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Hiking/Trekking in the Philippines.

My first hiking experience was during my scouting years in the late 70’s.   Los Baños Laguna was the center of all scouting activities during that time.  I was so excited to look at the lush greeneries of sugarcane plantations along the stretch of old SLEX that leads to Laguna.  Even more excited to learn that we will hike up on the mystique mountain of Mt. Makiling.  After the Makiling experience I never cease to dream of climbing a mountain.   

It is during my high school days in the early 80’s that I experienced the real hiking or trekking experience.   We are on a summer break when we planned to scale what I believe to be the blue mountain that I saw across the lake.  Just for me to find out that it was Mt. Irid a part of Sierra mountain ranges from the eastern side of Rizal. 

Sierra Madre Mountains

Crossing rivers and lakes
Rare Rafflesia Flower

 One of my trekking experience in the 80’s is climbing the mountains in Tanay Rizal. We boarded an old dilapidated jeep bound to Daraitan.  The trip was so exciting  we are on top of a jeep and  as I remember we crossed the river for more than 10 times before we reach sitio Daraitan, a Dumagat sitio. Our guide passed us to a Dumagat (local guide) wearing a G string,  a 3 feet hollow bamboo tube (buho) tucked in his behind and his native bow and arrow. It was a survival kit for drinking.  After locating a moist clay at the edge of a cliff he stucked his buho to a clay and a chocolate brown water runs.  In less than two minutes it becomes a clear water and he invited us to drink (or die without water while trekking).  After less than an hour of walking on a dense jungle we emerged on a miniature falls (spring) on a knee deep water.   We don’t have cameras then but the sight of a natural pool landscaped and encircled with variety of water plants is so enchanting.  Indeed, the Dumagat warned us that the place was enchanted so we move on until we reach our base camp at the foot of a limestone wall facing the mighty Agos river of Tanay. After several attempts, I finally scaled Mt. Irid last 2010.  Last March 2013 was my last visit to this place and I am at a lost due to its changing landscape.
Hiking/Climbing today are made easy with the advent of the technology and information. 
There are places that can be promoted as an Eco Tourism destination but there are some that is better left untouched with nature.   Mountains have their own capacity.  The most frequently visited mountain are the most vulnerable.   Mt. Pulag for example is accepting 25000 tourist a year (this info was based on 2010 data. Mt. Pulag is home to a diversity of a unique flora and fauna.  An indigenous dwarf bamboo and a cloud rat, slightly bigger than your average house cat, is a home on this mountain revered by the locals as the home of their ancestral gods.

Article Written by : Roberto Labaniego – A Mountaineer and an Admin of “We are FUNtastic Philippines”

Mt. Pulag by Raymond Medina

The most climbed mountains in the Philippines are Mt. Apo, Mt. Mayon, Mt. Halco, Mt. Mantalingahan, Mt. Hamiguitan, Mt. Guiting guiting, Mt. Kitanglad, Mt. Dulang dulang, Mt. Pulag and Mt. Kanlaon.
Article was published in HK LIFE News for November 2013 issue
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HKLIFE News November 2013 Issue
Written by: Roberto Labaniego