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El Deposito, the Spanish-era water reservoir in San Juan city, has finally reopened to the public Tuesday, Nov. 30.
El Deposito was built by the Spaniards from 1878 to 1882. It was designed by Genaro Palacios, an architect and engineer. The reservoir was used as a water supply for Manila residents, and a battleground for many wars. During the American and Japanese occupations, it was used as an armory, a hospital, a bunker and a firing range.
In 2019, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines had planned a reopening for 2020 after a series of extensive cleanups of the site. The plan, however, was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In June, the city tourism office of San Juan city geared for a reopening on Aug. 30, but this was canceled days before the target date due to quarantine restrictions.
Check out some photos of the El Deposito underground tunnel below: