Mt Tapulao: Poor Man's Pulag

Mt Tapulao Palauig, Zambales

Jump-off: Sitio Dampay, Brgy. Dampay-Salaza, Palauig
Days required / Hours to summit: 1-2 days / 6-12 hours
Specs: Major Climb, Difficulty 6/9
MASL: 2037

Mt. Tapulao stands at 2037 MASL and is the highest peak among the Zambales Mountains which includes the famous Mt. Pinatubo. It is also known as the High Peak, but is most commonly known to mountaineers as the Poor Man's Pulag due to it's pine trees and chilly weather, similar to that of Mt. Pulag in Benguet.

Mt. Tapulao is located in Palauig, Zambales and it's seemingly endless trail of stones are due to a previous chromite mining operation. To date, you can still see tracks of heavy equipment, embedded in some parts of the trail. Having said that, the trails are wide and open, making hikers directly exposed to the heat of the sun. Only after going past the 10 KM point, is where the weather starts to cool, and the scenery begins to gradually change.

Panoramic image of one of the scenic trails in Mt. Tapulao

The trek from the jump-off to the summit is an 18 KM hike with about 85-90% being inclined. It becomes even more difficult on a rainy day as the water flows freely trough the wide trail creating deep puddles of mud, with some trails opening up to a shallow crevice. Stone markers are set up every 2 KM which allows you to pinpoint your distance to the summit and back.

Mt. Tapulao's trail is not at all confusing. From the jump-off, you'll be passing by a few houses and then veering right on to the mining road which marks the start of the trail. The only fork you'll encounter next is close to the 6 KM point where a road to the left goes to PAGPAI campsite and nursery (See first photo below). Take the road straight ahead, keeping right, and in a few meters, you'll reach the first water source.

 The sudden downpour spared us from the heat,

but created an obstacle of muddy trails and slippery rocks.

Notes

• Jump-off and registration is from the Dampay resettlement area in Brgy. Salaza in Palauig

• Water Sources are located in the 6 KM, 10 KM and at 16KM points.
• The water source at the 16 KM point is located at the Bunker Houses, which is approximately another 300 meters of trek from camp site 2.

• Bunker houses can be used if you are hiking in a group of 1-3 persons only. However, it is not advisable to camp at the bunker house during bad weather as the foundations of this bunkers are no longer trustworthy.

 Water source signage at the site of the old mining bunker houses.

 An old that's rusty and forgotten.

Getting to Tapulao

• Take the night trip of Victory Liner to Sta Cruz, Zambales. approximate cost for a one way trip is 350 pesos.

• Ask the driver to drop you off at Dampay-Salaza. From the main road, you will get off on a rough road to your right. This road is located in the opposite side of a power pylon. So look for a power pylon to the left, opposite a dirt road to the right. Tricyles usually await hikers on this dirt road.

• Take a 45 minute tricycle ride towards the jump-off. That should be approximately cost 200-250 pesos.

• For the return trip, make sure to ask the trike driver to pick you up at the jump-off. From jump-off to Iba bus terminal will cost approximately 300-400 pesos.

* Ensure that you're able to take note of the bus schedule for the return trip to prevent delays.

Left: Heaps of Chromites are left abandoned since the cessation of the 
mining operations in Mt. Tapulao. Right: Sunset at Mt. Tapulao

Tapulao Itinerary

Day 0

11:00 PM - ETD Sta. Cruz-bound Victory Liner bus from Caloocan terminal.
+: Alternatively, Iba-bound buses are also possible, however, will require you to take a trike from the terminal up to the jump-off, instead of taking the trike from Dampay-Salaza.

Day 1

03:30 AM - ETA Dampay-Salaza. Arrange for tricycle to jump-off.
0:500 AM - ETA jump-off point. Register at the Welcome Center, start trek.
0:900 AM - ETA first water source
12:00 NN - ETA second water source. Lunch
05:30 PM - ETA ‘Bunker’, set up camp at campsite of choice
06:00 PM - Dinner, socials

* you may extend climbing time indefinitely as night trek is possible

Day 2

05:10 AM - Start trek to summit
06:00 AM - ETA summit
06:30 AM - Back to campsite
07:30 AM - Breakfast, break camp
08:30 AM - Start descent
12:00 NN - ETA second water source. Lunch
02:00 PM - ETA first water source
05:00 PM - Back at jump-off point. Take tricycle back to Iba
06:00 PM - Take bus to Manila
11:00 PM - ETA Manila

