MUSEO EL DEPOSITO UNDERGROUND TUNNEL
I always wondered what relics or artifacts are buried beneath Metro Manila. A lot of what our ancestors used might still be under a tall building in Makati or underneath EDSA waiting to be discovered. Some may have been discovered and put in a museum or some may have been neglected because some diggers may not have seen their importance or some left them buried to avoid interruptions for the construction of a building. But some are too big that they just needed a push from the local government to be unearthed like the El Deposito.
El Deposito holds a lot of history from the Japanese Occupation back to the Spanish times. It is the main water reservoir for Spanish-era Manila and nearby provinces. If the Romans have the aqueducts, the Filipinos have the El Deposito. It caters to 300,000 people and it supplies water to hydrants and fountains in Manila. During the Philippine Revolution, the Filipino revolutionaries attempted to seize it from the Spanish and achieved it in 1898. When World War 2 arrived, the El Deposito became a military headquarters, a hospital, and an armory. Through time, El Deposito has fallen into decay but fortunately, an archaeological team in 2016 conducted an assessment and excavation, and then 2 years later the National Historical Commission of the Philippines started a cleanup.
MUSEO EL DEPOSITO
Miky and I were on our way to our shooting location for our real estate project when we passed by San Juan City Hall. He remembered about the underground tunnel in the area and asked me if wanted to see it. I remember the first time I saw El Deposito on TikTok and told myself that I wanted to visit it someday. I agreed with him instantly distracting ourselves from our previous goal in San Juan.
We parked near Pinaglabanan Memorial Shrine and walked towards the 2-storey building of Museo El Deposito. The entrance fee is free and we just registered. The museum tells the history before the construction, during its completion and operation, and what happened to it until modern times. It showcases items found inside El Deposito such as ammunition shells and helmets during the excavation. There are also photos of the life of Filipinos before the construction of the waterworks when they fully relied on aguadors for clean water. Replicas of the structures connected to the waterworks can also be seen like the Carriedo fountain and hydrants.
DISCOVERING EL DEPOSITO
After exploring the museum we were now ready to explore the underground reservoir. Just to the right of the museum is where the entrance to the aqueducts is located. The guard provided us with hard hats and led us to the stairs going down. Seeing the structure lit by lamps felt like a dramatic encounter with a piece of history. We were astonished by its massive form. Getting deeper into the tunnel can be somehow scary but made me more curious about it and what happened there in the past.
Visiting the museum grew my knowledge not only about the Philippine Revolution but also about how Filipinos live their lives in a time where clean water is not easily acquired. Seeing El Deposito made me hope that more structures from the past like this should be discovered and shown to the Filipino people. This will not only boost tourism but it will also fill the missing pieces of our national identity.
LOOKING FOR MORE MUSEUMS IN THE PHILIPPINES? VISIT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES AND MUSEO NG REPUBLIKA NG 1899!
METRO GUIDE & TIPS
LOCATIONS:
- Pinaglabanan Street, Barangay Corazón de Jesús (Poblacion), City of San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines
RATES:
- Entrance Fee: FREE
POWER PACK:
CHECK OUT THESE DISCOUNTED/PROMO RATES IN KLOOK:
- Manila Ocean Park Attractions Pass
- The Mind Museum BGC All-Day Pass
- Intramuros Bambike Tour
- Art in Island: 3D Interactive Art Gallery Ticket
- Lakbay Museo Ticket in Manila
CONNECT:
- Facebook Page: NHCP Museo El Deposito
- Contact Number (Mobile): +63 998 247 0042
NOTES:
- Operating Hours: 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. (Tuesdays to Sundays)
- Hard hats are provided at the entrance for the visitors’ safety.
- After visiting Museo El Deposito, you can also visit the Museo ng Katipunan just beside it.
©CHASEJASE
