Hidden World War II hospital in Benguet village opens to visitors

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BAGUIO CITY – Hidden inside a cave near the Ambuklao Dam in Bokod, Benguet, lies a little-known piece of World War II history: a Japanese hospital that serve...

HIDDEN TREASURE. Tael Cave near the Ambuklao Dam in Bokod, Benguet, is believed to have served as a Japanese hospital during World War II. The site will be among the attractions featured in the second “Pasyal Shi Ambuklao” on Nov. 30, 2026, giving visitors a glimpse of a little-known part of the town's history. (PNA file photo by Liza T. Agoot)

BAGUIO CITY – Hidden inside a cave near the Ambuklao Dam in Bokod, Benguet, lies a little-known piece of World War II history: a Japanese hospital that served local residents during the Japanese occupation.

Known as Tael Cave, the site is now being considered as one of the highlights of a community-led tourism activity that will give visitors a glimpse of the area's wartime past.

Rey Tello, barangay captain of Ambuklao, said residents have known about the cave since childhood.

“We have known of its existence even as children. The cave used to be passable from one end to the other, but an earthquake triggered a landslide that blocked its rear portion,” he said in Ilocano.

Inside are two to three small cubicles that were reportedly used as hospital rooms, based on stories passed down by Tello's grandfather.

His grandfather served as a captain under the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines-Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL). He was among the war veterans posthumously honored by the municipal government during the commemoration of Bokod's liberation from Japanese forces.

Tello said organizers decided to include the cave in the activities of the second edition of “Pasyal Shi Ambuklao” (Visit Ambuklao), giving visitors an opportunity to explore a historical site known mainly to local residents.

Although the cave is on private property, organizers secured the owner's permission to include it in the tour.

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