//
Municipality in Bataan, Philippines
Photo: Ramon FVelasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Pilar is a town in Bataan, Central Luzon, the Philippines. It is best known as the location of Mount Samat National Shrine.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
This is a landmark depicting a hand holding a flaming sword up in the air, which symbolized the Filipino patriots' courage and gallantry as they face the adversary and threats to their democracy and freedom. The ESPADA was inaugurated on April 8, 1967.
Also known as Dambana ng Kagitingan or Shrine of Valour, it is a 92-meter-high War Memorial Cross and a national shrine atop Mount Samat, built to honor and remember the gallantry of the Filipino and American soldiers who fought during World War II. Memorial services are conducted every April 9, which is commemorated nationally as Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valour) and known in the province as Bataan Day. Parts of the shrine, including the museum and the cross, are closed for renovation until 2027 to 2028.
Pilar Church
Pilar's main Roman Catholic church, built during the Spanish-era in 1834 using adobe bricks.
Pilar was the confluence point of Allied POWs from Bagac in western Bataan and Mariveles during the Bataan Death March. Their routes are marked by the life-size white obelisks lining Bataan National Road and Governor J.J. Linao Highway.
This is a waterfall located at the foot of Mount Samat, northeast of the National Shrine.
A fixture in Pilar since 1979. The family-owned restaurant's strategic location at the junction of two major highways, a buffet of Filipino and Kapampangan dishes for prices less than mall buffet chains and its two expansive mess halls have made it a popular stopover for tourists and regular motorists as seen in the tour buses parked outside. A la carte dining available. Can get crowded at lunch time. Also sells takeaway snacks and pastries.
Filipino cuisine.
Filipino and Chinese cuisine. Their specials are the crispy pata (pork knuckle), fried pork belly and kare-kare (peanut stew).
To get to Pilar, take either of these highways: Bataan Provincial Expressway (or more commonly called Roman Superhighway) and Bataan National Road, a narrow two-lane thoroughfare which passes through the town center.
Read in the guideTricycles are the main form of public transportation between barangays.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Olongapo · International · SFS
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Pilar (Bataan) and Philippines.
Travel tipsFull 2026 list of visa-free countries for Philippine passport holders. Check ASEAN entry rules, stay limits, and Bureau of Immigration clearance tips.
6 min read
InspirationExplore the best islands to visit in the Philippines, including Palawan limestone lagoons, Boracay white sands, Bohol hills, and Cebu waterfalls.
6 min read
ItinerariesLearn the real difference between Palawan and Boracay with our breakdown of sand quality, boat tours, nightlife, travel transit, and vacation costs.
7 min read
Travel tipsReal-world 7-day Philippines travel budget covering hotel prices, domestic flights, island hopping tours, tricycle fares, and food costs.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.