Bataan eyes improvement of Mt. Samat

BALANGA CITY, Philippines – Mount Samat in Pilar town, Bataan is being eyed for development as a world-class war memorial and premier tourist spot in Central Luzon.

Bataan Gov. Albert Raymond Garcia on Friday said the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise  Zone  Authority (TIEZA) would establish the Mount Samat Shrine Tourism Enterprise Zone, which would attract local and foreign tourists.

Garcia said the project was among the flagship programs of TIEZA chief operating officer Mark Lapid.

A technical working group is being formed to draft the Mount Samat master plan, which will be completed within six months.

Vicky Garcia, chief of the province’s tourism council foundation, said the shrine would show the heroism of the Filipinos and Americans who defended the Bataan peninsula during World War II.

The improvement of the Mount Samat National Shrine is expected to create jobs for residents.