PILAR, Bataan – Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos was overwhelmed with the present progress of the province of Bataan.
Marcos said she was delighted to see the latest developments in the province during an ambush interview last Monday, April 9, by the local press as she joined national and local officials in commemorating the 76th Araw ng Kagitingan in this town.
Marcos told journalists she was overwhelmingly surprised to see the new Bataan province which she describes then as “too rocky, mountainous and underdeveloped.”
“Sentimental ang journey ko dito sa Mt. Samat alam nyo naman project ng tatay ko ito. Ibang iba na ang Bataan ngayon! Buti kayo may ferry boat na from Bataan to Manila. Kami sa Ilocos kulang sa mga hotels dalhin ko kaya dito sa Bataan!,” she exclaimed.
During her father’s reign, Imee was behind the establishment of the well-known Kabataang Barangay Training Center in Liang here way back in the 1977 where they planted seedlings which are now grown up trees.
“Napakaganda ng hangin it’s a real joy to be here, I’m very happy that tourism is picking up daw. I ask Gov Abet to tie up with me for a World War 2 tour,” Marcos added.
Gov. Marcos added that her proposal to Gov. Garcia called Silver Tourism targets mostly American and Australian tourists whom she called very sentimental about World War 2 history, especially those war veterans.
“They have a lot of time, a lot of money to spend, we target Leyte and Ilocos areas where the bombs were first thrown and warships docked along with Bataan and Corregidor as the last stand during the war,” she reiterated.