Expenses

• Bus: 2-way - Approx. 700 PHP
• Trike from Dampay Salaza: 1-way - Approx. 200-250 PHP / 3-4 pax
• +: Trike from Iba Bus Terminal: 1-way - Approx. 400-450 PHP / 3-4 pax 
• Registration Fee: 30 PHP
• Guide: 700 PHP

Special Concerns

• During the day, the open trails can leave one prone to sunburn and other heat related concerns. On the other hand, nights at Mt Tapulao can be very cold, therefore one should pack accordingly.
• During wet weather, limatik or forest leeches abound especially near the streams along the way.
• Pack light as much as you can. The trail is long and can take approximately 10 hours going up, and about half the time going down.
• Mt. Tapulao is a test of patience and endurance. Ensure that you are physically and mentally ready before taking the challenge!

~ City Boy Tripper

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Bongao Peak of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

Bud Bongao: The Sacred Mountain of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

By: A. Tan

Standing approximately 314 MASL, Bud Bongao or Bongao Peak is one of the landmarks in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi in Southern Mindanao. Bud Bongao (“Bud” is a local word for mountain) is considered as sacred by the people of Bongao and nearby places. They believe that it has the power to heal sickness and cleanse people from their sins. Bud Bongao’s trail is gradual and anyone, even those who don’t have experience in hiking can climb this mountain.

Together with some friends from the Tawi-Tawi’s environmental office, we started our journey to the holy mountain at 7:00 in the morning. We were advised to bring bananas because our "monkey-friends", whom they believe as the guardians of the sacred mountain, will expect to be fed.

Most of my companions do not hike mountains so the climb took longer than usual. At the middle of the trail, the guardian monkeys were waiting for us. We took out the bananas and gave them one by one. Monkeys in this mountain are very friendly; they will not harm you most especially if you will hand them their favorite food.

 These monkeys welcome visitors who offers them their favorite treat.

Since I am a self-confessed photo addict, I took the opportunity to have my pictures taken with the "guardian monkeys". Aside from the monkeys, you will also see plastic strips tied around tree branches. This is due to the locals’ belief that if you do so, your wishes will come true.

After an hour of hiking, we reached the place where the tombs of the Muslim Imams/ leaders are located. I saw two tombs at the area. We were guided by one of our local friends inside the tomb. With a ten-peso coin in hand, I made my wishes and prayed inside the cloth line surrounding the tomb. Make sure to leave your foot wear behind before entering the area as the practice requires one to go in bare footed.

After paying our respects, we then continued our journey to the peak of the mountain. Upon reaching the summit, we were amazed by the panoramic view from the top. The wide open sea, the airport and other nearby islands including Simun’ul, which we later visited, were just a sight to behold. Our hike took us about an hour and thirty minutes to get to the mountain peak.

 Bird's eye view of the open sea.

The airport runway clearly visible from the summit.

That day is also the national day of protest against Pork Barel Scam. So with our printed posters, we joined our brothers and sisters in the protest while we were at the peak of Bongao. After some picture taking and short rest, we started our descent. We were back at the jump off point after an hour, after which we continued our tour of Tawi-Tawi.

Abolish Pork Barrel!

How To Get There

• Take a flight from Zambonaga to Tawi-Tawi, Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific each have one morning flight.

• There are resorts and some transient hotels in Bongao which usually have more rooms available due to the limited numbers of visitors in the area.

• There are available fast craft and ferries that travel from Zamboanga City to Tawi-Tawi, but please take note that they only have trips 2-3 times a week. It is much more advisable to take a plane since the fare costs almost the same if you will take advantage of the promo fares.

• The only means of transportation in Tawi-Tawi are tricycles. You can just hire a tricycle to bring you to wherever you wish to go.

• There’s no registration fee or guide fee in Bongao Peak, but it is advisable to have someone from the place as your guide. The usual practice of the tourists in the area is by hiring a tricycle driver to take them to the peak as well as accompanying them up Bud Bongao. Extra fees are then arranged.

• Since the sacred mountain is inhabited by troops of local monkeys, do not forget to bring bananas with you as these mountain guardians will surely ask for it.

• Although the locals tie plastic strips on the branches of trees as part of their tradition, local government office most especially the local DENR discourages visitors to do the same. Please always follow the “Leave No Trace” principle in every mountain and in any places you visit.

• And lastly, since Mindanao's religion predominantly practices Islamic traditions, always be mindful of the culture and beliefs of our Muslim brothers and sisters. Wear appropriate clothes at all times to avoid unnecessary attention while you are in the area.

