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Mt. Apo: Highest Peak in the Philippines
The Hike for Light (H4L) project was undertaken by the Philippine Solar Foundation to provide solar lamps to those communities living near the mountains that has no access to electricity. In cooperation with Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation and the 1st Philippine Mt. Everest Team, the project summited 6 of the country’s highest peaks with 200 climbers and distributed 500 solar lamps to change the lives of those communities.
Barely a week after Mt. Guiting-Guiting and with knees still in recovery, I found myself on the slopes of yet another mountain, majestic Mt. Apo, the country’s highest and the last in the list of the H4L project.
Rising 2954 MASL, it straddles between the cities of Davao, Digos and Kidapawan, Mt. Apo is a potentially active volcano and a favorite among mountaineers. Declared as a National Park by Proclamation No. 59 in May 9, 1936 by President Manuel L. Quezon, it was submitted by DENR for inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mt. Apo is host to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including many species of birds, foremost of which is the mystical Philippine Eagle. The mountain is also a source of geothermal power, supplying no less than 106MW to the island of Mindanao.
Compare to the previous hike, we had a large team of participants for Mt. Apo that filled a full bus. The official kick-off was in Digos City, about an hour away from the City of Davao; wherein the team made a courtesy call to the mayor and the required medical check-up for each member. From Digos, chartered vans took us to Brgy. Kapatagan for the first turnover of solar lamps, after which a dump truck took us across rugged roads up to Sitio Mainit.
The ride along this uneven terrain was already an adventure itself. For about an hour, we swayed like grass being blown by the wind, it was all funnies during the start, but after a while, laughter gave way to silence as everyone hold on to dear life for fear of being thrown overboard.
The trek to Sitio Sabwag took a little over two hours in mostly farm lands laden with cabbage, pepper and carrots. Prior to the trek, we were told that there is a covered court in the village where we can spend the night so most of us left our tents and carry only sleeping bags and some clothing. So imagine our surprises upon arrival at the site to be greeted with a makeshift court with the only cover above are clouds!
The community was kind enough to offer their homes to us and we slept side to side on whatever empty space on the floor. It was full moon that night and the light cast the landscape in an eerie soft glow.
By morning the following day, the team headed back to Brgy. Kapatagan for breakfast then proceeded to Digos City to a waiting bus that toke us to Kidapawan City.
We arrived at EDC’s geothermal plant at about 3PM and after a short briefing, their vans dropped us at the trek site.
The two-hour trek to the campsite via the executive trail was almost a walk-in-the-park. We spent the first night at the tree nursery of Energy Development Corporation’s reforestation project with makeshift cushion beds, a roof on our heads, working toilets and a fireplace – a 5-star accommodation for a mountain setting.
The trail to the summit was equally pleasant with good footholds. Upon reaching the summit however, fog shrouded most of the surrounding views with only pocket openings here and there, a disappointment for the four hour hike it took to reach the peak. Nevertheless, as the team returns the next day, we were invited to the 70th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Army’s Artillery Regiment and got to experience up close the firing of a 105mm howitzer.
Our last day in Davao was spent at the Malagos Philippine Eagle Sanctuary, one of the beneficiaries of the solar lanterns.
With the H4L project finally up for a close, for sure our new found love for mountaineering will continue, even now, climbs are being planned and we shall soon be sleeping again under a blanket of stars.
All VRs taken from February 11-13, 2012. The author can be reached at: fung.yu@gmail.com
Mt. Guiting-Guiting: A Ravenous Journey
The Hike for Light (H4L) project is being undertaken by the Philippine Solar Foundation to provide solar lamps to those communities living near the mountains that has no access to electricity. In cooperation with Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation and the 1st Philippine Mt. Everest Team, the project aims to summit 6 of the country’s highest peaks with 200 climbers and distribute 500 solar lamps to change the lives of those communities.
Chocolates, rich creamy chocolates, the kind that you step on and make the trail slippery amidst torrential rain as we make our descent from Mt. Guiting Guiting on the island of Sibuyan, Province of Romblon.
No amount of rain gear can protect you from the continuous downpour as we trekked down under the steep forest canopy, our paths turned into mini rivers, drenched to the bones, for nearly 9 hours, this was the longest shower I ever took.
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Mt. Pulag – At the Peak of Luzon
The Hike for Light (H4L) project is being undertaken by the Philippine Solar Foundation to provide solar lamps to those communities living near the mountains that has no access to electricity. In cooperation with Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation and the 1st Philippine Mt. Everest Team, the project aims to summit 6 of the country’s highest peaks with 200 climbers and distribute 500 solar lamps to change the lives of those communities.
Darkness surrounds us, the temperature at a chilling 12 degrees Celsius as we woke up that morning ready for the final trek towards the summit of Mt. Pulag, the third highest mountain in the Philippines. With no time for breakfast and together with some 200 climbers, our group started the slow ascent in a bid to catch the sunrise atop Luzon’s tallest peak.
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Mt. Kanlaon – Kinship with an Active Volcano
The Hike for Light (H4L) project is being undertaken by the Philippine Solar Foundation to provide solar lamps to those communities living near the mountains that has no access to electricity. In cooperation with Kaya ng Pinoy and the 1st Philippine Mt. Everest Team, the project aims to summit 6 of the country’s highest peaks with 200 climbers and distribute 500 solar lamps to change the lives of those communities.
The Island of Cuyo
Author’s Note: Palawan has three capitals: Taytay was founded in 1623 and became the capital of the entire territory of the Calamianes; Cuyo became the second capital of Palawan from 1873 to 1903; and the present Puerto Princesa as the seat of the Palawan Provincial Government in 1911 by the New American Administration. This article is the last of three parts about the Palawan capitals.
Literally located in the middle of nowhere, the Cuyo Group of Islands is composed of 45 islets scattered in the Sulu Sea. It lies south of Mindoro and is halfway between Palawan and the island of Panay. Cuyo is divided in three municipalities, namely Cuyo, Agutaya, and Magsaysay. Cuyo is the oldest town in Palawan which has a culture of its own and was preserved for more than 350 years.
From the sea, Cuyo Island’s first visible landmark is a light tower by the pier. Many of the streets leading to the town have already been cemented but the town has preserved the Hispanic plaza-iglesia structures. Dominating the town centre is Cuyo’s 1860 church, convent, and fort built by the Spanish and finished in 1680; nearby stand a schoolhouse, a gymnasium, and a monument of the National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal.
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