In World war 2, Bunkers were one of the best ways to fortify positions in Cebu, Another being tunneling into mountains and hills. Even today you can see bunkers scattered at the right places in Cebu This is a particularly amazing find as this area was almost completely destroyed when the government of the Component City of Toledo 50 Kilometers west of Cebu City. Occupied half of the hill these 6 bunkers were on Luckily the government decided not to completely obliterate these pieces of history they instead decided to pluck them out of the ground and place them in the most awkward position possible. This is Toledo: World War 2 in Cebu.
These Pillboxes were first used during the Japanese Landings at Pinamungahan in April 1942.It was 8am in the Morning and the first alarms were sounded around the garrisons in Cebu. The first Japanese troops landed in Groups of 3,000, one group landed in Pinamungahan, One in Talisay, One in Argao and one in Sibonga. The Ilihan hill where the Pillboxes are located were the place of heavy fighting as Japanese forces attempted to cross the Magdugo plain below. Browning machine guns were used to mow down wave after wave of Japanese soldiers but eventually the USSAFFE garrisons manning the Pillboxes were forced to retreat. At 11amm in the morning Ilihan hill was taken after USSAFFE forces took minimal casualties while Japanese casualties almost numbered 400. They are now high above the ground and are weirdly positioned. But the rest except for one are neglected, some have Graffiti and smell like Urine and one on a cliff with possibly an amazing view has its entrance blocked. Interestingly these bunkers were designed like the local Bahay Kubo, up close the difference is obvious but from afar they look like native huts. In essence the design acted as camouflage.
The area itself was forested but was easy to find as it was clear enough to see the bunkers. The only time these bunkers were mentioned was when the “Hinulawan River Festival” Happens where streamers featuring them are seen. These were probably small machine gun positions as there are mounts to then inside the Bunkers though i question why the bunkers are so small see here these bunkers were a last line of defense for Toledo located on a hill about 30 meters above the ground. The government which is literally right beside these bunkers have almost never promoted them even with their accessability,they neglect them and let them be vandalized and let people turn them into glorified trash holes. These reminders were visited by the 182nd Company in 2015 which landed at Talisay Point and i got the location of these bunkers from a great TV documentary called “Kabilin” so remember they maybe largely forgotten but if you manage to visit Toledo dont forget to see these.This is one of the 2 sites i visited in Toledo concerning the World War the other is in Barangay Carmen beside the Hinulawan River but that is for another post also i have a Video at this location at my Youtube AngHeritageCebu.
