Mt. Samat, to become the country’s premier historical site and tourist hub

PILAR, Bataan – Mayor Alicia D. Pizarro of this town has revealed that a prominent businessman is eyeing to build a cable car from the town’s Flaming Sword monument to the Shrine of Valor atop the historic Mount Samat, about seven kilometer distance, as one focal landmarks in the preparation of a comprehensive master development plan converting the site as a world-class war memorial and a premier tourist spot in the country.

Pizarro explained before the Bataan Press Club members that the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) is now in the process of readying to undertake a comprehensive master development plan for Mt Samat to encourage foreign and local investors to involve themselves in the expansion scheme in the global tourism industry.

In the initial discussion, aside from the cable car, Pizarro said, are the construction of interactive museum, hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, team park, a non-sectarian chapel, convention center with about 2,000 capacity, construction of capsule type elevator and other development projects.

A technical working group which includes Pilar Mayor Pizarro and Architect Techie Banzon, Bataan provincial tourism officer, is now operating to provide valuable and significant inputs in the laying of groundwork of the Mt. Samat master development plan which is expected to be finalized within six months.

Bataan Governor Albert Raymond S. Garcia bared the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) has commissioned Berckman Landholding, a land developer, for P 15 million to carry out the comprehensive master plan in developing the historic Mt Samat in the upland village of Liyang, as a world-class war memorial shrine and a premier tourist spot in Central Luzon.

Garcia told local media men that TIEZA chief operating officer Mark Lapid included in his flagship program the establishment of Mt Samat Shrine Tourism Enterprise Zone (MSSTEZ) to create a truly sacred place imbued with Filipino historical meaning but internationally unique war memorial shrine to attract local and foreign tourists. He said investors who would put up facilities at the Mount Samat are covered by various fiscal incentives .

According to Garcia, thousands of veterans’ relatives and foreign visitors have been prodding the local officials to put up infrastructure facilities and other amenities for them to stay longer while attending the annual commemoration rites at Mt Samat.

The Bataan Peninsula Tourism Council Foundation Incorporated headed by Mrs. Vicky Garcia is focusing on the viability of Mt Samat to become a leisure tourism complex with audio-visual facilities portraying the heroism of Filipino-American soldiers who stood valiantly defending the Bataan peninsula as the last bastion of democracy in the South East Asia.

This development at the Mt Samat National Shrine would create more jobs for the residents, expansion of business enterprises, putting up of souvenir shops, hotels, restaurants and other services which will definitely add new eco-tourism dimension to the province’s progressive economy.

Built sometime in 1967, the Mt. Samat National Shrine remains the top tourist attraction in the province and in Central Luzon, though the lack of high end amenities and service facilities like hotels, shops, eateries and other important outlets cause foreign and local tourists to rush out after attending the annual celebration of Araw ng Kagitingan.