Submerged Battlefield: Examining the Status and Challenges of World War II
Shipwreck Management in the Philippines
Dublin Core
Title
Submerged Battlefield: Examining the Status and Challenges of World War II
Shipwreck Management in the Philippines
Shipwreck Management in the Philippines
Description
Many sites in the Philippines had been battlegrounds during World War II (WWII) that resulted in substantial
sinking of American and Japanese naval vessels. Advanced technology has significantly helped in locating these
shipwrecks and documenting their current condition. However, many of these underwater cultural resources
have not yet been subject to proper scientific examination. Navigea, Ltd., in collaboration with the Maritime and
Underwater Cultural Heritage (MUCH) Division of the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) has located
and photo-documented WWII shipwrecks in Subic Bay, Surigao Strait, and Ormoc Bay which only comprise a
small percentage of the total number of shipwrecks. These sunken vessels are considered war graves which are
regarded with certain sanctity particularly for the nations they fought for. They possess intrinsic, scientific,
educational, monetary, and cultural values, thus should be extensively investigated to effectively plan for their
protection against threats such as natural processes and human intervention. Archaeological studies of sunken
warships can also provide insight on the events during the naval battle and clarify information from written
sources. This paper presents a status update and results of research activities in the WWII shipwrecks in the
Philippines. It also outlines the challenges in managing these sites and proposes potential plans and measures for
their long-term management and preservation.
sinking of American and Japanese naval vessels. Advanced technology has significantly helped in locating these
shipwrecks and documenting their current condition. However, many of these underwater cultural resources
have not yet been subject to proper scientific examination. Navigea, Ltd., in collaboration with the Maritime and
Underwater Cultural Heritage (MUCH) Division of the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) has located
and photo-documented WWII shipwrecks in Subic Bay, Surigao Strait, and Ormoc Bay which only comprise a
small percentage of the total number of shipwrecks. These sunken vessels are considered war graves which are
regarded with certain sanctity particularly for the nations they fought for. They possess intrinsic, scientific,
educational, monetary, and cultural values, thus should be extensively investigated to effectively plan for their
protection against threats such as natural processes and human intervention. Archaeological studies of sunken
warships can also provide insight on the events during the naval battle and clarify information from written
sources. This paper presents a status update and results of research activities in the WWII shipwrecks in the
Philippines. It also outlines the challenges in managing these sites and proposes potential plans and measures for
their long-term management and preservation.
Creator
Rachelle Anne Geline P. Ureta
Bobby C. Orillaneda
Publisher
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Date
2023
Language
English
Bibliographic Citation
Ureta, RachellenAnne Geline P., and Bobby C. Orillaneda. 2023. “Submerged Battlefield: Examining the Status and Challenges of World War II Shipwreck Management in the Philippines.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, T. Kurt Knoerl and Alexis Catsambis. In Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/1901
Files
Citation
Rachelle Anne Geline P. Ureta and Bobby C. Orillaneda , “Submerged Battlefield: Examining the Status and Challenges of World War II
Shipwreck Management in the Philippines,” Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, accessed February 10, 2026, https://apconf.omeka.net/items/show/1901.
Shipwreck Management in the Philippines,” Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, accessed February 10, 2026, https://apconf.omeka.net/items/show/1901.