Death March,
that infamous 100-kilometer walk that our forefathers suffered during the
Second World War (soldiers or not). That was Bataan on my mind. But as I
explored what this province has to offer, I saw some things beyond grief and
suffering, there’s enthusiasm and delight in those happy faces I met. This
is Bataan in the 21st century.
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| Bataan Peninsula |
It was early
morning on a Saturday and while some folks were still hibernating from a
weeklong toil, my blogger friends and I embarked on a three-day discovery of
that place I’ve been taking for granted for so long. Well, my mom and dad both
hailed from Zambales (a neighboring province of Bataan) but we never get
to tour around except for quick stopovers on a public market in the town of
Orani to take home some smoked fish. And that’s it. It’s too bad that the ones
closest to you are often overlooked.
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| Morong, Bataan |
It was such a
pleasure to have been invited by the Bataan Tourism for a weekend of adventure. Our first stop was the Bataan
Tourism Office in Balanga. This one-stop shop caters to everyone and you
could chill on the comfy and unique lounge chairs inside or at the garden area.
A mini museum that features some of the famed spots around the province and a souvenir
shop can also be seen at the tourism center (the spicy tamarind
and uraro cookies are my favorites). Anyone
would feel envious on this dedicated space for tourism in Bataan, probably the
best one I’ve visited in the country so far.
Brizo Hotel and Beach Resort
Poblacion, Morong,
Bataan
Contact Numbers:
(+63) 2.9981563 | (+63) 2.998.1531
Brizo Hotel
and Beach Resort was our home in Bataan. Located in the town of Morong, this
relatively new resort is a beachfront property thus, beach frolicking will not
be a task.
After
settling in, me and my buddy checked out the moonlit shoreline. The sound of the
waves crashing through the grayish sand was comforting. It was deserted at
around midnight. We wanted to have our beer night at the shore but were too
tired to set things up so we just hung out at the cabanas on the garden area near
the pool, swimming will be our target the next day.
The night’s
sleep was lovely and waking up to the morning sea breeze was calming. We headed
straight to The Wheelhouse, the in-house restaurant of the resort, for the
complimentary plated breakfast. I had the very Pinoy tocilog (tocino, fried
rice and egg) while my buddy opted for daingsilog
(daing na bangus, fried rice and egg)
with some coffee.
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| Good Morning, Bataan! |
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| My favorite silog :) |
After a day’s
tour, we headed back to the resort after lunch and while the others took their
much needed respite, me and my buddy spent that free time to lounge at the
beach and pool area. The dip was refreshing amidst the sweltering heat. That
night, we had another round of beer sesh and this time, everyone was up for
challenges of night swimming and all-nighter chitchats on travels and whatever.
It was so fun!
Bataan World War II Museum
Balanga Elementary School
J.P. Rizal Street, Balanga Elementary School, Balanga City
Contact Numbers: (+63) 922.563.9197 | (+63) 920.542.5256
J.P. Rizal Street, Balanga Elementary School, Balanga City
Contact Numbers: (+63) 922.563.9197 | (+63) 920.542.5256
Entrance Fee:
Adults P50 | Students P20 | Senior Citizens P40
Open Hours:
Mondays to Saturdays (except holidays) | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
It may be disturbing
to know that during the Second World War, almost 76,000 Filipino and American
Prisoners of War (POW) were forced by the Japanese militaries on a
100-kilometer walk without food or water under extreme heat from Mariveles,
Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga in April 9,1942. They also experienced
abuses of all sorts that killed over 10,000 men. It was depicted on a huge
diorama inside the Bataan World War II Museum. The ways on how the locals were
trying to help the POW were also captured. It was depressing and also an
eye-opener.
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| Torture chamber during the 30's |
War remnants,
video clips and other stuff were also displayed. An old torture chamber from 1939 was still in one
piece near the museum's premises. I could imagine the terrorizing exploit that took place here.
