Bamban Council Designates WWII Tunnels as Heritage Site
The Bamban town council has designated the intricate system of World War II tunnels as a local historical and heritage site.
This development follows the enactment of Resolution Number 196 Series of 2023, approved by the town’s legislative body on September 13, 2023.
Rhonie Cauguiran Dela Cruz, the head of the Bamban Historical Society, revealed that concerted efforts from his organization, alongside provincial and town officials, were instrumental in advocating for the preservation of these tunnels and other historical landmarks.
The municipal resolution is anchored on Section 15 Article XIV of the Philippine Constitution, which mandates the state to safeguard, enhance, and disseminate the country’s historical, cultural heritage and resources, and artistic works.
Furthermore, Section 12 of Republic Act 10066, the National Heritage Act of 2009, empowers the National Historical Institute and the National Museum to identify heritage zones, ensuring the preservation of their historical and cultural essence.
Bamban, located in Tarlac, holds a significant place in the annals of Philippine World War II history, Dela Cruz explained.
He recounted how Bamban was pivotal during the Philippines’ resistance against the Japanese forces, marking the western end of Defense Line No. 5, a crucial defensive boundary for the United States Armed Forces in the Far East before their withdrawal to the Bataan Peninsula between 1941 and 1942.
Moreover, Dela Cruz highlighted Bamban as the site of a complex tunnel system constructed by the Japanese, which played a strategic role in their defense and served as a command center during the Philippines’ liberation from 1944 to 1945.
These tunnels were specifically engineered to shield Clark Airfield, a vital installation for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Forces and Navy Air Services.
Various Japanese military units, including the renowned Kembu Group, made use of the Bamban tunnels, Dela Cruz noted.
He lamented the current state of neglect and deterioration of these historic tunnels, which are situated on private lands.
The designation of the Bamban World War II Network of Tunnels as a municipal historical site paves the way for structured preservation and restoration initiatives, Dela Cruz asserted.
He expressed his gratitude to Tarlac Governor Susan Yap and the Bamban town council for endorsing the resolution.
“The next step is for the provincial council to ratify this resolution and recommend it to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines for the issuance of a National Historical Marker,” he added.