News

Vandalism in Mount Apo Worries Department of Tourism

DAVAO CITY-Government tourism officers and mountaineering clubs were worried over vandals as they rushed to prevent further deterioration of the country's highest peak. The Southern Mindanao office of the Department of Tourism already gathered the list of names being sprayed over trail and the peak of Mount Apo. Tourism assistant regional director, Roger Layson warned that he would soon furnish radio stations and offices of local tabloids in the city with the list of vandals.

Among the names printed or etched on trees or rocks include a local radio station, Layson said, but declined to reveal it yet.

Dante Papas, president of the Holy Cross of Davao College chapter of the Apo Sandawa Mountaineering Club, said vandals can be easily identified by the complete name they print anywhere. He said that vandals use car paints as their favorite material while the peak of the mountain is the favorite place for the graffiti.

"They spray-paint or etched their names in those difficult sites, usually at the topmost portion of rocks or upper part of the trees which are the most inconspicuous sites at the peak," Papas said.

Layson said vandals made their worst presence about two to three years ago when, aside from painting trees or rocks, they also threw their garbage along the trail. "Many of these wastes were nonbiodegradable such as tin cans, plastic cups, cellophane wrappers and used bottles," he said.

"They also cut trees and branches and leaves of plants that they use to put up tents and other camping needs," he said.

Worse, Layson said, veteran mountain climbers would make their own trails and open up new paths that would worsen the destruction. He said veteran climbers were usually challenged by trailblazing they call "hunter trails" than using the so-called mountaineering trails.

"In so doing, new clearings for these hunter trails would be made and there would be new destruction," he said.

There are now six official trails, but four were closed temporarily to avoid getting the climbers into the middle of possible crossfire and armed encounters between New People's Army guerrillas and government troops conducting search and rescue operation for a captured general and his aide.

Trails closed were in Magpet, North Cotabato, where the concentration of military operations was reported; the Tamayon Trail in Calinan, Davao City, adjacent to the area where two Army officers are being held by the NPAs; in Sibulan, Santa Cruz, and Kapatagan, all in Davao del Sur.

A trail in Makilala and the Ilomavis Trail in Kidapawan remain open in the North Cotabato side, but even then, a group of hikers formed by former Miss Universe Margarita Moran Floirendo had a chance meeting with NPAs on their second day Layson said garbage-throwing have lessened after the tourism department and the local governments have mounted a campaign to save the mountain. "It is now improving. It is in the stage of rehabilitation and it is rejuvenating," he said. (Manuel Cayon)