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MOUNT PULAG
LOCATION: Benguet-Ifugao-Nueva Vizcaya Province
ELEVATION: 2,922 meters above sea level
LEVEL: Major Climb, Level III, Strenuous
JUMP OFF POINTS: Kabayan and Bokod Benguet,
Tinoc Ifugao and Kayapa Nueva Vizcaya
INFORMATION:
The highest peak in Luzon, the second highest in the archipelago,
Mt, Pulag or Pulog to some stands at 2922 meters above sea
level. It is one of the most well maintained "premier"
National Park in the country. It is also one of the recently
declared national parks being declared through a Presidential
Proclamation 75 dated February 20 1987 during the Cory Aquino
administration.
Mt. Pulag is located within the municipalities of Buguias,
Kabayan and Bokod in Benguet (5,550 hectares); Tinoc in Ifugao
(3,376 hectares) and Kayapa in Nueva Vizcaya (2,624 hectares),
having a total land area of 11,550 hectares. The highest elevation
or summit, at 2922 meters above sea level is located within
the municipality of Kabayan. Deep ravines, gorges and steep
terrain characterize Mt Pulag.
It is home to some of the nation’s rare and endangered
species of fauna including the cloud rat, Kock’s pita,
serpent eagle, Philippine deer, Philippine pig, and the Luzon
mountain racket-tail parrot, to name a few. It also has a
collection of rare, endemic species of flora particularly
the high altitude types like the dwarf bamboo and different
kinds of pine trees, mosses and grasses. The place is also
home to some of Northern Luzon’s ethnic tribes wherein
most of them considers Mt. Pulag as a sacred place, not only
because they considers it a resting place and playground of
their goddess but also a place where they bury their dead.
In fact the Kabayan side of the park is frequented by visitors
because of the mummy caves and burial grounds of natives residing
at the foot of the mountain.
LEGENDS:
Legends speaks that the local people particularly the Ibaloi’s
considers Pulag as a sacred mountain where the gods rest particularly
Kabunian, their creator and the chief of these gods. Often,
they also consider it a playground of these gods wherein their
spirits roam the place. It is also connected to the thinking
that the dead should be buried on high places, mountains or
caves, which is a prevalent practice among the northern folks.
An elaborate practice that attest to this practice of "gods-in-the-mountains"
is the pagan ritual called "Manerwap" which is done
to ask God to open the skies and allow raindrops to water
the rice terraces and the mountains. Participants in the Manerwap
climb the mountain to reach the sacred place called "fawi".
Here they offer a piece of meat and some rice wine to "Kabunian".
Tribal folk’s rules that participants must be physically
strong to withstand the fast required during the rites, when
they are allowed only water and no food.
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