It’s this time of year when mountaineers and trekkers feel a stirring in the blood: Mount Banahaw beckons. No worries if such visitors accord it the respect it deserves as a reputed sacred mountain, home to spirits and mystical vibrations that make it perfect for communing during the holy days.
Problems arise when the ignorant and insensitive descend on the mount, trash about in the foliage, damage both the serenity and the terrain for the purpose of a selfie, and leave many things more than their footprints.
There are a number of elements that make Banahaw extraordinary. It’s an active volcano, with three peaks, the highest reaching over 7,000 feet above sea level, with a large crater at the top.
But Banahaw is better known for being a “holy mountain,” long the choice destination of pilgrims because of its supposedly holy springs and biblical features.
It’s also a choice destination for trekkers drawn to its natural features as part of the Mounts Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape (MBSCPL) and the four trails that can take as much as nine hours to walk.
Take Julie and Jun Aguilar, of Cabuyao City in Laguna, who were interviewed in 2014 on the mountain where family and friends occupied colorful tents that had been pitched since Palm Sunday.
“This is our 10th year here on Mount Banahaw,” said Julie, a tailoring shop operator. “We also pray, but we’re not religious pilgrims. We just come here to enjoy the peace. Sort of a nature trip.”
Added Jun: “At least for a week, we’re far from the maddening metropolis.”
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which is in charge of preserving Banahaw, has the thankless task of balancing the wishes of the visitors and the need to protect the mountain. It’s a great place to be especially if one is attuned to its serene vibes. But what about the philistine hordes?
Banahaw has long been the victim of careless humans, such as climbers who leave their trash here and there (a no-no on any mountain or elsewhere). The trash problem got so bad that in 2004, the DENR imposed what was to be a five-year ban on certain areas on the mountain through Republic Act No. 9847. But the damage was so great that these areas will remain closed until 2019 to allow the flora to regenerate.
There are other challenges. Last March 6, a forest fire razed more than 35 hectares of grassland on Mount Masalukot in Candelaria and part of the MBSCPL.
Some climbers are so determined to climb Banahaw that they actually carve out their own new paths. And in 2015, more than 25 trekkers were arrested by forest rangers and policemen for entering the closed sections of Banahaw without permits.
Now comes the biggest yearly challenge. Holy Week is peak season for visitors to Banahaw and the DENR has called on both pilgrims and trekkers to keep to the designated paths and stay away from areas off-limits to the public.
“We can all have a hassle-free Holy Week as long as they will obey basic rules — no trespassing in the prohibited areas and observe proper garbage disposal,” said Salud Pangan, DENR park superintendent for Banahaw and San Cristobal.
She noted that some 7,000 visitors came to Banahaw during the Lenten season in 2017. More are expected this year.
Pangan warned would-be visitors not to join any groups offering “unrestricted” access to the summit for a fee. “We will implement a no permit, no camping policy this time.
Any group who wants to pitch tents should secure the required permit from the PAMB (Protected Area Management Board) office in the village,” she said.
Visitors should also mind the rules, which include bans on the use of soap or shampoo in the mountain rivers, on alcoholic drinks and smoking, and on gambling and unruly activities.
These are simple rules of behavior, but then some people are so dense that they need to be told stuff they should already know if they decide to sally forth on the “magic mountain.”
Whether as pilgrimage site or trekking destination, Banahaw is a treasure. Those who would partake of its unique atmosphere and natural allure should do their part in ensuring that this treasure endures for the next generations. Heed Banahaw’s beckoning, to be sure, but with self-awareness and reverence.