SHS Students Take Field Trip to Bataan

As their culminating activity for the first semester, the Senior High School (SHS) students went on an educational field trip to Bataan last November 29 to deepen their understanding and appreciation of Philippine history, culture, arts, and sciences outside the four walls of the classroom.

The first stop of the field trip was the Bataan World War II Museum at Balanga, where the Olive and Zion students viewed a display of the events surrounding the surrender of the Filipino and American forces to the Japanese after the Fall of Bataan. This was followed by a visit to the Mount Samat National Shrine, also known as the Dambana ng Kagitingan, where the students hiked to the base of the 90-meter-tall Memorial Cross that symbolized the deaths of the Filipino soldiers during the Bataan Death March. 

SHS Department Supervisor Raquiel Pinlac shared the teachers’ hope that the visit to these areas would allow the students to understand the sacrifices made by their Filipino ancestors and value their resilience and courage during this pivotal moment in history.

The New Lifers then visited Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, home to 63 ancient houses that were transported to Bataan, brick by brick, from various places around the Philippines. After enjoying a traditional Filipino meal, the students watched an interactive play called “Freedom Land” that reenacted historical events from the time of Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio and their revolution against the Spaniards up to Emilio Aguinaldo’s declaration of independence at Kawit, Cavite. Some students then went on a guided tour around Las Casas. 

“By experiencing the Freedom Land show and visiting Las Casas, … we hope this inspires a sense of patriotism and pride in their Filipino heritage and appreciate learning and using the Filipino language in SHS. We also hope that students will appreciate the beauty, culture, and different works of art featured in Las Casas,” explained Pinlac. 

The activity-packed day concluded with a sunset visit to the Pawikan Conservation Center, where students witnessed the release of turtle hatchlings into the ocean and learned about the importance of protecting the environment and preserving biodiversity.

“Even though we went late at night, I was really glad to be able to witness the baby turtles making their way back into their natural habitat. It was such a unique and memorable experience, and I truly appreciated the work that the people do in the Pawikan [Conservation] Center just to be able to conserve the natural wildlife there,” shared Olive student Chris Patrick Dylan Gaw.