Places to Visit in Bataan During Day of Valor

The non-working holiday in the Philippines, known as Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valor, is one of the most important national holidays in the History of the Philippines.

Day of Valor or Araw ng Kagitingan is a national holiday celebrated every April 9

Filipino World War II veterans go to the streets to commemorate their service on this day. As a whole, the Philippines celebrates Araw ng Kagitingan with minor parades in various parts of the nation, but it's the address by the country's president at the Mt. Samat shrine in Bataan province that's the real star of the show.

The Philippine public holiday of Araw ng Kagitingan falls on or around April 9 every year. In order to make room for the parades, several roads are usually blocked, and public transportation may be rerouted. Malls and other amusement parks stay open on this day, and many individuals take advantage of this opportunity to spend time with their families.

As the major part of the country, this year is on Alert Level 1 and a great number of the population are already inoculated against COVID-19. You can take this chance and grab the opportunity to have an out of town vacation with your friends and family and celebrate the Day of Valor in the Province of Bataan.

To help you out in scheming your itineraries for the upcoming holiday, we made here a list of tourists spots in Bataan that you must include in your must to go places on your visit.

Commemorating the Day of Valor in Bataan

After almost two years of being cooped up at home, we know that you are excited to use your holidays in traveling around the country or abroad. This Day of Valor, why not spend the holiday to pay tribute to the American and Filipino forces who sacrificed their lives for us to attain freedom from the Japanese invasion.
Below are some of the places that you can visit in Bataan this Day of Valor:

1. Mount Samat National Shrine or Valor Shrine

Another name for the Mount Samat National Shrine is the Shrine of Valor, built in Bataan in honor of those who gave their lives defending their country against the Japanese and during the Bataan Death March during World War II. This is one of the most important Bataan historical sites; therefore, don't miss it.

Day of Valor celebrated in Mount Samat where the Philippine President led the national holiday celebration.

The Mount Samat National Shrine, that was built in 1970 at the peak of Mount Samat, has an area of 73,665 hectares. A marble-clad Colonnade and a massive Memorial Cross are the centerpieces of the shrine. An altar, glass paintings depicting the combat, engraved tales of the conflict, and a collection of World War II artifacts are found in the Colonnade.

The Colonnade's open space affords a stunning view of Bataan, but the observation platform at the top of the cross offers even more fascinating panoramas. Access to the cross's two observation decks is possible through an elevator at its base.

The Mount Samat National Shrine or Shrine of Valor is located at Mount Samat Rd, Pilar, Bataan.

2. Zero Kilometer Bataan Death March Marker

The starting point of one of the darkest periods in Philippine History, the Bataan Death March, is marked by the Zero Kilometer Death March Marker.

In a nutshell, this is what occurred at Bataan. After their meticulous planning and preparation, the Japanese successfully invaded the United States during World War II. Nearly the whole of Southeast Asia was under Japanese rule at this period.

MacArthur's Filipino and American troops, headed by General Douglas MacArthur, battled for three months in Bataan to thwart the Japanese's quick conquest over all of the Pacific. MacArthur had already left the nation and pledged to return, which he did after the capitulation was complete. After the capitulation, the Bataan Death March, one of the most harrowing occurrences in history, occurred.

The Imperial Japanese Army forcibly transferred an estimated 60,000 to 80,000 Filipino and American soldiers. Zero Kilometer Death March Marker in Bataan marked the beginning of the death march to San Fernando, Pampanga, to take a train to Capaz, Tarlac. About a 100-mile march over seven days and nights, over 18,000 prisoners died were killed during the march.

This province has two Zero Kilometer Death March markers, one in Mariveles and the other one is in Bagac. This is also the reason why they said that the Bataan Peninsula is a must-see for history buffs and the best time to do it is this Bataan Day.

3. Corregidor Island

Corregidor Island, a World War II relic, is another Bataan tourist attraction. In the vicinity of Bataan and Manila Bay, the rocky island of Corregidor is accessible by boat. In World War II, it served as the headquarters for the allied United States army and Filipino fighters who fought against the Japanese. Despite the fact that the Japanese had seized most of the Philippines, they avoided Corregidor due to its treacherous gorges.

Visiting Corregidor Island this Corregidor Day will require you an entrance fee of around Php 200.

4. Bataan World War II Museum

The Bataan World War II Museum is the best site to learn about Bataan's role in the tragic global catastrophe. Visitors to this Bataan tourist site may see artifacts and dioramas from the world-famous 1942 Bataan Death March, in which tens of thousands of Filipino and American troops marched from Bataan to Tarlac, a distance of about 69.5 miles.

Make sure to prepare an affordable price of around Php 20 when visiting the museum.

The Bataan World War II Museum is located at Jose Basa St., Balanga, Bataan.

5. Bataan Techno Park

Located in the Morong Special Economic Zone in Bataan facing the South China Sea, the old United Nations Philippine Refugee Processing Center has been transformed into a 365-hectare Bataan Technology Park. It served as a training and transition facility for Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Indochinese refugees who fled to the Philippines in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

This Morong Bataan tourist attraction also has a museum where you may view proof of the friendship between the Indochinese refugees and the Filipinos during the Second World War. You can see and do it all at Bataan Technology Park, which is one of the greatest tourist destinations in Bataan.

You can visit the Bataan Techno Park with an entrance fee of Php 20.

The Bataan Techno Park is located in Morong, Bataan.

Small parades in different cities in the Philippines are done during Araw ng Kagitingan

Apart from enjoying a historical tour around these sites in the Bataan peninsula, you can augment your Bataan experience by trying their local delicacies such as buko pie, cashew prunes, ube de leche halaya, tamarind balls, and cashew nuts.

You can now travel to Bataan in a shorter time through the various Build Build Build Projects made by DPWH in the province, such as the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge and the Bagac-Mariveles Road.

This also makes Bataan a great place for real estate investment. So, if you're looking for a community to build your residential place, Lumina Homes is offering two thriving communities in the province through Lumina Pilar and The Balanga Residences. Both of these communities are located in a highly accessible area and near the town center, giving their residents premium living convenience.

You can get your brand new house and lot packages from these sites through flexible payment schemes like bank financing and achieve the Homeownership Goals that you are longing for!

Explore more of the different historical sites in the Province of Bataan and enjoy the peaceful life in the province with Lumina Homes.