| MOUNT NATIB
LOCATION: Bataan Province
ELEVATION: 1,287 meters above sea level
LEVEL: Minor Climb, Level II, Moderate
JUMP OFF POINTS: Orani, Bataan
INFORMATION:
Mt. Natib is one of the three major mountains in the Bataan
area. The other two being Mt. Mariveles, which is higher than
Natib but trails not yet established as of this time and the
diminutive Mt. Samat, a popular historical place with a huge
cross structure on the summit commemorating the "Fall
of Bataan" event. Mt. Natib is actually an in-active
volcano just the same as its neighbor, Mt. Mariveles.
Three fourths of the trail going to the summit of Mt. Natib
is wide and is passable by 4-wheel drive vehicles. It was
formerly used by miners and soldiers fighting the communist
rebels that occupies the mountains before. In fact, there
are still instances where you will encounter soldiers along
the trail of Natib. The scenes along the trails are awesome,
so as the summit which is bare giving you a 360 degrees view
of the entire Bataan as well as the two other mountains.
LEGENDS:
Although not directly connected with the mountain, there
is a legend on how Bataan got his name. There once was a mighty
Pampanga kingdom who has invaded the Tagalogs. The ruler of
the Pampanga kingdom fell in love with one of the prisoners
who was the daughter of the Tagalog king. But she declined
because she was already in love with one of the prisoners,
which is a Tagalog warrior. The Kapampangan king declared
that the woman would be forcibly married to him on a specified
date. Knowing that, the two lovers escaped and founded a new
city in the place know called Bataan. During the Spanish era,
when the Spaniards ask the people living in that place about
its name, they usually reply "bataan" or "newly"
referring that their site is a newly established kingdom.
The Spaniards from then on referred to the place Bataan which
later became its official name.
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