07/10/2025
WELCOME TO PLAZA CUARTEL!🧑🏭✨🇵🇭
Isa sa mga natural heritage site and tourist attraction in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan and now let’s revisit the history of Plaza Cuartel — a place that witnessed one of Palawan’s darkest days.
🏛️ Origins & Early Use
• Plaza Cuartel was originally built during the Spanish colonial period as a cuartel (military barracks / garrison). 
• It was located near the Immaculate Conception Cathedral and formed part of the town plaza area. 
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⚔️ Role in World War II & the Palawan Massacre
• During World War II, the Japanese used Plaza Cuartel as a prison camp for American and Filipino prisoners of war. 
• On December 14, 1944, the site became the location of the Palawan Massacre: approximately 150 American POWs were burned alive by Japanese forces inside tunnels or air-raid shelters beneath Plaza Cuartel. Only 11 survived. 
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🔍 Recent Discoveries & Current Status
• In 2024, during restoration works (landscaping) at Plaza Cuartel, a centuries-old tunnel and original brickwork were rediscovered. Human bones and vintage weapons/ammunition were also found. 
• The tunnel had long been the subject of local folklore; its confirmation adds significant historical weight to the site. 
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📍 Memorial & Tourism
• Today, Plaza Cuartel is a National Historical Site and has been converted into a memorial park / open-air museum. It features plaques and markers commemorating the massacre, including a bronze marker listing the names of surviving POWs. 
• It is part of city tours in Puerto Princesa, often visited along with nearby sites like the cathedral and Rizal Park. 
Here are the sources:
1. Philippine Cultural Education Online (CulturEd)
2. Palawan News
3. Lonely Planet
4. Philstar.com
5. VigattinTourism
6. Wikipedia – Palawan Massacre
7. Stars and Stripes
Yun lang byee