Mt. Samat, National Shrine, Bataan

We are on our last day of our Bataan trip and we decided to go to Mt. Samat. I cannot remember how far it was from Morong, except that it was kinda long winding trip.

On our way to Mt. Samat, we pay attention to the roads and views. There are only few establishments and a number of make-shift stores that sell cashews, which is one of the products of Bataan.

We used the ever reliable waze to help us navigate our way to Mt. Samat. Along the way to Mt. Samat, it gets steeper and turning on curves, there were few cyclists and motorists also.

There are markers of the 128 km long Bataan Death March that happened after the Fall of Bataan.

The Fall of Bataan as known in Philippine History happened on April 9, 1942, when Filipino and American soldiers hiding in Mt. Samat surrendered into the hands of the enemies. The surviving soldiers were forced to march from Bagac, Bataan to Capas, Tarlac which was called as the Bataan Death March

Just a brief background about Mt. Samat, from Wikipedia
Mt. Samat National Shrine or also known as Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valour) is a historical site that is located near the summit of Mount Samat in the town of Pilar, Bataan. The shrine was built in commemoration of the Filipino soldiers who fought during the World War II. 

Entrance to the Mt. Samat, National Shrine

There are available parking spaces and shaded areas where you can stay and wait awhile.

Inside the National Shrine, you can see the Colonnade and the huge Memorial Cross.  Right below the Colonnade is the museum where you can see the photos and actual World War II relics such as uniforms, maps, big guns, grenades and other stuffs that were used during the war. Taking of photos is strictly prohibited. We were not able to stay and view a little longer for the museum is about to close for lunch break.

We rested awhile and went to the base of the Memorial Cross by car. It will be a short hike for those who usually hike, but for us who are not, it is considered as a long and tiring hike, so we went by car.
When you reached the base of the memorial cross, you can see a great view of Bataan.

 
The Memorial Cross was built in memory to the heroic struggle of the Filipino soldiers who fought and died in the fortress of their freedom. The memorial Cross measures 555 meters above sea level, it has an elevator that can bring you to the viewing gallery which is the arm of the cross, which unfortunately we were not able to see due to we were caught up on a lunch break and we need to wait an hour. There are long queues and the heat of the sun intensifies, so we decided not to go up anymore.

At the foot of the Memorial Cross are sculptures that shows the history of the Philippines during the World War II

 

Going to Mt. Samat is like it have brought you in the past. It is good to learn our history,  commemorating and valuing what's been in the past for us to value more what we have right now.

BATAAN TECHNOLOGY PARK INC.
The Bataan Technology Park is also situated at Morong, Bataan where the former United Nations Philippine Refugee Processing Center is situated.

The Philippine Refugee Processing Center (PRPC) was established and funded by the United Nations as home to many refugees from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and ethnic minorities (Chinese). The PRPC is like a small city, complete with hospital, school, restaurant, place of worship, and market. Its main purpose is to hold the refugees, teach them English language until such time that they are ready and accepted for resettlement in countries such as Canada, Norway, United States of America and France.
Now, the former PRPC has turned to an eco park, the Bataan Technology Park, Inc or the home of Atmanda Eco park. The BTPI museum, library and archive can be found inside the eco park that features the PRPC.
Here, you can see the original boat that was used by the Refugees who came here in the Philippines. Approximately 60 persons were aboard on the said boat.

In this museum, you can also see some of the refugees’ different paraphernalia that they already left.



You can also see here the replica of their bunk house where they usually live. It can accommodate 5-6 persons.

A replica of the prisoner’s jail is also presented here. They called it monkey house.

In the museum, you can also find the photos that show how the Vietnamese boat was rescued from the Bataan shores.


Inside the premise of the BTPI, you can also find the refugee’s place of worship, their Buddhist Temple. It has a nice view, overlooking the mountains. This is the place where the refugees meditate.

The overlooking view that you will see while at the meditation area of the Buddhist Temple.

Inside the Buddhist Temple where the refugees pray.

This is the meditation area of the refugees. The place is quiet ad has a nice overlooking view.

Also, inside the BTPI, is the shrine commemorating Blessed Pope John Paul II, who came at the PRPC and celebrated mass. The “Lolek Garden”, which named after Pope John Paul II, (nickname of Pope John Paul).

The center walk way is believed to be holy because this is where Pope John Paul II walked going to the shrine.

An image of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built inside the PRPC. According to the staff of BTPI, the image was built by the Vietnamese Catholics to thank the Blessed Mother for their safe arrival in the Philippines.



