Pilipinas Got Talent Season 1: Grand Finals Review

It was almost one year ago when the first season of Pilipinas Got Talent was aired on Philippine TV. We witnessed the auditions from funny but horrible to great talents who emerged in the live performances and even others became Youtube sensation. This year, the second season of international franchise is airing but let us have a review of the contenders who made it to the grand finals of the previous season.

1. Alakim (Magician, Quezon City). He is one of the best contenders in PGT this first season because of using sensitive and delicate butterflies in magic plus he has a strong showmanship and he knows how to catch the attention of the audience through magic. This is not your ordinary magic but it is a fantastic act. In addition, during the grand finals, he used teleportation from stage up to the crowd. 

2. Sherwin Baguion (Singer, Lanao del Sur). He is memorable because of his audition with his father (who used electricity tricks and failed to make it) in his heartfelt performance of Rey Valera's original song "Tayong Dalawa". During the semi-finals stage, he sung Gary Valenciano's "Sana Maulit Muli" but it was not his best performance. However, he's back in the finals singing once again his audition piece for his performance.

3. Markki Stroem (Singer / Musician, Quezon City). With his charm, voice and musical talent, definitely the girls will love him. He got the right song choice, the stage presence and the right performance. He has a great future in local showbiz industry.

4. Ezra Band (Band Troupe, Davao City). Their music is on the mainstream and it is cool to hear. There are members of the band who stand out especially Kaye, the lead singer of the band who has a very good voice which sounded like a male acoustic singer and Nor, the differently-abled keyboard player who has an exceptional skill in accompanying the keyboard. 

5. Velasco Brothers (Breakdancing Crew, Manila). This group is one of the most consistent performers in the show. They have the synchronized choreography, the professional experience (where they worked in Thailand as performers) and the amazing stunts. Their dance act was fantastic which shows stunts and acrobatic movements.

6. Maria Jeline Oliva (Violinist / Multi-talented Musician, Naga City). She's got a raw talent in music at her young age. In addition, she can play 12 instruments especially the violin, piano and drums. Definitely, she is one of the best contestants in terms of technical aspects of performing.

7. Baguio Metamorphosis (Hip-hop and Belly Dancing Group, Baguio City). They have the colorful costumes which jives their choreography plus the choice of song in their dance routine which is so lively.

8.  Jovit Baldivino (Singer).  He definitely deserves to be the winner of this series because of his powerful voice and his style as a rocker. He has a humbling story and he is one of the most consistent contestants in the show because he became a Youtube sensation and a successful recording artist at his young age.

9. Ruther Urquia (Ventriloquist, Las Pinas). His act is definitely entertaining because of the child-friendly concept and humorous punchlines from Ruther and his puppet Titoy. Other puppets like Lolo Teddy and Baby Tomtom are also popular as Titoy. In addition, all ages will definitely entertain with his performance.

10. Ingrid Payaket (Singer, Baguio City). She is the only female soloist who made it to the grand finals. She has a clear voice and diction and her style is resembled to Lea Salonga because of song choice. In her grand finals performance, she performed "On My Own" from Les Miserables where it is the best rendition of the song among the contestants who rendered it in other local singing contests.

11. Keith Clark Delleva (Electric Guitarist / Singer, Pasay). He is a teen heartthrob and a talented musician because he can play the electric guitar passionately and he has a good singing voice. Although he struggled in the semi-finals where he received three buzzes due to technical problems,  he made a rebound in the finale where he proved that he is a talented guy.

12. Luntayao Family (Singing Group, Negros Occidental). They have the powerful voice and nice blending of voices. All of them are very good singers even the members comprise of different ages from  children to adults and they deserve to form a group.  

Great and successful season of Pilipinas Got Talent! More exciting talents for the upcoming seasons.

Source: Google Photos

Pilipinas Got Talent Season 1: Semi-Finals Review

The dance group Hello World in Cagayan de Oro auditions.

The classical singer Fame Flores impressed the judges in her audition with Lara Fabian's "Caruso."

Joel Amper or Big Mouth /BM amazed the crowd with his animal sounds.

