The Kidapawan City Tourism Office has defended the installation of concrete slabs on the existing damaged trail of Mount Apo, particularly that linking Lake Venado and the summit, after netizens criticized the city government’s effort to restore it for the safety of climbers.

Tourism officer Gillan Ray Lonzaga blamed the degradation of the trail to the influx of climbers as well as heavy rains.

“Aside from being damaged due to heavy rains, the trails have also widened to about three meters because of the influx of climbers going down to the Kidapawan side of Mount Apo,” she disclosed over the phone.

The country's highest peak sits between the boundary of Davao del Sur and North Cotabato.

Recently, pictures and videos of concrete slabs on the trail of Mount Apo made rounds on social media.  Some netizens slammed the city government, saying that the concrete steps, which are less than a meter long, are not the solution to the problem.

For some seasoned mountaineers, the solution is to let the mountain rest and let the trail recover by itself.

But the Kidapawan tourism officer said that since opening a new trail is not an option, the city government had no other means but to repair the existing damaged trail.

She disclosed that the installation of concrete steps have yet to be completed in five different portions of the trail. “In total, there are only about a hundred meters of trail that needs to be restored.”

The longest portion of the restored trail is about 30 meters only, Lonzaga added.

Environment advocate and former executive director of Mount Apo Foundation Inc. (IMAFI) Ermelo Libre commended the project as it could help ensure the safety of climbers.

However, Libre said that environmental and cultural architecture must be incorporated in project construction to reflect the spirit of the natural surrounding environment.  “And as an expression of the cultural tradition and aspirations of the indigenous community that was there before us.”

“Why not use natural materials like logs? Or anything that’s natural should be considered so that it will not destroy its natural beauty,” Libre, a lawyer and a known advocate for the conservation of Mount Apo Natural Park, told Manila Bulletin over the phone.

Lonzaga said that while logs may look good on the trail, its longevity must be considered given the conditions in the mountain.

She belied reports that the project did not undergo consultation among the indigenous peoples living in the foothills of the country’s highest peak. “The city government has informed the Lumad leaders in the areas because we understand that Mount Apo is a sacred place for them. They even held a ritual prior to the start of the project.”

Mount Apo is one of the most popular climbing destinations not just in the region but also in the country.

For years, the influx of mountaineers during the climbing season had eventually damaged the trail, particularly the lone path that links Lake Venado and the summit.

Lonzaga appealed to her fellow tourism officers in Davao del Sur towns to help them regulate the climbers going down to the Kidapawan side of the mountain.

She disclosed that the carrying capacity of the Kidapawan trail is only 50 climbers at a time and 30 from each trail in towns of Santa Cruz, Bansalan, and Digos City in Davao del Sur.

“When these climbers would go down to Kidapawan trail, this would exceed the carrying capacity on our side. We are hoping that the other LGUs would help us in regulating the climbers.”

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by KEITH BACONGCO

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