Our visit to this place gave us information on the time that Vietnamese refugees went here in the Philippines by accident. The Filipinos (maybe most were from Bataan), have become way for them to learn English language and prepare them to what country of destination that they will go to. But now, Vietnam is getting ahead of our country, Philippines. Isn’t ironic? =)
For more information you may visit http://www.bcda.gov.ph/freeport_and_ecozones/show/13

This entry was posted in Travel and tagged #bataan, #travel, Atmanda Park, Bataan Technology Park, BTPIC, Morong Bataan, Morong Pope john Paul Shrine, Philippine Refugee Processing Center, Places to visit in Bataan, PRPC.

Pawikan Conservation Center

Posted on June 6, 2014 Updated on August 15, 2014

PAWIKAN CONSERVATION CENTER
Nagbalayong Morong. Bataan
The Pawikan Conservation Center was organized to protect and conserve the pawikans (marine turtle)which are now considered as endangered species. The shores at Nagbalayong, Morong in Bataan became the nesting ground of the pawikans in our country. Nesting usually happens on the months of November to December, wherein numerous pawikans swam onto the shore to lay their eggs.


The people at the center do their rounds at night time to check on the eggs and bring it at the Hatching section of the center. The eggs were buried into the sand for incubation. It will take 2 months until such time that the baby pawikans will dig up through the sand and reach the ground. The next day, the baby pawikans are released onto the shore, at least 5 meters away from the water. This is for the baby pawikans to remember where they came from. There is only 1% of those that were released will survive. It will take another 25 to 30 years for the female pawikans to lay their eggs, and it is amazing that they will go back to the place where they were hatch to lay their eggs.
When we visited the place, it is off season, there are only 2 hatching nest.

A net is placed around its nest to prevent the baby pawikans to go out once hatched. Each nest has approximately 200 eggs.

The Pawikan Conservation Center do not preserve pawikans, they only conserve it. It is still preferred to let the pawikans live on their natural habitat for them to be able to learn to survive. There is 1 big red pawikan, 1 medium sized pawikan and the smallest pawikan, The red pawikan was surrendered to them by a concerned citizen, it was spotted that it was being sold to anyone.

The biggest pawikan.

The smallest pawikan

The Pawikan Conservation Center also offers room accommodations for those who like to witness the pawikans swam onto the ocean at night and come along with the patrol group to get the eggs or witness the releasing of baby pawikans and experience it for themselves. The center has a nice beach area with properly maintained shoreline. An entrance fee of 20.00 is charged for adults, kids are free of charge.

the beautiful shoreline of the Pawikan Conservation Center

Though we did not see many pawikans as we imagined, we enjoyed our short visit. The caretaker that we have spoke to, unselfishly shared informative details about the pawikans. I hope that we can go back and be a part of the releasing of baby pawikans and see them crawl from the shore and swim into the ocean. :-)
 

This entry was posted in Travel and tagged #bataan, #bataanbeach, #bataanshore, #beautifulshore, #morong, #pawikan, #PawikanConservationCenter, #travel.

Loleng’s Hutieu-an – the famous Vietnamese Carinderia in Morong Bataan

Posted on June 5, 2014 Updated on February 13, 2015

After the exhausting and tiring sightseeing, we  dined at Loleng’s Hutieu-an (Vietnames Foods), the famous Vietnamese carinderia in Morong, Bataan.

I learned this famous Vietnamese Carinderia from one of the local tv shows. The owner used to work at the Philippine Refugee Processing Center (PRPC); from where the owner learned how to cook the Vietnamese noodle soup, which up to now, Loleng’s Hutieu-an carinderia is continuously satisfying its customers with Vietnamese noodles and banhmi.
Banhmi is a Vietnamese sandwich with ham, a little of tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber which costs 25.00 The banhmi tastes good and we liked it which ended up on ordering again.

Hutieu, is a Vietnamese savory noodle soup with rice noodles which costs 50.00 for the small size. It is like a chicken mami noodle soup.

We also ordered Bun-cha-gio, it is a spring roll with noodles paired with vinegar which also costs 50.00.

We also ordered their palabok which also costs P50.00, sorry wasn’t able to take a photo of it.
Going to the place is quiet difficult, especially us who are first timers but thanks to waze that we found the place. But Loneg’s carinderia is popular in the place, you can ask the locals and ride a tricycle and you will be brought there.

Phi-Phi Beach Resort, Morong, Bataan

 

It was last May 29, 2014 that we were finally set for our Family outing.  We were all first timers to our destination, Morong Bataan. 

Morong is the third class municipality of Bataan. It is 141 kilometers away from Metro Manila or roughly 3 hours travel time via EDSA, then SCTEX.

We left the house at 6:30 AM and reached the resort at Morong at half past nine o’clock.

On the way to Morong, at SCTEX, you can see beautiful landscapes of a true nature. Lush green fields, and mountains, you’ll feel very close to nature and until you reach the SBMA, when you reached SBMA you can see monkeys on the streets.  