It was one year ago when the first season of Pilipinas Got Talent held its semi-finals round. For six weeks, six different acts who passed the Judges Cull will perform every week to make it to the top twelve grand finalists. This season has a lot of talented Pinoys showing their unique skills and talents. However there are some talents who stand out during the semi-finals and they deserve a spot in the grand finals but didn't make it.

Let us start with the two ballroom dancers from Cebu, Jhistine & Filemon (Baguio Siblings) and Mae & Anselmo, they did their choreography with precision and right song choice for their performance. However, they didn't make it to the top 3. Then, we also have the double-character singer Reggie Ramirez where he impressed the judges with his rendition of Diana Ross and Lionel Richie's classic "Endless Love." But in the semi-finals, he didn't make it to the top 3 highest votes due to wrong song choice but the character of male and female voices is still there. We also have Florante Inutan, the Human Saxophone of Davao. He did a good job in making sounds like a saxophone and a credit for singing "La Bamba" but it was not enough to get the votes.

In addition, groups gave their best shot during the semi-finals round. Snap Boiz show their talent in their dark costumes and good stunts, as well as Xavier University Cultural Dance Troupe proved that cultural dance is on the mainstream. Then, Hello World of Davao became one of the early favorites in the competition because of their clown costumes and make up plus the smooth and synchronized dance routine in the tune of Taylor Swift's "Love Story". However, in their semi-finals performance, they didn't make it to the top 3 highest votes although they performed with the same routine which other people think that it is predictable. We also have  Goldies and Goodies with their strong confidence and enjoyment in their age and their entertaining dance routine where they can lead to morning exercises. Then, the Imusicapella Chamber Choir shows creativity and precision in singing with choreography which leads them as one of the top 3 highest votes in their batch. Similar with Imusicapella, Powerpuff Corn shows their musicality with their songs with a combination of reggae and acoustic. 

The soloists also performed their hearts out in this stage. Beatboxer Harold Jomar Gesulga show his ability with the use of harmonica during performance. Josephine Aton suits her song choice in her vocal prowess, Garrett Devan Bolden did an encore of his audition performance in the semi-finals and Manoling Saldivar delivered a one of a kind semi-finals performance with his opera singing. Rolando Permangil sing his heart out with OPM ballads and he did a great job in his performance. Also, BM or Big Mouth shocked and amazed the crowd in his auditions because of the animal sounds he created while he is singing (especially the horse) and he did it once again.

The younger finalists shown their amazing performance in this round. Jzan Vern Tero amazed the crowd and received a standing ovation from the judges in Cebu auditions with his energetic rendition of "Hush Hush" but in the semi-finals he fell short during his performance of "The Climb" because he didn't sing it properly due to health conditions. Carl Malone Montecido touch the hearts of the viewers with his song "May Bukas Pa" which reflects hope in his inspiring story although he is blind, he has the talent to share with other people. Reiniel Tulabing remains consistent with his performance from singing Michael Jackson's "Ben" in his auditions to groovy performance of "The Way You Make Me Feel" makes him a versatile performer. The youngest contender in this batch is the seven-year old Rolando Ng III with his rocking auditions singing Queen's "I Want To Break Free" and Elvis Presley's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" proves that he is not just a boy with a good voice but with a strong showmanship in stage.

There are also semi-finalists who made a strong impact to the viewers because their act is deserving to the grand finale. First, we have the poppin and locking moves of Alexis Carpena where his robotic and smooth dance moves is unique and extraordinary. In addition, he is also a likable guy because he is humble. We also have Kapidamu Band where all of the members are talented in music and they have a future in becoming the next popular band in our country. The energetic, precise and passionate dance routine of Experience Kidz which proves that dancers or dance groups from General Santos City like XB Gensan (winner of Showtime Season 1) are really fantastic. Last but not the least is the teen opera singer Geraldine "Fame" Flores who can sing classical songs with a very good vocal range, she can also sing religious songs even in foreign languages, she's got the beautiful face which matches her talent and the meaning of the song which expressed in her emotions are really great. Definitely, Fame is the best female vocalist in this season because she is consistent from her rendition of Lara Fabian's "Caruso" in her auditions to her semi-finals performance of "Via Dolorosa".