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My Mindanao Adventure

My Mindanao Adventure

By: A. Tan

• Kalilangan Festival of General Santos City
• Lake Agco of Mt. Apo Kidapawan City
• Lake Sebu of South Cotabato
• Gumasa Beach of Glan, Sarangani

Kalilangan Festival, General Santos City

Day 1

We left Manila at 6:55 AM via Cebu Pacific Air and arrived at General Santos City, the Tuna Capital of the Philippines, at 8:45 AM. Before we started our itinerary, we had a short rest at Phela Grande Hotel.

Our first activity is to attend the famous Kalilangan Festival 2014, the 75th anniversary of General Santos City. Kalilangan Festival is a celebration of the history and culture of General Santos City. The street competition that shows the life of its inhabitants namely Muslim, Manobos, B’laans, Tagabilis and other native groups was the highlight of the closing program.

The high regards of the place to its tri people namely Moro, Christians and Lumads strucks me the most. The inhabitants of the city are sensitive to the culture, belief and faith of each other. We had dinner at grab-a-crab restaurant together with union officers of the different campuses of Mindanao State University and then capped the night with a coffee at the hotel.

Lake Agco, Mt. Apo, Kidapawan City

Day 2

On our second day, we left the hotel at 6:30am and arrived at Kidapawan City by 9:00am. While my boss was in a meeting, I went to Kidapawan City Local Tourism Office to inquire and reserve for our Mt. Apo climb this coming May. The local city tourism officer was very accommodating. She even invited me to the Sadawa Festival, a means of promoting the city and the responsible hiking in Mt. Apo.

After my Boss' meeting, we headed to Lake Agco, a sulfuric lake located at the foot of Mt. Apo. I was so amazed with it as it was a lake so hot that I even imagined boiling an egg just by immersing it in its boiling waters. We had a short dip and steam in an area fit for bathing and it was truly relaxing. We traveled back to General Santos City at 3:30pm and reached the area by 7:00pm. We had dinner at Gusteau crab located in front of SM Gensan then headed back to the hotel.

Left: Ago Mahamanoy Mountain Resort Right: The sulfuric Lake Agco

Left: At the Ancestral Grounds of MADADMA. Right: Souvenir shop

Lake Sebu, South Cotabato and Gumasa Beach, Sarangani

Day 3


We headed to Lake Sebu at around 8:00 in the morning aboard a private van. But one can commute from General Santos City to Lake Sebu by riding a bus to Surallah, then taking a van from Surallah to Lake Sebu.

Lake Sebu is one of the best places I've ever seen. One of the best features of the place is the Mystical 7 Waterfalls. We also tried the Seven Falls Zipline, the highest in Southeast Asia for 300 pesos. You can have a copy of your picture while riding the zipline for an extra 100 pesos for soft copy, or for 150 pesos soft and hard copy.


After our unforgettable Zipline experience, we went to falls no. 1, the best falls I've ever seen so far, then headed to Punta Isla to have lunch and try boating at the lake. Since Punta Isla is known for its Tilapia, we tried different varieties of Tilapia available on their menu. We headed back to General Santos City to buy our provisions for our planned overnight in one of the resorts in Gumasa, Glan, Sarangani. After everything was prepared, we proceeded to our favorite resort, Isla Jardin. Unfortunately the resort was fully-booked that night and they referred us to Rosal Resort instead. Rosal Resort compared to Isla Jardin is a bit pricey. I was not convinced at first because 3,300 pesos a night for three pax is quite expensive. But since we didn't have any other option, we took the room that was offered. I thought Isla Jardin was better, but when we explored the place, I must say that it was also a paradise.

Left: Mystical 7 Waterfalls. Right: Punta Isla

Left: Shot taken during the zipline. Right: At Mystical 7 Waterfalls

Rosal Resort offers white sand, bluish and greenish crystal clear water and very calm and relaxing surroundings. Gumasa is a pristine beach paradise that everybody will love and enjoy.

Left: Boracay-like sand. Right: A different kind of sunset at Gumasa  Beach

Clear and pristine waters

We sat on the sand and enjoyed our cold beers. A vendor passed by carrying a huge fish, the kind of which I do not know. Since I was so ecstatic with everything about the place, I took an opportunity to have my photo taken with that big fish. I originally wanted to carry the fish but it was way too heavy for me to do so, therefore I ended up holding it upside down instead with its snout touching the ground. The people there told us that they can still catch these huge fishes in the area which is to me, a good sign that the place isn't exploited yet.

We spent the rest of the night at the shore drinking, chatting and relaxing until we tire ourselves out.

