HIDDEN CITIES TEXT

A metropolis home to 1.3 million people, Davao is the biggest city in Southern Philippines. It is also known as a gateway to culture and adventure. However Davao is also of Historical importance. One such reason is the Japanese Tunnel, located in Diversion Road.

Nestled inside a resort, I was able to gain access by paying fifty pesos. I was met by a tour guide who narrated bits of information that I found interesting such as the Mickey Mouse money that was on display near the entrance

The tunnel per se is over rumored to be 10 kilometers long but tourists can only access the first 300 meters because parts of the tunnel had already collapsed. While the presence of installed lighting helped, it did not completely erase the chills I felt when the guide described the experiences suffered by fellow Filipinos.

The Japanese tunnel was excavated by Filipino prisoners of war under the supervision of the Japanese Imperial Army to serve as their shelter during World War 2. According to one of the POWs, they dug up the tunnel night and day. It took them over a year to dig up one kilometer of tunnel. Filipinos who were physically weak ended up being killed and replaced with stronger ones.

I was able to see various statues that depicted life in the Japanese tunnel. These included soldiers standing guard and a replica of a golden buddha in one of the several chapels. As we went deeper into the tunnel I saw a very small cell where rebelling prisoners were kept without food for several days.

There was a portion of the tunnel that was filled with stalactites. I could also hear droplets of water fall from the ceiling. When I shone my flashlight against the wall, the shapes formed by years of water running through limestone were beautiful.

Towards the end of the tunnel, there was a room with filled with real weaponry, bombs and spent bullets from the 1940s. The tunnel stopped at the general’s room where a statue of a Japanese general counting money was depicted.

To exit the tunnel, we had to turn around and go back where we came from. I had to duck really since the overhangs were really low. I guess people were shorter 60 years ago.

Touring the Japanese tunnel made me view my hometown from a different perspective, a historical one. Learning about the suffering our ancestors had gone through as they valiantly fought for freedom has me appreciate mine even more. 50 pesos is a small price to pay to be able to see such a historical landmark.