Therefore, this batch of the first season is great and keep it up!

Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2: Auditions Review Part 2

Fernan Santuyo (a.k.a. Madonna Pianista) is one of the best hopefuls in Naga auditions where he played the keyboard with his distinct moves and fast hands in playing the keyboard.

The Baguio Boom Boom Boys (B4) made their unique and suave dance routine impressed the crowd in Dagupan auditions.

After the Top 36 revealed, there are many hopefuls who made it which is not included in the first review. The batch of semi-finalists this season were the best and others were forgettable but they have the talent which is amazing. Here is the second part of review for the semi-finalists of Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2:

1. Madonna Pianista (Pianist, Albay). He is one of the most memorable acts to remember because of his fast hands in playing the keyboard and the distinct moves he had while performing. 

2. DJP Trio (Singing Trio, Bacolod City). They are the cute young girls from Bacolod with a harmonized blending of voices and they have the singing talent.

3. B4 and Filogram (Dance Troupe, Baguio City).  B4 reminds me of Hello World with their "suave" moves while Filogram's trademark is the old school song choice in their dance routine. They are both very good dance troupe and they know each other as well. Filogram and B4 are two of the best dance troupes in Pilipinas Got Talent.

4. Joy's Divas (Singing Trio, Batangas). They have only few time for airing their auditions (unlike the other semi-finalists who aired their full auditions) but they have the powerful voices and raw talent in singing. 

5. Next Generation Band (Band Troupe, Davao del Norte). They are the kiddie band from Davao del Norte where the members are talented boys and girls plus their strong showmanship and musical talent.

6. Skeights (Band Troupe, Davao City). The music they played is on the mainstream and the vocalists and band players are all very good. The blending of voices of the lead vocalists and even the back-up singers are very good and the combination of musical instruments jived to the good vocals of the singers.

7. Suwahib Samplidan (Singer, Davao City). His audition is somewhat strange because when he is singing Beyonce's "Listen", he is eating spicy and roasted peanuts. But his performance was one of the best so far because of wide vocal range.

8. Happy Feet (Tap Dancing Duo, Bukidnon) and Bourbon Duo (Pole Dancing Duo, Makati). They are the brothers who did tap dancing with the use of their black shoes. They have the precision and the right footwork in tap dancing. Ai-ai Delas Alas, one of the judges gave tap dancing shoes to this duo to use it for the semi-finals live performance. On the other hand, the Bourbon Duo did a good job in pole dancing in their auditions but unfortunately in the judges cull only one of them made it due to injury. However, they did a very good auditions.

9. Rafael Pavia (Singer, Davao City). He is the 5-year old singer who impressed the judges with his strong confidence in stage and rocking song choice. However, he has a sob story at his very tender age when his father died and their status in life.

All of these contenders made it to the semi-finals stage of Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2. Good luck!

For the first part of this blog entry, see also Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2: Auditions Review.

Visita Iglesia

Every Holy Week, there are different customs commemorated in dedication to the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. One of these traditions is Visita Iglesia. It is a tradition during Holy Week where people can visit seven to fourteen churches where they can pray or accomplish the Stations of the Cross. According to other beliefs, if they complete the fourteen churches, there will be a miracle happen including their wishes will be granted. On the other hand, Visita Iglesia is also a travel experience where you can visit churches in different places and it is one way to enrich our tourism.

The experience of participating in Visita Iglesia began last 2008 along with my sisters. We visit churches in different towns in Cavite such as Silang, Dasmarinas, Tagaytay City, Mendez, Indang and Trece Martires. At first, it was a hard trip because we transfer from place to place and it requires a lot of budget due to expenses in transportation by riding a jeepney, tricycle or even a bus. In addition, we don't have time to eat during the pilgrimage and we drink water to quench our thirst. In the end, it was an enjoyable trip as I learned to discover different churches in several towns.

Last April 21, 2011, I experienced to have a Visita Iglesia on my own. I visit churches in different town in Cavite (Silang, Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Carmona), Laguna (Binan, Santa Rosa City, San Pedro) and Muntinlupa City. 

Having a Visita Iglesia is one way of observing the Lenten Season through reflections of all the things that we have done, asking our prayers for ourselves and someone who helps us and having a close relationship to God through prayers and commemorating this tradition is a way where we remember what Jesus Christ sacrificed for all the people to forgive our sins.

The church in Tagaytay City in our Visita Iglesia last 2008.

The Risen Christ Parish Church in my hometown in Bulihan, Silang, Cavite.

The church of Holy Family in Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite.

San Vicente Ferrer Parish Church in Binan, Laguna.

Sta. Rose de Lima Parish Church in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

The Saint Sepulchro Shrine in Landayan, San Pedro, Laguna.

There are many people who visit the church in Landayan because they believed that this church is miraculous due to the old relic called Lolo Uweng.

Saint Joseph Parish Church in Carmona, Cavite.

San Isidro Labrador Church in Binan, Laguna.

Saint Peregrine Church in Muntinlupa City.

San Pedro Church in San Pedro, Laguna.

Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2: Auditions Review

Marcelito Pomoy, the man with a dual voice who wowed the crowd in Manila auditions.

The Pardo Elementary School Dancing Rondalla and Violin Ensemble who entertained the crowd in Cebu auditions.

The family of musicians called The Asidors catch the hearts of the judges (especially Kris Aquino) and the audience in Davao with their medley of love songs.

For almost eight weeks of airing the auditions from different parts of the country, only 174 acts made it to the Judges' Cull. Based on what I have watched during the auditions, there are lots of great acts to watch for because they are unique and impressive. Here's the contenders who made an impact during the auditions which featured in Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2. (Arranged in no particular order)


1. Marcelito Pomoy (Singer, Cavite). This 25-year old guy which later become a Youtube sensation because he possesses a dual voice. He can sing with a male voice as well as the female voice. He sings with clarity and he can hit the high notes.
2. Buildex Pagales (Singer, Davao del Sur). This 15-year old teenage guy can be the next singing sensation because of his cool voice and musical talent. According to other people, his style is similar to Bruno Mars and he is the next acoustic singing sensation in the local music scene.
3. Gino Janducayan (Magician, Davao City). If there's Alakim in season 1, Gino will be the best magician in the second season because of his fast and amazing magical tricks involving doves.
4. Rico The Magician (Magician, Caloocan). He is the 57-year old man whose magical act is funny because he used animals like goose and dog in his act plus the quirky dance moves while performing his magic.
5. Pardo Elementary School Dancing Rondalla (Rondalla / Stringed Instruments Ensemble,Talisay City, Cebu). The group of kids from Cebu was definitely unique and entertaining because their performance was truly Filipino and their musical talent at young age was 
6. Agnes Ignacio (Pianist, Romblon). She is the piano teacher who has a sob story and an inspiring musical talent in playing the piano. Her audition makes unforgettable because of her touching story and a talent that touched the hearts of many people who watched her auditions.
7. Angel Canlalas (Hula Hoop Tricker, Cainta, Rizal). She is a familiar face in other talent search on Philippine TV because of her entertaining tricks with hula hoop. Hopefully she will make it to the semi-finals because of her experience in performing stunts and hula hoop tricks in Thailand along with Velasco Brothers and Zion Show.
8. Maribeth Callanta (Singer, Dagupan). She has a very soulful voice and a right song choice where she performed Charice's "Pyramid". I want to hear more from Maribeth because she has a great future in music industry. 
9. Mark Kenneth Dolom (Sand Artist, Puerto Princesa, Palawan). He has a very good skill in sand art where he performed it with a tune of "Heal The World."
10. Madrigal Siblings (Singing Trio, Cainta, Rizal). They have the nice blending and powerful voice. They show that they are professional and experienced performers. 
11. The Asidors (Band Troupe, Davao City). They have the right song choice, the outstanding musical talent and a great voice from a family. They are also experienced performers like the Madrigal Siblings and the song choice and the medley during their auditions was beautiful.
12. Karinyoso Boys (Dance Troupe and Comedians, Dumaguete City). They have the unique concept, the funny expressions and a good choreography.
13. Kapidamu Band (Band Troupe, Atimonan, Quezon). They deserve to come back and win because they improved a lot and they sing with emotions. 
14. Dance Selection (Cheerdancers and Acrobats,Taguig). The cheerleading and acrobatic group with entertaining but risky and breathtaking dance routine.
15. Lunaria Brothers Marionette Show (Puppeteers, Antipolo City, Rizal). They have a distinct and synchronized control of their cute puppets. 
16. Bukidnon State University Brass Band (Brass Band, Bukidnon). They have the largest number of members among the group participants in PGT plus the spectacular music while performing.
17. First Beat Effect (Beatboxing Troupe, Bacolod). It is the first time I heard a group of beatboxers which is interesting. 
18. Kervy Salazar (Beatboxer, Davao City). His act is similar to Harold Jomar Gesulga of season 1 where he has a very good skill in beatboxing and he can produce eight sounds or more.
19. Jett Barun (Singer, Pateros). She has a strong vocals with a powerful confidence and showmanship in stage. 
20. Roland and Rovince Monteroza (Singing Twins, Las Pinas). They are the singing twins plus they have the star factor.
21. John Neil Roa (Dancer and Beatboxer, Cebu City). He is a multi-talented kid: he can do dancing, singing and beatbox.
22. V.I.P. Singers (Chorale Group, Camarines Sur) and Jeremie Tampoy (Singer and Pianist, Davao del Sur).  They are inspiration to people because beside of the disabilities, they can perform and show their talent to the world. Jeremie has a very good talent in singing and playing the keyboard, while the VIP Singers are very good in terms of blending of voices which is similar to angels singing in paradise.

