life during the World War II.
Tunnels
constructed during the World War II remind us about the sufferings and bravery
of our ancestors here in Bulan.
It also
reminds us how cruel Japanese soldiers were during that time. They’ve conquered
our country.
SITIO DAAN DE BISITA TUNNELS
This tunnels are located at Brgy. San Francisco, Bulan, Sorsogon. formerly known as Barangay Polot.
The tunnel served as the shelter
for the Japanese Soldiers. Inside the tunnel, we saw some elevated parts that
looks like beds. One corner of the tunnel was the chapel. It also served as
their hideout, and it is the place where they hide and store bombs, guns, and
other explosive materials.
The
Entrance
The entrance of the tunnel is too
small. Only one person can pass and s/he has to bend, sit and sometimes crawl
to enter the tunnel. I imagine how the soldiers
enters this entrance. It seems to be a bit small for the soldiers. It seems to
be hard for them to bring inside the Filipino captives and their weapons
The chapel
One corner of the tunnel served as the chapel. It is hard to believe that the Japanese soldiers that time also believes in God, knowing that they killed so many people and shows no mercy to anyone
This part of
the tunnel served as the beds for theJapanese soldiers.
Photo
together with Brgy.
Captain Dogillo
of San Francisco
|
Modesto Hito 76 y/o (left), Oscar Gozo 72 y/o (right)
|
According to the old citizens of Brgy.
San Francisco that we interviewed, (Mr. Hito
and Mr. Gozo),
in 1940-1941, these tunnels were built by the Japanese soldiers with the help
of the Taiwanese businessmen whom later were turned as their slaves. The only
purpose of the Taiwanese businessmen why they came here in the Philippines is
purely business but unfortunately, they became captives and turned as slaves by
the Japanese. They were forced to dig and help build the tunnels
During
that time, only few Filipino people were allowed to enter the tunnel. It is
because the Japanese soldiers didn’t want Filipinos to discover their
activities inside the tunnel. Some say that they also buried some treasures
(the Yamashita treasure) inside the tunnel that’s why whenever they allow
Filipino citizen to enter the tunnel, they immediately killed them so that they
will not reveal their activities or what they saw inside the tunnel.
During
the war, Mr. Modesto Hito was only 4 years old because he
was born in the year 1937. He remembered only few of his experiences and he
shared it to us. One thing that he remembered was at a very young age, he
witnessed some dead bodies. People who were hanged by Japanese soldiers. This
proves that during that time, every Filipino is living in a life full of fear.
Anyone who will oppose the rules of the Japanese soldiers will be killed. Mr.
Oscar Gozo was born in manila, everything
that he knew about the war was from the stories of his parents, who was
residents of San Francisco. He was the one who told us that Filipino people who
were free to enter the tunnel and can went out freely were considered as
traitors. They cover their heads with a basket (bayong)
and make two small hole for their eyes so that no one will recognized their
identity.
BARIIS TUNNEL
Tunnel in Sta. Remedios, Bulan. Sorsogon
This tunnel
was made during the 2nd world war, in between the year 1940 to 1941. It was said that the Filipinos were the ones
who built this tunnel. They were the captives of the Japanese. After building
the tunnel they were killed to keep the secrets. It was said that the Japanese
kept a treasure inside the tunnel.
The name “Bariis “was taken from the name of the grass
which grow around the bariis
lake. The tunnel was located beside
the bariis lake and that’s the reason why the
tunnel was called
bariis
tunnel.
tunnel in bariis was connected to the tunnels in San
Francisco and Somagongsong.They said
that the tunnel bardown when
the treasure hunters from magallanes
came ,and
dug
inside the tunnel,
so the
tunnel was ruined and there is no more
ways going to the dipper part of the tunnel.
As we visit
those tunnels, we’ve realized how important freedom is to our nation. And those
tunnels is an evidence of how Filipino fought and suffered. As we saw those
markings inside the tunnels it seems like we’ve gone back to the time when the
Japanese were here. And conquering our country. Every corner of the tunnel was
the witness of our history. One of the tunnel was preserved and was actually
like what it was since then, the cold air inside seems to be like the souls
those who died inside the tunnel. The noise of the bats and the silence seems
to be whispering about the past.
Through our
documentation, we truly learned a lot of things like this tunnels and the history. How the tunnels were made,
and for what was this made for.
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