Students view the Balangiga bells at the Philippine Air Force Museum yesterday. The United States government returned the bells last Tuesday, 117 years after the US took them as war trophies in 1901.

Those who want to see the Balangiga bells should observe the dress code at the Philippine Air Force Museum where the bells are on display before transport to Samar.

The defense department yesterday advised visitors not to wear sando (undershirt) and slippers.

It also urged the public to refrain from touching the bells, using flash photogra- phy, capturing videos or bringing food and snacks inside the museum in Pasay City, where the bells have become the main attraction.

Maj. Aristides Galang, Air Force spokesman, said people have been lining up to see the historic bells that were returned by the US government to the Philippines during handover rites between the US Department of Defense and the Department of National Defense the other day at Villamor Air Base.

“It’s continuing (public viewing) and there are a lot of people still coming over,” Galang said, in reference to the throngs trooping to the air base just to see for themselves the three bells taken by US forces as war booty in 1901 from a Catholic church in Balangiga, Eastern Samar.

“Foreigners are required to present identification cards or their passports,” the defense department said in a press advisory.

The public viewing that started at 8 a.m. up to 10 p.m. yesterday would continue today, the last day of exhibition.

A PAF plane would be transporting the three bells to Balangiga on Friday, with residents expected to hold a big welcome ceremony and celebration on Saturday.

President Duterte will fly to Eastern Samar on Saturday to personally see the reinstallation of the three bells to its proper place at the San Lorenzo de Martir Church, from where US soldiers extricated them more than a century ago.