After several trips to Bataan, I finally made it to Mount Samat!
One of the country's highly historical sites, along with the fortified island of Corregidor, Mt. Samat was the site of the most vicious battle against the Japanese Imperial Army in 1942 during the Battle of Bataan.
The Mt. Samat Memorial Cross is a towering structure at the highest point of an extinct volcano with no history of eruption, Mt. Samat, which is 555 m (1,821 ft) above sea level.
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| The PHA team ready to conquer Mt. Samat |
I made it along with the Philippine Heart Association peeps walking upwards relaxingly along the winding roads with stops for pictorial sessions in between.
To get an amazing panoramic view of Bataan, there's an elevator inside the Mt. Samat cross, which would take you to the viewing gallery encased in its arms. However, due to old age of the edifice (58 years!) going up is no longer allowed.
The Mt. Samat Memorial Cross has a height of 92 meters with arms of the cross that are 30 meters wide and it symbolizes the 92-day fierce battle of the Filipino-American armed forces against the Japanese imperial army during the 2nd World War. The cross was made of steel and reinforced concrete finished with chipped granolithic marble. It is 92 meters high, 27 meters long and 5.5 meters wide.
Mount Samat itself has a 550-metre (1,800 ft) wide crater that opens to the northeast. The Cross is situated near the edge of the crater rim.
Mt. Samat National Shrine, also called Shrine of Valor or Dambana ng Kagitingan, was commissioned in 1966 for the 25th anniversary of WW II. The shrine complex also includes a war museum with a wide array of collections from paintings of the Philippine heroes, to armaments used by the Filipino, American and Japanese forces during the battle.
How many steps are there going down the Cross? 448-step zigzagging footpath through the bloodstone, which is said to be the rocks from Corregidor, stained by Japanese blood!
PHA-PCC Midyear Convention 2024
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| PHA President Ronald Cuyco during the convention |
The trip to Mt. Samat was actually a side trip after the two-day "PHA-PCC Midyear Convention 2024 Goes to Central Luzon” from January 12-13, in Clark, Angeles City .
Aptly themed, “Cardiology for ALL,” the PHA and Philippine College of Cardiology took their assignment to their hearts by staging the confab with the aim of involving doctors of other specialties, health providers, nurses and even the lay person to fully understand emergencies and proper heart care.
Given the lack of heart care experts and the continuous rise of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) along with hypertension cases in the country, PHA continues its mission "from dealing with heart failure to understanding the best ways to educate our younger patients through social media" via the latest convention which was graced by a total of 411 attendees from all over the region and nearby provinces.
After Mt. Samat, the PHA National officers led by President Dr. Ronald Cuyco with the PHA Secretariat also visited the Centro Medico Santissimo Rosario Hospital in Balanga, Bataan. Past PHA President Dr. Orly Bugarin is current president/director of Centro Medico which is one of the province’s best hospitals. Dr. Bugarin mentioned that whenever the Presidential team is going to Mt. Samat, they call Centro Medico for sure assistance in case of emergencies.
The last stop before heading home was a short trip cum hearty feast for lunch of Filipino food at Dr. Bugarin's farm in Pilar, Bataan.
Along with cool, refreshing greeneries, great food, company, conversation, and music, we had the best native fare at the “Bukirin ng mga Bugarin” consists of chicken sisig, grilled tilapia, fresh buko and juice, steamed vegetables with bagoong, fruits combo of pinya, melon and watermelon plus the much awaited Bataan's famed Taro ice cream.
Thank you so much PHA, Drs. Orlando and Maricar Bugarin and Drs. Ronald Cuyco, Rodney Jimenez and Helen Ong-Garcia for a truly memorable Bataan trip.
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