WORLD War 2 anti-tank barriers, known as “dragon’s teeth,” located in Sitio Mainit, Barangay Pangan in the City of Naga, southern Cebu, are reportedly at risk of destruction due to an ongoing Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood control project, a heritage consultant warned on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025.
Cebu Province consultant on heritage and culture Jose Eleazar Reynes Bersales disclosed in a Facebook post that the civil works encroach on the heritage structures, which are protected under Republic Act 11961, or the National Cultural Heritage Act.
“I have just received reports that the World War II anti-tank barriers called ‘dragon’s teeth’ in Sitio Mainit, Brgy. Pangan, City of Naga are in danger of destruction due to an on-going flood control project funded by the DPWH,” Bersales stated.
The law mandates government agencies to consult with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) before implementing projects that may affect cultural properties.
Bersales emphasized that failure to conduct the required consultation constitutes a violation of Section 36 of the law’s implementing rules and regulations.
“Ignorance of the law”
In a message interview with SunStar Cebu on Saturday, Nov. 22, Bersales said he received a message from a DPWH engineer who assured him the agency would comply, claiming they were unaware of the structures’ significance.
“They didn’t consult. They said they thought they weren’t familiar with the structures. I told them, with something that big and that many, how could you not notice?” Bersales said.
“Ignorance of the law excuses no one,” he added.
Bersales, who is currently in Japan for a six-month engagement, said both the NCCA and NHCP intend to issue letters to the DPWH and the contractor ordering a halt to activities pending compliance. He noted that he has been informed that work in the specific area has stopped, though he has yet to verify if any barriers were damaged.
Historical significance
According to Bersales’ 2012 documentary Kabilin: The Fall of Cebu (available on YouTube), the “dragon’s teeth” were constructed by Cebuanos under the supervision of the United States Army Forces in the Far East (Usaffe) before the Japanese invasion in April 1942.
These concrete pyramids were strategically placed in flatlands, riverbeds and crossing points expected to be used by Japanese tanks.
At the time, Cebu had only two main east-to-west routes — via Naga and via Talisay-Toledo. Usaffe fortified both routes to delay the enemy advance and buy time for civilian evacuation. The barriers in Barangay Sangi, Toledo City, were eventually breached on April 10, 1942, a day after the Fall of Bataan.
Talisay and Toledo structures
The threat to these historical landmarks is not unique to Naga. Bersales noted that similar heritage barriers in other cities have been impacted by infrastructure works.
In Toledo City, the barriers and pillboxes remain largely intact. Many extend from the area behind the City Hall down to other barangays. Talks are ongoing to purchase the land to preserve them.
In Talisay City, however, the damage has been significant.
Marben Bascon, a history researcher and instructor at Talisay City College, confirmed to SunStar Cebu that many of Talisay’s anti-tank barriers were destroyed during past road widening and river works.
“This was still intact right after the war, but when the widening of the Lagtang–Naga road began, some of the defense structures were destroyed. The same thing happened when the river was widened — the defense structures in the riverbed were removed and demolished,” Bascon said.
Bascon provided the following details regarding the Talisay structures:
• Originally, there were about 80 pieces built as defenses against the 1942 Japanese landing.
• Only around 30 remain today, based on a 2021 cultural mapping project.
• The destruction began as early as the 1950s during road widening, followed by further damage in 2012–2013 during works on the Lagtang–Naga road and Mananga River.
Bascon emphasized that the Talisay City Government recognizes the site as built heritage, protected under a 2014 city ordinance and included in the NCCA-PReCUP (Philippine Registry of Cultural Mapping). While the local government unit has preservation guidelines, he noted that some damage became unavoidable during river widening as the defenses were located directly in the riverbed.
A pattern of intervention
The protection of heritage sites against infrastructure projects has long been a priority for the Cebu Provincial Government.
A key precedent occurred in February 2024, when then-Governor Gwendolyn Garcia ordered the immediate dismantling of construction works for a Cebu Bus Rapid Transit station located on Capitol-owned property along Osmeña Blvd.
Garcia issued the directive citing the absence of required permits and potential violations of the Philippine Heritage Law, noting that the structure would obstruct the view of the historic Capitol building.
This intervention was directly prompted by advice from Bersales, who was then the Capitol consultant on museums and heritage and a member of the NCCA Advisory Board. He flagged that the project proponents had failed to secure the necessary authorization from the NHCP before building in a heritage zone. / CDF