tunnels

TUNNELS

 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.

 Our documentation

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.

          This tunnel was the Japenese head quarter. There are three tunnel entrance in Sta Remedios. One was located near the river, the other was in the middle of the rice field.

         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.

      

 Some of the people who live near the tunnel said that the 

        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.