DAVAO CITY—The city government here has warned mountaineers not to use the Mount Talomo trail in their summer climb to the country’s highest peak, despite the controversial green light to reopen the mountain to regular climb after last year’s forest fire.
In a statement released by the city government and quoting City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, it warned that sanctions await those who would violate the city government’s ban on using the Mount Talomo trail. It said Mount Talomo trail was already excluded from the list of Mount Apo entry points “but we received evidence that mountaineers and tour operators are entering Mount Apo through [it].”
“These illegal activities must be stopped and the Davao City government strongly reminds the public of the possible sanctions to be meted out to violators,” Duterte-Carpio said.
The city government said it has decided to keep Mount Talomo “one of the mountains and watershed areas that the local government of Davao is keenly protecting because of its important ecological value”.
“It is the recharge area of the Talomo-Lipadas watershed and the home to the endangered Philippine Eagle,” Duterte-Carpio said.
“However, for those who wish to visit the mountain, the public is informed that a comprehensive ecotourism and cultural plan will soon be rolled out. This will cover regulations that will ensure that the watershed area is protected from human activities that are injurious and destructive to the environment,” she said.
The ecotourism plan was being hatched up by the city government, the Department of Tourism Davao region and the Philippine Eagle Foundation. These agencies have also linked up with the Bagobo community in the area.
“We encourage tour operators, tourists and mountaineers to join us in the promotion of environmental protection and become active partners in ensuring that the next generations will still experience healthy, safe and sustainable biodiversity and ecosystem,” she added.
The Department of the Environment and Natural Resources took hits from environmentalists after its unit, the Mount Apo Natural Park-Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) announced that it has reopened the mountain to regular climb.
The announcement came a year after a forest fire razed 350 hectares of scattered forest areas, from the peak at the Kidapawan City side to the eastern slopes in the Davao del Sur side of the mountain. That year, the PAMB was heavily criticized over its decision to allow mountain climbing at the time of the severe period of El Niño. No one was held responsible for the fire.
In both decisions last year and this year, environmentalists said it was the desire to generate profit that drove local governments to insist on allowing the regular mountain climb. The mayors of the seven entry points to Mount Apo comprise the PAMB.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes