The MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park (also known as the Leyte Landing Memorial Park and MacArthur Park) is a protected area of the Philippines that commemorates the historic landing of General Douglas MacArthur in Leyte Gulf at the start of the campaign to recapture and liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation on 20 October 1944. This event led to the largest naval battle of World War II and Japan’s eventual defeat and surrender after almost three years. The war memorial is located in the municipality of Palo on Leyte island in Eastern Visayas and is one of the region’s major tourist attractions. It was declared a national park on 12 July 1977 through Letter of Instructions No. 572 signed by President Ferdinand Marcos.
The park is the site of the annual memorial rites and reenactment of the historic landing attended by local and foreign dignitaries together with war veterans and their families. In November 2013, the memorial was damaged by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) with one of its seven statues knocked from its base. It was immediately repaired by the government and the statue of Carlos P. Romulo was restored within twenty days with assistance from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
HOW TO GET THERE
From Tacloban City ride the jeep going to Baras via Government Center and ask the driver to drop you off at the Macarthur Landing Memorial Park. Fare is P12.
An alternative route is from Tacloban City ride a multicab going to Campitec and tell the driver to drop you off at the Government Center (P10), then ride a pedicab to the Macarthur Landing Memorial Park (P10).
Adventure in Leyte, Philippines 