Mt. Samat (Dambana ng Kagitingan/Shrine of Valor)

It all started when I made a list of places I’ve want to visit in the Philippines. I called my friend and asked him to come with me and then he invited his cousin(he’s also our friend). So yesterday(Nov. 26), we went to Mt. Samat together with other hundreds of Bataenos for the Diocese of Bataan’s Annual Pilgrimage. It took us almost 3 hours of non-stop walking/hiking before we reached the peak of the mountain.

I’m from Bataan, and I’ve been to Mt. Samat twice but I don’t have pictures. So this’s the third I’m going to the historical mountain in Bataan. The Mt. Samat! As you can see in the pictures, there is a giant cross at the peak of the mountain. This is symbol of heroism of the Filipino soldiers who fought for the Filipino’s independence against the Japanese colonization. Former President Ferdinand Marcos was the one responsible why we, Bataenos, have this historical place. FYI, he’s one of the Filipino soldiers. It is also one of the most beautiful places here in Bataan aside from the beaches, forest, hanging bridge, etcetera.

Aside from the giant cross (also known as Dambana ng Kagitingan / Shrine of Valor), there is also a museum. You can see photos of the World War II, different kinds of guns, bombs and the likes which they used during the war. There is also a big map of the peninsula of Bataan.

It’s not easy going to Mt. Samat. It hurt my feet. I almost had an astha attack. I almost gave up but I still tried. When I reached the peak, there was a strange feeling. A feeling of euphoria. It felt like my dream were coming true. Going to Mt. Samat gave me strength to face the challenges I have to face in life. The only reason I’d decided to go there was to travel. It’s just for fun and adventure. But you know what, this one simple travel of mine to Mt. Samat taught me TWO things:

IF YOU WANT TO REACH THE TOP OF YOUR SUCCESS, YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD AND FACE ALL YOUR PROBLEMS.

and;

NEVER GIVE-UP YOUR DREAM WHATEVER COMES YOUR WAY. 🙂

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