THE FINAL JOURNEY OF PRESIDENT RAMON MAGSAYSAY is on Mt Manunggal Balamban Cebu
There is a place in the mountains of Balamban, Cebu, that has become a significant part of Philippine history—Mount Manunggal.
On March 17, 1957, Ramon Magsaysay, the seventh President of the Philippines, boarded a Philippine Air Force Douglas C-47 aircraft named "Mt. Pinatubo." The plane had departed from Cebu and was bound for Manila.
However, during the flight that night, one of the engines lost power. The aircraft failed to maintain a safe altitude and crashed into the slopes of Mount Manunggal in Balamban, Cebu.
President Magsaysay perished in the accident. The official NHCP historical marker states that he died when the *Mt. Pinatubo*—the plane he was aboard—crashed on March 17, 1957.
The tragedy plunged the entire nation into deep mourning. The following day, Acting President Carlos P. Garcia issued Proclamation No. 397, declaring a national period of mourning from March 18 to April 17, 1957.
Over the years, Mount Manunggal has become a site for commemorating Magsaysay and the others who lost their lives in the accident. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) maintains a historical marker at the site, which was installed in 1988. NHCP records designate it as a site/event historical marker located at Mount Manunggal, Barangay Sunog, Balamban, Cebu. The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) registry also lists Mount Manunggal as a National Historical Landmark and the site of an NHCP Historical Marker, commemorating the crash site of the plane carrying President Ramon Magsaysay.
Thus, Mount Manunggal is not merely a mountain destination in Cebu; it is a site that commemorates one of the most significant tragedies in the nation's history—the death of President Ramon Magsaysay in 1957.
Today, the name Mount Manunggal remains a symbol of remembrance for the president and the others who lost their lives on that tragic day.
Disclaimer: This story is based solely on historical content. The information is derived from NHCP/NCCA records and historical sources. Some details regarding the accident may vary across different sources; therefore, the official NHCP historical record serves as the primary reference.