The mountains are calling and I must go, but such is the saying with only half of the truth mentioned in it. I believe that it is we who are calling upon the mountains, to quell our thirst for adventure and to check our sanity. But where do you draw the line between obsession and insanity? When you’re on the trail, hours passed, what do you tell yourself each time to make your mind understand that it’s possible to reach the summit? Dead toenails,
aching body, coldness in the air that reaches your very bones, wet clothes, heavy load in your backpack, and a tiny voice saying that you should turn back, these are reasons enough to turn tail and retreat when you’re up there. But for the fearless, for the dauntless, it has to be done one way or the other. With the thought of reaching the summit, to finish the climb, and to understand more of yourself and the mountain, we carry on. We all have our reasons why we climb, I recently learned about mine and why I should.
We are very fortunate to be in Northern Mindanao, Region 10. For the longest time ever, it never occurred to some that we are living in the region which can be considered as the climbing Mecca of the Philippines, the mountain tourism capital of the country so to speak.
The 5 different provinces have different mountains in their vicinities, but for this article I’d like to tackle the mountains of the province whose name literally means mountain. The mountains in the province of Bukidnon are tall, in some degrees mystical, and filled with all the necessary parts to make you want to go outside even more. The area offers a cultural experience as you get to meet different indigenous people in various mountainous locations, and the it is home to the geological monoliths in varying degrees of difficulty but all the same beautiful in their own ways. From day hikes, chasing waterfalls, river treks, major climbs, and extremely difficult climbs, it has everything an adventurer or a passing by tourist would ever want. 2 of the most known ranges in the area is Mt. Kitanglad and Mt. Kalatungan. However, I would also like to point out that the land locked province of Bukidnon is partly home to the Pantaron mountain range or also known as the Central Cordillera of Mindanao, which stretches from Misamis Oriental all the way to Davao del Sur.
Tourism in the mountains is a bit tricky, as it needs a great amount of support and deliberation from both government and private individuals/agencies. These people have to tackle different problems such as sustainability, carrying capacity, promotions, keeping climbers in check, environmental concerns and providing livelihood to our indigenous people. However, different issues will arise given different scenarios. On my part, I am a public servant first, photographer, writer and climber second. I believe that by climbing mountains, I can somehow document the indigenous people in the area, their land, and create awareness of their present situation. Because in the end, these indigenous people are the ones who are protectors of the mountains and everything that is in it. With sustainable livelihood and equipping them with proper training, gear, and motivation, we can encourage the locals to become allies for a better tomorrow.
For the longest time, it has always been about us. And I believe its about time we give something back to the communities, to the indigenous people. The mountain to me before was just a height that needed to be conquered, a place to photograph our experience in the trail, and a fulfillment to our hunger of adventure. But as I climbed more, I’ve learned that the mountain as a whole isn’t just a piece of rock or dirt with vegetation, animals, bodies of water, and majestic views. A mountain is a cathedral to the people of old, it is their pharmacy where they get their medicine, it is here where the headwaters stream down into the vast rivers, and it is during the hike that makes you understand life better than ever.
And begs the question, why do we do it? If not for ourselves and our obsessions, why do we put ourselves to so much physical duress? Honestly, I cannot put it into words, only the mountains can give you a better understanding, only the mountains can make you see the world in a different light, and only the mountains and its people can make you reconnect with yourself.
So, with all that said, let me rephrase the popular saying into: “The mountains have the answers, and you must go”.
