MANILA, Philippines—While many dream of retiring into a private island in the Philippines with long stretches of deserted fine, white sand beaches or enjoying a luxury resort lifestyle still close to where the action is, an American couple has chosen to do the unusual.

Steve Kwiecinski, 57, a retired computer programmer and his wife, Marcia, 56, a retired physical therapist assistant, left Michigan in 2008 to start a new life on Corregidor, the island fortress that has become a national shrine as a symbol of the determined resistance of its Filipino and American defenders against the invading Japanese in World War II.

The island, also known as the “The Rock” because of its rocky landscape and heavy fortifications, holds a special place in the hearts of the Kwiecinskis.

“We moved to Corregidor to pay tribute to my father, who loved Corregidor, and to all the American and Filipino veterans who fought here,” explains Steve.

Last of big guns

Steve’s father, Staff Sgt. Walter Kwiecinski, was the sergeant assigned to the last of Corregidor’s big guns still in operation and the only one left to challenge the Japanese the night the defenders retreated into the island’s tunnel system in May 1942. He was captured and suffered the most brutal treatment for more than three years in Japanese prison camps.

Walter returned to Corregidor in 1980 to see his beloved tropical island paradise restored and transformed into a poignant memorial of heroism. He died in 1988. A plaque to honor him and one of the most heroic battles in the history of the war was installed in 2007 at Battery Way, the best preserved of Corregidor’s five gun emplacements.

Adventure begins

Steve first visited Corregidor with his youngest sister Paula in 2002 when they joined a trip led by Valor Tours, America’s oldest military tour operator.

“I was awestruck and emotionally overpowered,” he says.

“Dad was a hero on Corregidor and Jap POW [prisoner of war] for 39 months. However, he only wanted to talk about the paradise that was Corregidor Island before the war. It was a dream come true for me to stand where he stood. I was so overcome by emotion that my sister had to support me so that I did not collapse on the dock when we landed at Corregidor. I was crying so hard that I almost couldn’t see.”

Marcia saw the island a year after and thought it was beautiful even if it was more rugged than she had expected.

In 2007, Steve became the tour leader of Valor Tours’ annual “Ghost Soldiers” tour, a nine-day journey that takes in Manila, Corregidor, Bataan and the Japanese prison camps around Luzon. At a dinner for the tour group, Steve asked Lt. Col. Art Matibag, president of the Filipino-American Memorial Endowment and executive director of the Corregidor Foundation Inc. if it was possible for him and Marcia to live on Corregidor. He believed this would enable them to help preserve, protect and promote the island they had grown to love.

Matibag was elated at having residents on the island who could interact with English-speaking visitors, particularly those interested in local WWII history. The Kwiecinskis joined the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa, a retirement program run by the Philippine Retirement Authority for qualified foreigners who want to spend their retirement years in the country. They sold their house and almost everything they owned, and arrived on Corregidor Island with only four suitcases. The entire process took a year and a half.

Modern-day Robinson Crusoes

There is no private housing on the island. Steve and Marcia live in the home of the former aviary caretaker in Middleside, just below the barracks where Steve’s father stayed 68 years ago. The Kwiecinskis paid for the major renovations that the house needed. Because there is no electricity in this part of the island, they also had to install a solar system capable of powering lights, fans and a refrigerator. A generator supplements the power when there is no sunlight. The island has a cell site and they are able to connect to the Internet but the service is slow and not very reliable.

“Our water comes from one of the old US Army wells and is potable. The house has one bedroom, a combination laundry-bathroom, kitchen and dining area, and a sala. We had a dirty kitchen built in back so we can eat and relax outdoors,” says Steve.

The Kwiecinskis don’t pay rent for their modest accommodations but have a three-year contract to provide the Corregidor Foundation Inc. with services that include that of being tour guide, lecturer, researcher, consultant and resident historian.

They have an old stainless steel jeep to get around the island, and pay a boatman who comes every day to buy fruits, vegetables and meat for them from the market in Cabcaben, Bataan. They go to Manila about once a month to shop for the things they can’t get in Bataan.

Historical treasure

Steve and Marcia have four children and five grandchildren living in the US, none of whom have been to the Philippines yet.

“They were surprised when we told them about our plans to move to Corregidor but they were pleased we were honoring their grandfather,” says Marcia.

“We miss our families but we’ll see them when we fly back for a visit in July. We hope they can all come over someday.”

According to Steve, other Americans have lived on the island in the past, one of them a retired US Marine who stayed for more than 10 years.

“Almost all the locals are very nice to us, although some are very shy. They look out for our safety and needs. Some of them are our best friends now. The island community is quite small, so it’s like family in many ways,” says Marcia.

“We love meeting new people, especially Americans and Filipinos whose fathers fought in the war. We love Filipino food such as chicken tinola, beef tapa and pork adobo. We’ve been introduced to squid and a whole lot of fish that we never heard of before,” she says.

Steve and Marcia admit that dealing with the cultural differences can be frustrating but they are learning. “Trying to learn a new language at our age is very difficult,” Marcia points out.

No TV, hot water

“We can usually communicate in English, and many of our friends have improved their English by spending time with us. We are beginning to understand simple Tagalog,” she says.

They live a low-key lifestyle without television, radio, hot water and seldom see a newspaper. When Steve isn’t leading a tour, they swim at the beach on the island’s south side, and do a lot of hiking, exploring and reading.

“We’ve come from full-time employment to full-time retirement, from life in the often cold USA to life on a quiet little tropical, often hot island,” says Steve.

Beautiful sunrises

“We’ve left all the conveniences to take on a much simpler lifestyle and we love it. It is such an honor to be able to spend time here. We wake up to the sound of birds. Sunrises are beautiful. We observe them from Topside, looking out over the ‘tail’ of the island. The sun is almost always obscured by low-lying clouds (or smog from Manila) so it doesn’t appear right at sea level. Sunsets are also beautiful if the sun sets over or near Mariveles, Bataan. Occasionally, you can watch the sun sink into the ocean,” he says.

Steve and Marcia hope to make everyone aware of Corregidor, saying it’s not just Americans who could benefit from visiting the island. They are shocked at how few Filipinos they meet know of Corregidor.

So close to Manila

“So many Manila residents do not realize that they are so close to the best preserved battlefield of World War II. With Sun Cruises providing day tours as well as having overnight accommodations available, it makes a very nice getaway,” says Steve.

The island should be of interest not just for its history but for its nature attractions as well, he says.

“People can come to see the birds, lizards, and monkeys, and walk its trails to see unbelievable vistas. We want to ensure, however, that the island never turns into a tourist location that forgets its history,” says Steve.

Steve and Marcia have written about the island and their adventures over the past seven months in a newsletter they send out at least once a week. To receive their e-mail newsletter, contact them at steveontherock@gmail.com and marciaontherock@gmail.com.