World War 2 Cebu involves the city of Naga, Cebu. In the large industrial city of Naga 20 kilometers south from cebu city sits a group of pillboxes intact and one even with bones in them. Naga in the past was a japanese garrison meaning that it was well defended but during the liberation these pillboxes were used against their American creators in 1945. There was once a garrison of Japanese soldiers in what is today the Apo Cement factory which was repeatedly attacked by guerrillas, these pillboxes were guarding the road from Naga-Uling. This is a chapter of World War 2 in Cebu.
The pillboxes are soo well hidden that there is no internet prescense talking about these relics. Located in Brgy Naalad on a hill 100 Meters tall and to get there our team had to climb on the rocks going up and asked a old woman for passage.and going through a farm we found 2 but a local said their are 5. These Pillboxes in a strategic position is guarding the then and still Naga-Uling road. An old gentleman told us during the recent collapse of the Apo cement quarry near by causing a 4.0 Earthquake he climbed from his farm and hid in one of the pillboxes. The pillboxes were made of reinforced concrete but unlike the Bunker in Talisay these were small but numerous. The old gentlemen told me that there is another group of pillboxes on the mountain across this one, but he said that some have collapsed and fell into the river below: a result when World War 2 in Cebu is not valued.
The second one in the picture above is a pillbox compound with an alleged ammunition base unfortunately with the non existence of a path we weren’t able to get up. Some World War 2 era documents say that these Pillboxes and some dragons teeth road blocks were built in the few months before the Japanese invasion under USAFFE engineers. The dragons teeth road blocks are long gone but the 5 or so pillboxes are still well preserved because they are high up a hill that conceals their presence from vandals,treasure hunters and other people who do not care about the site.
The incline we had to endure These pillboxes should be preserved as they are in perfect condition with no vandalism existing.NAGA GOVERMMENT TAKE NOTE… Location Brgy Naalad Naga city along Naga uling road ask for directions to Naalad crossing…
