DENR RXI team monitors Mt Apo climbers amid Lenten Season

Ascending the Mt. Apo Natural Park (MANP) is a piece of paradise to adventure-seekers. Let alone conducting it on a Lenten Season.
Surge of climbers are expected during this period and it is for this reason that the DENR XI team conducts a yearly Lenten Climb Monitoring in all of MANP’s established trails in the Region.

In April 3-10, 2023, the team was led by the Regional Executive Director Bagani Fidel A. Evasco who is an acclaimed mountaineer himself, alongside Davao Del Sur PENR Officer Alberto N. Bandiola, OIC Protected Area Superintendent Archelito L. Mallari, the composite teams from the DENR Regional Office, PENRO of Davao Del Sur and CENROs and in collaboration with the LGU and some PAMB partners.

The said activity was also in partnership with the MANP-XII Deputy PASU Shirley Uy who also convened with the team for the pre and post assessment of the climb.

The monitoring teams patrolled on the designated entry points, trails and campsites within the Mt Apo Natural Park for the enforcement of the Park’s Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) trekking policies and guidelines.

The team particularly verified the climbing permits of the trekkers, their adherence to the zero-waste policy and mountaineer’s creed of leave no trace. Scouting activities were also done for the possible water sources in the event of a fire incident and verification of the fire lines established.

It is unfortunate that pieces of single-use plastics left along the trails were still observed while boulders and craters were tainted with vandalism. That, despite the constant reminders to the trekkers to leave no trace as respect to our mountains. These, among other remarks will be presented by the team to the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), the multi-sectoral and highest policy making body in the Mt Apo Natural Park for relevant policy actions.

Data was also gathered by the Teams in support to the long -term actions of the MANP for its UNESCO Global Geo-park (UGGP) inscription.

*𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐹𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑙𝑦𝑛 𝑅. 𝐵𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑎𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑟

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