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| Death March diorama |
Zero Kilometer Mark |
Philippine-Japanese Friendship Tower
Bagac, Bataan
We visited
two important historical landmarks in Bataan; the Zero kilometer marker (where
the POW started the Death March) and 700 feet away was the Philippine-Japanese
Friendship Tower (which symbolizes the renewed friendship of Filipinos and the
Japanese after World War II).
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| Philippine-Japanese Friendship Tower |
Mount Samat Cross | Dambana ng
Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor)
Mount Samat
Road, Pilar, Bataan
Entrance Fee:
Adults P20 | Students
Elevator Fee:
P10
Parking Fee:
P20 small vehicles | P30 large vehicles
Open Hours:
8:00 am to 5:00 pm | Everyday
One of the
famed spots in Bataan was a huge cross on top of the hill which is said to be
as tall as the Statue of Liberty in the U.S. We were there during the Mt. Samat Pilgrimage 2015 which was primarily attended by the youth. The young bloods endured the 7-kilometer
zigzaggy uphill hike to reach the area. The enormous cross greeted us as we
partook in the celebration which ended on a fireworks display.
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| Mt. Samat Cross | Dambana ng Kagitingan |
Once is not
enough. Before heading back home to Manila, we specifically asked if we could visit the cross
again to climb up to the viewing deck.
It was a hot
sunny day and we queued for the lift. We happily squeezed ourselves inside the
tiny lift that instantly brought us to the top. And the view was amazing! We
had the perfect 360-degree view of the mountainous side of Bataan, West Philippine Sea and Manila Bay.
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| The viewing deck inside the cross |
Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Church
Morong,
Bataan
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| Our Lady of the Pillar Church |
St. Dominic de Guzman Church
Abucay,
Bataan
Being one of the oldest churches in Bataan, this 17th century church is very well-preserved. The baroque style can be manifested on its façade.
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| St. Dominic de Guzman Church |
Plaza Mayor de Ciudad de Balanga
As we
approached Balanga city center, I was impressed on the beautiful unfinished look of the structures. It
blended pretty well and felt like we’re in the middle of Plaza Mayor in
Salamanca, Spain. Well, I’ve never been there but it felt like I did. Balanga
City Hall, a hotel, cathedral, restaurants and shops circled the plaza which
was filled with seating area and playground for the kids.
At night, it
glowed as a fountain show lighted up the heart of Balanga. Locals and tourists
alike gathered at the area to witness this nightly grand show.
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| Balanga Cathedral |
Pawikan Festival 2015
At the last
weekend of November, Bataan annually holds one of its celebrated festivals in
the province. The Pawikan Festival is a weeklong celebration to spread
awareness on the preservation of the endangered sea turtles. The local
government’s efforts to raise understanding on the importance of the purpose
are gladly supported by the locals.
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| Pawikan Festival 2015 |
In the middle
of intense heat by the shore, a stage was set up at the Pawikan Conservation
Center in Barangay Nagbalayong where the major competitions were held. We were
lucky enough to have a close encounter with an interpretative dance competition
that featured high school students from the towns in Bataan. Other competitions
were also held on different locations around the area such as; Beach
Volleyball, Sand Art Competition and more.
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| Dance Competition |
The
ceremonial release of the baby sea turtles was the highlight of the festival.
It was witnessed by some of the guests and as they were released, everyone’s in
high hopes that they would survive the dangers they would encounter during the
course of their marine life. I was just upset to see others who were touching
these cutesy turtles, they were, of course, warned in doing so.
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| Releasing of the pawikans |
Las Casas Acuzar de Filipinas (book online)
This is one
of the highlights of our trip and I will dedicate a separate entry on this one.
***
It was
refreshing to see this side of Bataan, way different from what I’m taking for
granted for the longest time. It was so near yet I’ve never even had an urge to visit it
before. Now that I’ve had a quick peek of what the province has to offer, I’m
sure I’ll be coming back for more. Maybe a night or two at Las Casas Acuzar de
Filipinas, a night in Balanga City Center and visit the Nuclear
Power Plant in Morong. And oh, by the way, did you know that Bataan is a peninsula? Hmm...
What is the operating hours of the pasalubong center?
ReplyDeleteI think during office hours :)
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