Microtel Inn & Suites of North Luzon took the initiative to showcase the beauty of the region by leading a familiarization tour which has been attended by media and travel bloggers. In the second leg of their tourism campaign which was held at Nueva Ecija, Microtel Cabanatuan hosted the 3 – day event around the countryside of the province. Three hours away from the bustling city of Metro Manila, a sprawling green landscape of rice fields and farms covered the province of Nueva Ecija - that’s the connotation when you talk about the province; however, there are a lot to see and experience in this humble and peaceful place.
Alongside of the town of San Isidro, a colourful candy house – like façade of Carron Dream Park invites everyone to come and experience its 27 exciting and wonderful rides sprinkled in its 3 hectares area which holds the title as the biggest theme park in the north. Carron Dream Park promises a fun filled experience to be enjoyed by the whole family and friends.
The Gapan Church which is also known as the La Divina Pastora Church and Three Kings Parish is considered as the biggest and the oldest church in Nueva Ecija. Built in the 1800’s by Augustinian friars with Gapanense forced labor, the brick church has endured natural and man – made disasters including the 1896 Philippine Revolution, World War II and the great 1900 earthquake. Today the Gapan church is a pilgrimage site for two miraculous patron saints which are the Three Kings whose feast day continues to be celebrated every January 6 and the Divina Pastora every May 1. The Gapan church has been declared the National Shrine of the Divina Pastora.
Are you still aware that Nueva Ecija is one of the eight rays of the sun in our national flag? Nueva Ecija witnessed such historical event during the revolution era. For 20 years before World War II, the site assisted as a military training camp, but during the Japanese occupation it was converted into a concentration camp for Allied prisoners of war, most of them are survivors of the notorious Death March. This is where the rescue of 516 prisoners of war by American soldiers and Filipino guerrillas on January 1945 has been defined as one of the most courageous and successful rescue missions of its type in the records of military history. The said event is immortalized in stone in the Pangatian War Memorial Shrine. Pangatian Shrine is located in Palayan – Cabanatuan road and just eight kilometres away from the city proper of Cabanatuan.
Located at Provincial Capitol Buidling in Palayan City, the Novo Ecijano Museum can be found, and was established to feature the history and culture of the people of Nueva Ecija thru vivid exhibits, photos, historical artifacts, mementos, and dioramas.
More of the Nueva Ecija's attractions in Part 2 of this series post.
This familiarization tour is made possible by
Microtel Cabanatuan. Special thanks to Ms. Lita Budomo,
the overall head for this event.