Homeward Bound

Day 4

We woke up a bit late the following morning but still had enough time to swim and walk along the shoreline. We saw a few locals and some foreigners in the area. We headed back to General Santos City to buy frozen tuna as pasalubong. There are so many stores selling frozen tuna in General Santos City, one of which is Citra Mina. Just tell them that you will be bringing the tuna in Manila and they will gladly pack it appropriately for you so that you can have it checked-in at the airport.

After purchasing frozen tuna, we again had lunch at grab-a-crab restaurant and went straight to the airport to catch our 3:00 PM flight back to Manila.


How to Get There and Other Useful Tips:

• From Manila, just take any airline going to General Santos City. It is highly advisable to take advantage of promo or seat sales since air fares to General Santos is one of the most expensive domestic flights.

• From General Santos City, you can take a bus going to Davao City and get off Digos City Terminal. Take a bus going to Cotabato City and just ask the driver to drop you off at Kidapawan City. From here, take a habal-habal (single motorcycle service) to Lake Agco, Mt. Apo. Another option is to simply take a van going to Kidapawan City.

• To reach Lake Sebu, take a bus going to Surallah then van to Lake Sebu. If you plan to stay for a night at Lake Sebu, you can go to Punta Isla. They offer affordable accommodations overnight.

• You can rent a van or commute to reach Glan, Sarangani. From General Santos City, take a van or habal-habal then tell the driver to drop you off at any resorts along Glan (I personally prefer, Isla Jardin and Rosal Resort).

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Mt Daguldul and Naambon Falls

Mt. Daguldul and Naambon Falls

San Juan, Batangas
Major jump-off: Brgy. Hugom, San Juan
MASL: 672
Hours to summit: 5 hours
Specs: Minor climb
Difficulty: 3/9

By: A. Tan

Mt. Daguldul or Daguldol is one of the few mountains in Luzon that has a jump-off that is close to the beach. This coastal mountain standing approximately 672 meters above sea level is also a part of the mountains connecting the Lobo-San Juan Mountains which includes Mt. Naguiling.

The mountain features, Naambon Falls, rolling slopes and a refreshing swim at the beach.

"We started our journey by meeting each other at 8:30 AM in KFC Buendia. We then headed to the JAM liner terminal to take a bus going to Lipa. We departed from Buendia by 9:00 AM and reached Lipa City at around 11:00 AM.

We had a short restroom break, and then rode a jeepney going to San Juan. It took us 45 minutes to reach San Juan Market. Since it’s almost lunch time and everybody was starving, we decided to have our lunch in one of the karinderyas near the market. While the others were ordering food, we went to the market to buy our provision for our planned overnight hike.

After our lunch, we immediately headed to Bgry. Hugom and reached the area at almost 2:00 in the afternoon. The jeepney brought us straight to the registration area. We settled our registration fee for 35.00 each and paid the 350 pesos guide fee. There was an option to have the guide stay overnight with us for a fee of 700 pesos but we saw that there were a lot of mountaineers so we just decided to have the guide accompany us only in going up.

We started trekking at around 2:30 in the afternoon; the first part of the trail seemed like a never-ending path of sand which I found very exhausting. It took us approximately 25 minutes to get passed the last beach resort which I believe was La Luz, and about another 5 minutes to reach the foot of Mt. Daguldul.

According to some blogs / pages that we visited when we were researching about the mountain, the trail is gradual. However, I got easily exhausted due to the sand trail which was followed by the assault trail. Another reason could possibly be my lack of preparation. We reached the famous place of Mang Lizardo, who passed away years ago according to the local who was his relative, at around 4:30 PM. We rested for a while, ate buko, washed the ingredients for the sinigang then continued hiking.

Unfortunately, the guide that was assigned to us wassn't so friendly. He kept on telling us that if we will walk on our pace the possible time to reach the camp site is 9:00 PM. We reached the camp site at half past six in the evening.

 

We immediately pitched our tents and prepared our dinner. What we apparently missed out on our research is that the place could be very cold during night time. Luckily with good food and good company, we survived the chilly evening. We had our short but enjoyable socials before calling it a night.

We woke up the next day at 6:00 in the morning just to find out that dogs have taken all our food. However the good thing is that our cooking items were left untouched. Having said that, we just drank our coffees and proceeded immediately to the summit, although, it was not the kind of summit that I imagined it to be. After a short period of taking pictures we headed back to the camp site and prepared what remained of our breakfast before breaking camp.

The trail going down was relatively easier since it seems about 90% of the trail was going down. Seeing that we were already in the area, we visited the famous Naambon falls. Naambon falls is just near the first kubo, in the Niyugan area from the jump off.

We were back in the jump off at exactly 12:00 noon. We had a short rest in one of the cottages along the beach. They billed us 100 pesos each with free use of the cottage. We were supposed to swim, but due to a very tiring hike, we just took a rest, cleaned ourselves and fixed our things.

One of the groups who rented a jeepney offered us to just ride with them. We were lucky to have paid just 150 pesos each from the jump off to SM Lipa City grand terminal. We were back in Manila at past 7:00 in the evening.

Indeed another wonderful experience in the mountain with friends!"

Significant Hours

Manila to Lipa bus ride: 2 hours
Lipa to San Juan Jeepney ride: 45 minutes
San Juan to Brgy. Hugom Jeepney ride: 45 minutes
Trek: 5 hours

ITinerary

Option #1: Camp at the Mountain

Day 1:
07:00 AM - Assembly Time at KFC Buendia
09:30 AM - ETA Lipa/ Jeep to San Juan
10:30 AM - ETA San Juan/ Jeep to Brgy. Hugom
11:50 AM - ETA Brgy Hugom/ Register/ Arrange Guide/ LUNCH
01:00 PM - Start Trek
03:00 PM - ETA mang Lizardo’s Place
05:00 PM - ETA Niyugan Campsite/ Set Camp/ Prep Dinner
07:00 PM - Dinner / Socials

DAY 2:
05:00 AM - Wake Up call (Coffee, tea or Me)
05:15 AM - Trek to Summit
05:40 AM - ETA Summit/ Sun Rise Viewing
06:30 AM - Descend
07:00 AM - Breakfast/ Break Camp
08:30 AM - Descend
10:00 AM - Back at Mang Lizardo’s Place
11:00 AM - ETA Naambon Falls
12:00 NN - Resume Descend
01:00 PM - ETA Jump Off/ Beach
03:00 PM - ETD to Lipa
04:30 PM - ETA Lipa/ Take Bus to Manila
07:00 PM - ETA Manila

Option #2: Camp on the Beach

Day 1:
06:00 AM - Assembly Time at KFC Buendia
08:30 AM - ETA Lipa/ Jeep to San Juan
09:30 AM - ETA San Juan/ Jeep to Brgy. Hugom
10:00 AM - ETA Brgy Hugom/ Register/ Arrange Guide/ LUNCH
10:30 AM - Start Trek
12:00 NN - ETA Mang Lizardo’s Place/ Packed Lunch
02:00 PM - ETA Niyugan Campsite/ Summit
03:00 PM - Descend
05:00 PM - ETA Naambon Falls
05:30 PM - Resume Descend
06:30 PM - ETA Jump Off/ Set Camp at the Beach Area/ Dinner and Socials

DAY 2:
06:00 AM - Wake Up call / Breakfast
12:00 NN - Break Camp / LUNCH
12:30 PM - ETD Jeep from Brgy. Hugom to San Juan
01:15 PM - ETA San Juan/ Take Jeep to Lipa
02:15 PM - ETA Lipa/ Take Bus to Manila
05:00 PM - ETA Manila

Expenses

* Note that the expenses are based on 10 participants

Bus from Manila - Lipa (Round trip) = 198.00 PHP

Option 1:
Chartered Jeepney from Lipa to Brgy Hugom - 4000 PHP / 10 pax

Option 2:
Jeepney ride from Robinson Lipa to San Juan and back (Round trip) = 100.00 PHP
Jeep San Juan to Bgry. Hugom and back (Round trip)  = 80.00 PHP

Registration Fee= 35.00
Guide Fee -350.00 per day / 10 pax (no. of pax is based on assumption) = 35.00
Food= 150.00

TOTAL (Commute based on 10 pax) = 810.00
TOTAL (Rent a charted jeep from Lipa to Brgy Hugom based on 10 pax) = 1,630.00

Special Concerns

• The last trip of Jam liner bus from Lipa City to Manila is 8:00 PM however you can go to SM City Lipa to catch other bus lines
• Last trip of jeepneys from San Juan to Lipa City is 8:00 PM
• Jeepneys from Bgy, Hugom to San Juan is until 12 noon but you can take a tricycle from the registration area to take you to the jeepney terminal going to San Juan
• You can also try to arrange with other climbers who rented chartered jeepney if they can still accommodate your group. This is advisable to small groups like ours.
• Make sure to keep your food inside your tent or the dogs will be happy eating your food.
• Make sure to hang your garbage bags to the trees or the dogs will scatter your garbage. 

~ City Boy Tripper

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