Hopefully, these contenders will make it to the semi-finals! Win or lose, just keep on reaching on their dreams. (This is not a spoiler, this is just a review of audition hopefuls. The results of Judges Cull will be revealed on April 24, 2011 in Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2, 9:00 p.m. on ABS-CBN)


For the continuation, see also Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2: Auditions Review Part 2

A Review on American Idol 10: The Top 13

The tenth season of American Idol is exciting and fun to watch for many reasons. First there are new judges, the Latina actress, singer and dancer Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith's frontman Steven Tyler (Randy Jackson is the only judge remain from the original panel). However, I will miss the harsh but constructive comments of Simon Cowell and the technical but helpful critiques of Kara DioGuardi. Second, the debut of Las Vegas round where they sing the hits from The Beatles. Lastly, it is the most diverse set of contestants in terms of their vocal quality and performance level which all of them can perform exceptionally especially when most of them were emerged and stand out during the Hollywood Week with their musical talent. In addition, the selected top 13 this season where all different in terms of their vocal quality, performance level and showmanship. Definitely, all of them were so great and they have a chance that all of them will have a recording deal in the music industry.

Recently, five contestants are already eliminated and nine of them were still on the run to be the next American Idol. During the Motown Week (Top 11) Casey Abrams was saved by the judges from the elimination. But the bad news here is Pia Toscano, considered as a frontrunner in the competition was eliminated during top 9 which was definitely a shocking result. Now here's the review for the contestants of the tenth season of American Idol. 

The finalists from the tenth season of American Idol.
Upper row (L-R): James Durbin, Naima Adedapo, Jacob Lusk, Thia Megia,
Karen Rodriguez, Stefano Langone and Lauren Alaina.
Lower row (L-R): Paul McDonald, Ashthon Jones, Pia Toscano,
Casey Abrams, Haley Reinhart and Scotty McCreery.
Source: Google Photos

1. Casey Abrams - He's got a unique looks, a husky voice and an exceptional musical talent (where he can play electric guitar, bass guitar and guitar). The judges definitely make a right choice on saving him from elimination. His performance of "Georgia In My Mind" with the accompaniment of double bass was definitely the first time I have ever seen on American Idol. He is one of the most versatile performers in Idol because he can sing jazz and rock. His performances of Joe Cocker's "With A Little Help From My Friends", Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Elton John's "Your Song" was surely a hit!

2. Lauren Alaina - She reminds me of Alaina Whitaker, a semi-finalist from season 7 because of her country music vibe and her young age. I liked her song choices which match her voice quality which leads to Randy Jackson's comparison to two previous winners Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood after her performance of Reba MacEntire's "Turn On The Radio". Her performance of "Candle In The Wind" and "Natural Woman" was remarkable and her best performance so far.

