Mt. Samat Memorial Cross shines as beacon of valor. Photo by Ernie Esconde
PILAR, Bataan — The towering War Memorial Cross at the Shrine of Valor in historic Mt. Samat here was relighted Tuesday evening to make it visible across Manila Bay during the night in time with the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG).
“This is another historic event in Mt. Samat Shrine of Valor. We will illuminate the second largest memorial cross in the world in making visible across Manila Bay,” said Francis Initorio, administrator of the Mt. Samat Flagship Tourism Enterprise.
He said the lighting will help promote the heritage site and encourage tourists to explore the new development in the shrine site including the recently launched underground museum augmented reality exhibit.
“The ceremonial lighting aims to highlight the historical value of the Mt. Samat National Shrine in time for the visit of delegates and tourists from the Southeast Asian Games participating countries,” Initorio said.
“The Mt. Samat Memorial Cross aesthetic lights will also serve as remembrance for the people who served in World War II,” he added.
Pocholo Paragas, chief operating officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), wanted the huge cross to be visible anytime of the day.
“We want to have an iconic structure na nakikita ang landmark ng Mt. Samat upang magkaroon ng ray of hope dahil sa matinding hirap na dinanas ng lugar kaya naging shrine,” he said.
He noted that they timed the lighting with the SEAG. He said that after the games, families of delegates and athletes and even the athletes themselves will find time to visit some places.
“Sa pag-ikot nila sa Clark ang makikita, commercial; sa Subic nandoon ang mga sports; sa Mt. Samat, history. Malaking bagay ang history ng Bataan at Mt. Samat sa Pilipinas,” Paragas said.
He said that TIEZA has many plans for Mt. Samat like the lighting of the dark road, construction of needed infrastructures and the putting up of a locator’s site for business.
Retired Brig. Gen. Restituto Aguilar, chief of Veterans Memorial and Historical Division of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, said he could not remember until when the cross was lighted after its construction was completed in 1970.
He said he was assigned in Bataan as an Army officer and he had not seen the cross lighted.
“Very historic ang pagkakataon na ito dahil nailawan uli. Ito ang alay natin sa mga nagsakripisyo dito noong panahon ng digmaan. Napakabantog ng Bataan sa kasaysayan hindi lamang sa Pilipinas kundi sa mundo,” Aguilar said.
TIEZA record showed that the construction of the War Memorial Cross under President Ferdinand Marcos began on April 14, 1966 and completed and opened in 1970. It 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.
