2014 Mt. Apo trek season launched

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines  – The city government and the Department of Tourism launched at dawn Wednesday the 2014 Mt. Apo trek season, optimistic the activity will bring in more mountaineers this year.

Kidapawan City is located at the foot of Mt. Apo, the country’s highest peak at more than 12,000 feet above sea level, and covered by vast tropical rainforests that are home to a majestic wildlife, including ethe endangered Philippine Eagle.

Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista led the symbolic dawn send off rite for more than a hundred mountaineers comprising the first batch of climbers to trek to the summit of Mt. Apo.

Evangelista said he is grateful to the Region 12 rank-and-file employees of the DOT, led by Regional Director Nelly Dillera, for helping the city government organize and promote the activity.

“Credit should also go to the Kidapawan City city tourism office and to various organizations helping us in this yearly mountain climbing activity,” Evangelista said.

The mountain climbers Evangelista and Dillera sent off at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday started their trek to the top of Mt. Apo via Kidapawan City’s Barangay Ilomavis.

Barangay Ilomavis is host to two geothermal power plants supplying about one-fourth of Mindanao’s daily power requirements.

“These mountaineers will also have a chance to mingle with the indigenous ethnic communities in Mt. Apo,” Evangelista said.

Many of the mountain climbers are local government employees from various parts of Mindanao, representatives of non-government organizations, and incumbent local executives.

"Some of them are sportsmen from the cities of Cebu and Tacloban, from Metro Manila and Davao areas," Dillera said.

This year’s Mt. Apo trek season coincides with a week-long local eco-tourism summit, which aims to showcase Kidapawan City’s eco-tourism sites, including the Mawig and Kansal waterfalls.