3. James Durbin - The rocker of the tenth season. He is similar to Adam Lambert in terms of extreme vocal style. Definitely he is one of the most consistent performers in American Idol from auditions until the finals phase because of his rocking song choices and performances. His performance of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by George Harrison (top 9) proves that he is not just a rocker but he can sing other music genres.

4. Stefano Langone - He has a very good vocals and very clear enunciation of words when he sings. His asset so far is his charming looks, powerful voice and clear phrasing of words when he sings especially when he sang Simply Red's "If You Don't Know Me By Now" was a great one. 

5. Jacob Lusk - Among the boys, he has the most soulful voice which resembles to Luther Vandross. He has the right song choice and a soulful voice. His rendition of "God Bless The Child" during the Hollywood week and "A House Is Not A Home" on top 24 week was definitely his best performances so far.

6. Scotty McCreery - The teenage girls were definitely loved him because of his deep baritone voice and his country style of music. He is one of the most consistent performers because he always do country songs. He will definitely the next Willie Nelson or Garth Brooks in contemporary music scene.

7. Paul McDonald - He reminds me of Rod Stewart in terms of the husky voice, he has the quirky footwork while performing and a perfect smile. His performance of "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart was so entertaining and he has the attitude of a total performer and the experience where he belongs to the band Grand Magnolias before he joined in Idol. 

8. Haley Reinhart - She has a soulful voice and she is the dark horse of the competition so far. She is always belongs to the bottom 3 on the first two weeks of the competition. During Hollywood week, she performs "God Bless The Child" where she proves that she deserves to be in Idol. Her performances of Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets" and Janis Joplin's "Piece of my Heart" was her best performance so far. In addition, I would like to give her a credit for attempt in singing other genres like rock, R&B and country which shows that she is a versatile singer.

9. Pia Toscano - She is one of the less-known contenders before the Hollywood Week but when she performed Bruno Mars' "Grenade" along with Alessandra Guercio and Brielle Von Hugel during the group round and "Can't Buy Me Love" along with Karen Rodriguez in the Las Vegas Round, Pia is definitely has a captivating voice and the packaging of a diva. Her most memorable performance when she sang Alicia Keys' "Doesn't Mean Anything" in the final Hollywood auditions and The Pretenders' "I'll Stand By You" where she received an standing ovation for that great performance. If she sings an upbeat tempo songs, definitely she will nail it! Unfortunately, her elimination was unexpected and it was definitely a shocking moment because she deserves to win this season.

10. Thia Megia - She has a very good and distinct voice which is soulful and she has the confidence which is silent but amazing. Her performance of "Out Here On My Own" by Irene Cara makes her stand-out in the competition. She proved to the judges that she is versatile when she sang "(Love is Like A)Heatwave" by Martha and the Vandellas during the Motown Week. She was eliminated during the Elton John Week along with Naima Adedapo.

11. Naima Adedapo - she has a soulful voice which match her looks and she has a cultural representation of African-Americans through her colorful dress and her dance moves. Her performance of "Dancing In The Street" during the Motown Week was one of the best so far because of energetic, traditional dance moves and the accompaniment of drums. She was eliminated on the second week of top 11 along with Thia Megia.

12. Karen Rodriguez - She is the Latin-American performer of this season where she sings heartfelt rendition of love songs such as "Hero" by Mariah Carey. In addition, she can sing it with the use of Spanish language. However, her shining moment in the show was on the final audition where she sang "No me queda mas" by Selena with accompaniment of piano. She was eliminated during the top 12. 

13. Ashthon Jones - Although she is the first contestant to get eliminated from the show, she has the qualities of a "diva." She's got the looks (which reminds me of Diana Ross), she's got the confidence, the packaging and the soulful voice. Her rendition of Dreamgirls' "And I Am Telling You (I Am Not Going)" makes her shine in the show. In addition, she made the right  choice during the top 13 with the song "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" but she was eliminated.

Now, eight of them are left, who will win this season and who will eliminated next? Definitely this top 13 is one of the most competent batch of contenders in Idol history. 

