Balanga Things to Do

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This is a sad little site which needed to be visited by people who tour Bataan. It is located on the back lot of a public elementary school in the center of the city. The location of the tableau is purported to be the location where on April 9 1942, Maj. Gen. Edward King met with Maj. Gen. Kameichiro Nagano to discuss the terms of surrender of the U.S. and Philippine forces which numbered 78,000.

The tableau itself is a 3-D reproduction of the famous picture taken during the negotiations. It is rumored that Maj. Gen. King's staff were asked if the troops, weakened by sickness, starvation and exhaustion, can last for 24 more hours. The promised support and reinforcement was 3-days away... The staff answered to the negative... this answer became the basis of Maj. Gen. King's decision. During the surrender King said that the troop is not surrendering but only him. He did it to save the lives of the remainder of his army. On a side note, it is debatable whether the man covering his face was doing it out of shame or if he was saddened by the events that transpired. Rumor has it that he disagreed with King's decision. :)

I hope that the school administrator will take better care of this historic marker which shows wear and tear and various desecrations of the inhabitants of the surrounding area.

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It's worth your while to visit the Bataan Tourism Center for information and a glimpse of the arts and crafts of the province. The staff is very helpful and informative and always willing to share the wealth of information they have regarding their home province. Their enthusiasm shows how proud they are of their rich history and the new programs and projects that their local government have for the future.

Aside from the Information Section there is also a gallery, tourist shop and clean restrooms there. The lobby features furnitures and artworks made by residents of Bataan using indigenous materials. The garden is also a restful place where you can take a rest before tackling the rest of your Bataan itinerary.

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Balanga Cathedral had a significant role during the Japanese Invasion. It was used by the Japanese Army as an artillery emplacement to bombard thousands of Filipino-American troops in Mt. Samat.

Balanga Cathedral a.k.a. St. Joseph Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Balanga comprised of the entire province of Bataan. The famous former auxiliary bishop of Manila and rector of the EDSA Shrine in Ortigas, Most Rev. Socrates Villegas, currently heads the Diocese. Fr. Percival Medina is the current rector and parish priest of the cathedral.