BALANGA CITY, Bataan Theres no need to go far if you want to see beautiful beaches and centuries-old churches.

Vicky Sandejas- Garcia, chairwoman of the Bataan Tourism Council, said: [Bataan has] beautiful beaches in Morong and Bagac towns. We have sevencenturies-old churches which have been declared pilgrimage sites, unique waterfalls, and other tourist sites that are all accessible.

Thanks to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway that passes through northern Bataan, Manila to Bataan is only two hours by land and 30 to 45 minutes by ferry.

Clark and Angeles City are only 25 minutes away when passing through SCTEx, while SBMA to Bataan takes only 15 minutes away.

Garcia said the seven old churches in the province have been built 214 to 427 years ago, and declared pilgrimage sites.

These centuries-old churches are located in the towns of Hermosa, Orani, Samal, Abucay, Pilar and Orion and the City of Balanga. Balangas St. Joseph shrine was declared a shrine last week.

Lorelly del Rosario, chair of Bagac tourism council, said aside from the beaches, the town plays host to Limutan falls in barangay Binukawan that is accessible to motorcycles and four-wheel drive vehicles.

We called it Limutan because once you go there you cannot forget the area due to its unique environment, breathtaking site and fresh air, said del Rosario.

Some claim that Bagacs church is also the house of St. Catalina. The faithful visit the church which is known for due to mysterious curing of some illnesses.

The Church of Abucay, five kilometer away from the capital city,is the oldest in Bataan and one of the first built in the country as it is already 427 years old. Sto. Domingo de Guzman is the churchs patron saint.

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Bataans centuries-old churches, beautiful beaches