3,000 climb Mt. Apo during Holy Week

DAVAO CITY , Philippines   â€“ At least 3,000 people climbed Mt. Apo, the country’s highest peak, in the annual summer trek during the Holy Week.

The number was based on the registration made at each of the four trails that led to the peak.

Climbers passed through the Kapatagan trail in Digos City and Sta. Cruz and Bansalan trails, all in Davao del Sur, and Kidapawan City trail, Cotabato.

Officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and tourism offices of local government units made sure that climbers were properly registered.

They also asked the over 3,000 climbers to refrain from throwing their garbage along the way.

A one-year-old baby, Raffy Duran, from Barangay Lanao, also in Kidapawan, was the youngest to have climbed Mt. Apo. Duran’s parents are both regular mountain climbers.

Rodolfo Raagas, 70, a native of Cagayan de Oro City, was the oldest to have climbed the highest peak last week.