Only 1,000 mountaineers allowed to climb Mt. Apo this week

DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur – The local government units around Mt. Apo will allow only a total of 1,000 mountaineers to climb the country’s highest peak this Holy Week.

Joey Recimilla, city tourism officer of Kidapawan City in North Cotabato, said that the Mt. Apo Natural Park Protected Area Management Board’s (MANP-PAMB) Eco-Tourism Committee, has decided to regulate entry in Mt. Apo.

“Only 1,000 climbers will be permitted to climb Mt. Apo during the Holy Week,” Recimilla said.

Climbers can enter Mt. Apo through the trails in Kidapawan, Magpet and Makilala in North Cotabato, and Sta. Cruz and Digos City in Davao del Sur.

The local government agreed to regulate the number of climbers to prevent forest and grass fire because of the drought.

Based on the MANP-PAMB’s monitoring, grass fires were reported along the Sta. Cruz and Digos trails.

In Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, the local tourism office called on climbers to follow mountaineering rules and forest prevention measures.

The MANP-PAMB prohibits the use of firecrackers, burning of debris and setting up of campfires. Wood, logs and charcoal are not allowed for cooking.

Rising 2,956 meters above sea level, Mt. Apo is the highest mountain in the Philippines.  SFM