Morong - BTPI and the Hanging Bridge

Stitches out and wound healing, I felt ready to go exploring once more. Hearing about the quiet and beautiful provincial area south of Olongapo and Subic Base convinced me to check the area out. Thus, I decided to head away from the national highway and veer off towards the distant city of Morong in Bataan.

Chances are that if you are not planning to go to Morong, then you will not be passing through this rather secluded area. But it is just this semi-remoteness that makes it more appealing.

A crowded jeepney transported us to Bataan. Since the next bus would have required us to wait for another couple of hours before departure, I squeezed in and sat on the flooring in the middle of the jeepney to avoid the delay.

Despite being in the "gutter" of the jeepney for most of the trip, I got glimpses of the surroundings outside. A cool breeze blew in from the dense rain forest within the base. Past the base we were greeted with a golden aura as rice fields glittered under the sun. The road winded along the coastal mountainside. Coconut trees swayed with their fronds being brushed back by the ocean breeze. Several beautiful barren beaches lined the unspoiled coast below.

Though not yet reaching the main city of Morong, we took a tricycle from one of its barangays and headed towards BTPI, or Bataan Technology Park, Inc. Except for the guard checkpoints, it was a swift and quiet ride through BTPI. I learned from locals that the park used to be a Vietnamese refugee camp, which explained the Vietnamese-influenced road names (e.g. Saigon Road). The following is a more formal explanation of the technology park:

"Overlooking the South China Sea from hilly areas of Morong, Bataan is the Bataan Technology Park, once the site of the United Nations-managed Philippine Refugee Processing Center. In March 1997, the entire municipality of Morong was proclaimed as the Morong Special Economic Zone (MSEZ), with the Bataan Technology Park as the Main Zone. Areas contiguous to the Park constitute the Sub-Zone, which will contain a mix of residential, commercial, institutional, recreational and other support facilities. With the proclamation, investors and locators in the MSEZ may now avail of a full range of financial and fiscal incentives. BTP's proximity to Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) is also a come-on for investors and locators. Just about a 20-minute drive, they can enjoy SBFZ's tourism, recreational and air & sea port facilities. BTP's long-term vision is to become an agri-aqua technology park that shall focus on modern and leading edge-biotechnology. To support this, within the short and medium term, BTP is being developed as a corporate training center and eco-tourism park, respectively."

Past the silent park, the tricycle driver turned off the motor as we glided down a winding road on a steep hill and entered a small rural community. A few school children waved as we passed by. We came to a stop near a nipa hut skeleton overlooking a clean river. Atop a nearby hill we came upon the "hanging bridge."

Though a bit wobbly as expected, the bridge has been around for a long time, withstanding many a typhoon. An Aeta coming home from high school paused to chat for a bit. He said that there is plenty of wild tilapia fish in the river below. I asked if he knew how to fish. He shook his head "no." Seeming to be more in touch with modernities, he mentioned that Lito Lapid, a Filipino actor, had visited the hanging bridge before.

Before going home, I took the opportunity to drink and bask in the beauty of the clear river, reminiscent of the stream.

Barangay Poblacion, BTPI, Morong, Bataan Pictures / Photos: