Bataan Archives - Lakas ng Trip

Pawikan Conservation Area of Bagac, Bataan

October 15, 2012 by Josiah 6 Comments

NOTE: Pawikan is a Tagalog term for sea turtle.

As we were walking outside of Stella Mariz Beach Resort we were asking people along the way on how we could go to the Pawikan Sanctuary of Morong, Bataan. One of the people said that it was still far away and if we wanted to visit a pawikan facility we should go to the Pawikan Conservation Area there in Bagac, Bataan as it is nearer.

I’ve known the existence of the Pawikan Conservation Center in Bagac when I was doing my initial research in Bataan for my 12 for 2012 Travel Project. It interest me because all that I have read are about the Pawikan Sanctuary of Morong but none on the Pawikan Conservation Area of Bagac. We asked on how do we get there and he told us that it’s inside a resort which we need to pay a not-so-cheap entrance fee to get in.

We quickly said that we could not get there because we only had a 1,000 Peso budget for our overnight trip in Bataan . This saddened me as I really wanted to visit the place. Maybe he noticed my slightly-macho-teary eyes when he said that he would take us there and we will no longer pay the entrance fee. I was happy and a bit hesitant about the good news. It’s too good to be true! Should we? Would we? But curiousity got the best of me and with a leap of faith we were on the back of a truck heading to the depths of Bagac.

And after 20 minutes of hitching a ride we were now on the gates of Montemar Beach Club. We went through their security check, passed by the beach which had waves that is conducive for surfing, and quickly went to their pawikan facilities.

Beach inside Montemar Beach Resort in Bagac, Bataan

Beach of Montemar Beach Resort

Their facility was a house netted on the sides to prevent crawling and walking animals to get in and eat the eggs that they collected. Also it had a netted roof to let sunlight in and prevent the birds from eating the eggs and newly hatched pawikans.

Church of Balanga, Bataan

October 13, 2012 by Josiah Leave a Comment

The Church of Balanga was the first on our list of places to visit in the province of Bataan. When the bus from Cubao arrived at Balanga (6:57AM, 2 hours and 1 minute travel time) we were asking around for 3 things – where is the Church of Balanga, how do we get to Mount Samat and our most important question, where to eat. We were hungry!

On the Bataan Transit bus to Balanga

The staff at the Bataan Transit Station were happy to answer all our questions and they told us that we could ride a tricycle for 10 Pesos/person going to the Church of Balanga. Unfortunately, we only had 1,000 Pesos as our budget for our overnight trip around Bataan, so we had to walk.

And after 9 minutes of walking, 15 minutes of eating spicy sinigang and another 16 minutes of walking we were finally across the street in front of the Church of Balanga.

Jose Rizal statue across the street at the front of the Church of Balanga, Bataan

Jose Rizal statue across the street at the front of the Church of Balanga. One of the best statues of Jose Rizal I’ve seen around the country.

After a few minutes taking pictures across the street people started going out of the church. A mass had already finished. A window of opportunity as I could go in the church and take a few photos without disturbing the congregation.

The front of the Church of Balanga

We crossed the street, went into the gates and finally THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE INSIDE!!! Plan failed! At least I could take a picture just from the door not to disturb anyone.

Death March Km 00 Marker and Japan-Philippine Friendship Tower in Bagac, Bataan

October 3, 2012 by Josiah Leave a Comment

After our hitch-hiking adventure to climb Mount Samat and reach the Dambana ng Kagitingan our next plan was to head to Bagac, Bataan and spend the night at Stella Mariz Beach Resort. I just knew the general location of the resort but I did not really know how to get there so when the bus arrived at the town of Bagac we asked a tricycle driver to take us to the resort. He said the price on how much a trip would cost and even told us that we will be passing by the Death March Km 00 Marker and the Japan-Philippine Friendship Tower! I knew the existence of both spots because of the map that I use and I was really curious on how they would look personally.

After having our kakanin lunch at a karinderya inside Bagac we rode the tricycle and the first stop is a figure of a bayonet plunged to the ground with a helmet on its top. I did not know what this symbol is called nor the reason why the symbol was built. I tried looking for the signages that explains what it symbolizes, unfortunately, I did not find one.

Not more than 30 meters away lies the Kilometer 00 Death March Marker in Bagac, Bataan. It’s a reminder of the gruesome death march that happened during World War II but looking at it now it was not maintained well. It’s on a fork on the road where I noticed more the directional signs to the resorts than the marker itself.

Next stop is the Japan-Philippine Friendship Tower which was located near the National Highway. It’s a symbol that Japan and the Philippines after the war is now going toward a peaceful relationship. And I had a hard time finding out the reason because the signage on why the tower was built is on the farther side of the compound from the entrance.

Stella Mariz Beach Resort in Bagac, Bataan

July 23, 2012 by Josiah 28 Comments

Water of Stella Mariz Beach Resort

During my travels I am always on the lookout for resorts that are very close to nature. Resorts that would make me want to stay and relax. Fortunately, when I was a photographer last year for My Life On Board for the Radiation Hill Race they brought me for a brief moment to Stella Mariz Beach Resort in Bagac, Bataan but we only had less than 30 minutes as we needed to get back soon to Metro Manila. On that day I promised myself that when I get back to Bataan I would certainly stay for a night in Stella Mariz Beach Resort.

The road near the beach of Stella Mariz Beach Resort

That promise was fulfilled when I went back to Bataan with only 1,000 Pesos as my budget.

Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor) in Mount Samat, Pilar, Bataan

June 30, 2012 by Josiah 7 Comments

The cross at Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor). Mount Samat #Pilar, #Bataan #Philippines

A photo posted by Lakas ng Trip (@lakasngtrip) on Dec 27, 2014 at 3:27am PST

After having Spicy Pork Sinigang for breakfast at a karinderya in Balanga, Bataan and a quick visit to Balanga Church, we were no in Balanga Public Transportation Terminal and were asking around on how do we get to Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor).

I thought that we should ride the jeep to Bagac since it will be passing by Diwa, the jumpoff going up Mount Samat, but we were then pointed referred to jeepneys going to Cabog-Cabog. The reason why the jeepney drivers to Bagac refer people to Cabog-Cabog when they are going to Diwa because they can pick up passengers after they pass by the town of Cabog-Cabog. This makes both jeepney routes have significant income when they get home.

Balanga Public Transportation Terminal

At around 8AM, our jeepney to Cabog-Cabog left and after 17 Pesos and 20 minutes we got down at the intersection going to Mount Samat at Diwa.

There were tricycles waiting on the intersection and they were offering 100 Pesos/person for a one-way trip to the top of Mount Samat. Unfortunately, we only had 1,000 Pesos all-in for our budget around Bataan so we kindly declined their offer.

Tricycle at the intersection to Mount Samat at Diwa, Pilar, Bataan

According to the tricycle drivers the walk would take us about 2 to 3 hours but the locals doubtedly told us that it would only take us 1 hour. Frankly, I thought the tricycle drivers were trying to exaggerate the time so that they could convince us to pay for them. There were a lot of literature also on the internet that says it would only take 1 hour.

After drinking a bottle of softdrink just to jumpstart my blood and a brief relaxing moment inside the CR we started walking to the top of Mount Samat at around 8:45AM.

Walk to the Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor) at Mount Samat, Pilar, Bataan

Maui starting our walk to the top of Mount Samat

We passed by some people drying barbecue sticks on the road.