Haunting Memory of Forgotten History: A Case Study of WWII “Comfort Stations” in the Philippines as a Tourism Resource Featured in Selected Filipino Films

Abstract

Summary The focus of this case study is the World War II “comfort stations” in the Philippines where the war victims during the Japanese occupation were held. For this case study, the scope is centralized on two main sites in the Philippines. Characters, settings, and the narratives of “comfort women” and “comfort gays” were analyzed from the two full-length Filipino films entitled “Bahay na Pula” and “Markova: Comfort Gay”. Within this context, the study assesses the potential of the featured “comfort stations” and other war-related sites in the films as a tourism resource that will educate tourists about war. The concepts of remembering and forgetting are essential when understanding critical areas of history. Analyzing what specific events, persons, or memories people choose to retain or erase, reveals different factors and motivations that push them to do so. This case study argues that it is necessary to remember important historical sites in the Philippines, particularly the markers that have been commonly taken for granted and are slowly deteriorating. It uncovers forgotten sites, restores the memory, and transforms the historical significance of the “comfort stations” featured in Filipino films by analyzing the story being told, the kind of place being depicted, and the relevance of preserving them. Information © The Author 2024