 

Herewith are the costs of toll fees when going to Morong via SCTEX:
Balintawak exit – 45.00
Dau exit – 173.00
TIPO exit – 188.00
Subic exit – 22.00

Morong is roughly 30 minutes away from Subic.

We checked in at Phi Phi Beach Resort.  There are lots of beach resorts that I have considered and inquired. Others are quiet expensive and does not fit our budget.

So I ended up booking Phi Phi Beach Resort.

Contacting the resort and booking with them became easy because I got the owner’s contact number from the website (I think), and the owner, Mr. Nemi is the one I am sending my inquiries and my booking requests.

 

I initially booked for 3 Veranda Rooms for an over night which costs 2300 per night and it is good for double occupancy. However, my companions have agreed that we stay for 2 nights so I contacted Mr. Nemi and told him about our booking changes. I then booked for 1 Veranda room and 1 Terraza room, the Terraza room costs for 3500 per night.

It was only a week away when I made again another booking changes which is 2 veranda rooms. Mr. Nemi did not reply to me anymore, so I contacted the resort and I was informed that the booking changes that I wanted was already noted on my reservation. 

So, we got 2 veranda rooms for 2 nights. (sorry I was not able to take pictures of the room)

We arrived before 12:00 noon, and since there are few guests, we were allowed to check-in early. We ate our packed lunch and rest for awhile then we are off to go to have a mini-countryside tour.

We went to Pawikan Conservation Center, Bataan Technology Park Inc. (BTPI) or previously known as Philippine Refugee Processing Center (PRPC) and have our merienda/early dinner at the famous Loleng’s Hutieu-an  carinderia. (Please see separate blog on Philippine Refugee Processing Center)

 

The Phi-Phi Beach Resort has two areas. The one is on the beach front and the other is at the back of the resort across the street.

We stayed at one of the rooms at the back, the rooms across the street. The rooms beside the pool are good for a bigger group. At this side of the resort, there are two (2) pools, one for kids and one for adult, the adult pool is big, it is an Olympiad size pool based on the workers there. Sorry  I do not know how an Olympiad sized pool measures. =)

 

The pool area at the non-beach front of Phi-Phi Beach Resort.



 The adult pool is big enough, that it did not became crowded, or maybe because it was on a weekday. The water in the pool is not clear and the water seemed to be oily in the hair and even on the skin, thus we became wary that there is something in it. Anyway, we just ignored it after and just enjoyed the water in the pool and thanks to God that we did not get itched. Since it was on a weekday, there were only few guests, so we enjoyed the pool.

The adult pool

Veranda Rooms

Rooms near the obstacle course



 

 

The water in the pool is not clear and the water seemed to be oily in the hair and even on the skin, thus we became wary that there is something in it. Anyway, we just ignored it after and just enjoyed the water in the pool and thanks to God that we did not get itched. Since it was on a weekday, there were only few guests, so we enjoyed the pool.

On this side of the resort, there were also obstacle courses that guests can use for their team building activities.

 

There is also a place for a day tour that can accommodate big groups.

    

The entrance going to the front beach resort from the non beach front resort

The beach front resort is situated across the street where non beach front is located. The beach front rooms were more expensive than those non-beach front rooms.

 

There were also rooms in the same side of the resort but were not facing the beach. The access to the beach is easier. There are two (2) pools on the beach front resort. One for kids, and the other is for adults.

Rooms at the beach front side of the resort

There is a spacious parking lot but it got crowded on Saturday. So better come early if you plan to go on a weekend.

 

At the beachfront, there is the canteen, where you can order meals from their menu or you ask to cook for your food that you bought from the vendors at the shore for a minimal fee. If you find their food prices a bit expensive, you can go to the nearby carinderias outside the resort.

 

 

 

 

Yes, there are vendors of fresh seafoods like squid and different types of fish. These vendors caught these fishes from the ocean and sell it right away from the guests at the resorts. It was yummi, the fish tasted so fresh.

 

We were able to buy for squid at 150.00 pesos per kilo and yellow fin for120 pesos per kilo, and let the canteen grilled it for us for a price of 100 pesos per dish plus 50.00 pesos for the payment of onions and tomatoes which that were used for stuffing. 

 

The beach sand on that side of Morong is fine but it is color dark gray. The water is clear that’s why you can see the trash or garbage in the water. Yes, there are lots of it. Even on the shore, there are lots of garbage. We tried to swim but immediately got out of the water  because of too many garbage.

 

 

Despite of the untidy water, you can view a very beautiful sunset.

Overall, we enjoyed our 3D/2N stay, It is the company of family and friends whom you are with that makes your vacation enjoyable and worthwhile.

For your bookings and inquiries, you may visit their website at http://phiphibeachresorts.com/