One Day In The Rock: A Glimpse of History in Corregidor Island

Crossing the Manila Bay while going to Corregidor Island.

The view of Corregidor Island.

The map of Corregidor Island.

The view of Bataan from the island. Bataan is only three miles away from Corregidor Island.

Last year, it was March 13, 2010, we had a travel in the island of Corregidor. The island is located 48 kilometers west of Manila, strategically found in the entrance of Manila Bay. Corregidor is located three miles away from Bataan and it is part of Cavite City. This island is called as "The Rock" because of its rocky landscapes and this island stands for the memorial of heroes who fought during the Second World War in the Philippines. This island also serves as a harbor defense of foreign invaders who came in our country and it is the headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth during the Second World War.

The ruins of Middleside Barracks.

The weapons used during the war which serve as a decoration.

The weapons used during the Second World War which is stored in Corregidor Island.The Battery Grubs is a place where most of the weapons are stored.

It was an exciting trip because we are taking a glimpse of our history. by viewing the tourist attractions and listening to the facts about Corregidor which told by our tourist guide. As we go along our way through the island, we saw the ruined buildings, tunnels and structures especially the barracks. The big canyons and mortars are used during the war are now in silence which serves as decoration. Although there are doubts in my mind that these canons and missiles are still active.

The Pacific War Memorial.

The major memorial structure is a rotunda with a circular altar directly under the dome's oculus through which the sunlight falls during the daytime.(Source: wikipedia.org)

The Eternal Flame of Freedom

The sculpture called "Brothers In Arms" which symbolizes the American and Filipino heroes who fought during the Second World War in the Philippines.

The Japanese Garden of Peace.

A tomb written in Japanese characters which dedicated to the people who fought during the war.

The statue in the Japanese Memorial Garden.

Another unforgettable experience in our tour is the visit to Pacific War Memorial where we saw some structures which has relevance in the history of our country during the war years. This place is considered as a tribute for the Filipino and American soldiers and heroes who fought for independence and defend our country against the invaders. We also visited the Pacific War Memorial Museum where we saw pictures and artifacts which serve as a remembrance of the Second World War in the Philippines. We also visit the Japanese Garden of Peace where it is a place commemorated for the Japanese people who sacrificed their lives during the war.

An issue of "Honolulu Star Bulletin" which headlines the invasion of Japanese in Hawaii.

An old Philippine money used during the Japanese occupation called "Mickey Mouse money."

Pictures and memorabilla from the Japanese Garden of Peace.

The flag of United States during the Second World War with forty-five stars.

The pictures of Corregidor Island before the Second World War.

Last but not the least, we also visit the Malinta Tunnel, a place which serves as a secret headquarters of USAFFE (United Stated Armed Forces in the Far East) and the seat of Philippine Commonwealth before Corregidor conquered by the Japanese forces. As we walked inside the tunnel, we saw things used during the war. We saw the hospital and the headquarters of Gen. Douglas MacArthur inside the tunnel. We also experience the real meaning of "total darkness" where the tour guide asked us to close the flashlights and walked along the tunnel where we feel that the space becomes tighter (we feel that we are in the smallest portion of the tunnel). In addition, we experience the "deafening silence" where we become silent for one minute and I heard anything but silence.

The Malinta Tunnel entrance gate.

The way inside the tunnel.

An old typewriter and a book found inside the headquarters of Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

Adding machine which used as calculator in the past.

The map of Southeast Asia during the World War II.

Therefore, this experience traveling in Corregidor was unforgettable and the tourists will appreciate the colorful history of the Philippines during the Second World War. In addition, the ruined buildings, the silent canyons and missiles, the old pictures and things, the rocky landscape and the fresh and tranquil ambiance will prove that Corregidor is one of the ideal tourist spots in the Philippines which shows the beauty of our country in historical and topographical aspects. In the future, hopefully the Corregidor Island will be the same and more tourists will visit that island someday.

The statue of General Douglas MacArthur when he promised to the Filipinos in his line "I SHALL RETURN."

Author's Note: It is his first water travel through riding a speedboat going to Corregidor Island. :)