MOUNT HAMIGUITAN, SAN ISIDRO, DAVAO ORIENTAL

MOUNT HAMIGUITAN, SAN ISIDRO, DAVAO ORIENTAL
March 22nd, 2009 by apolinarjr

I am so happy today cause I just saw that Mount Hamiguitan is already a part of wikipedia. com. Also, I have found out when I checked the website of the world heritage, Mt. Hamiguitan is already there thou not officially proclaimed, but it was already proposed/submitted as lobbied by the local government of San Isidro, especially the governor of Davao Oriental Hon. Corazon Malanyaon.

As a local in San Isidro, in fact i grew up in the town and I’m 24 now, knowing that my place is now recognized globally would make me feel proud that I am from the said town.

I have read some of the blogs about Mt. Hamiguitan and those made me even happier. As a mountaineer I have a lot to say about the experience I had in Mt. Hamiguitan. I’ve been in the place several times like 8 times.

The first experience was when I was 14 years old and that was ten years ago. That was also the very first time that Mt. Hamiguitan was featured in a national TV. Yes, that was in 1999 when the staffs of Magandang Gabi Bayan hosted then by Vice President de Castro considered Hamiguitan as their scope. Some of the municipal officials accompanied the group, the Vice Mayor at that time now the Mayor of the town Apolinar Q. Ruelo Sr. was also a firstimer to venture Hamiguitan. There was also a rescue team named DOSMART, (i forgot what it means) they joined the adventure to assist the staffs from MGB and the officials because we had no experience about mountaineering.

I was too excited with the adventure so we were like the lead packs together with a former councilor and the porter (Pidoy). I was amazed yet exhausted with all of the trails thou I have no idea how other trails look like. I enjoyed the Uwang-Uwang trail where we need to crawl on the 87 degrees cliff.We needed to hold on roots in order to pass the trail. Until we reached the so called helepad, where we put our tents. It is called the helepad because it was made for the helipcopters to accomodate the VIPs who dont want take the trail, but until now no helicopter has landed the helepad. The total hours we trekked was 8 hours and we arrived ahead of the team by 2 hours.We arrived 5 PM and the rest at around 7PM. Unlike the DOSMART they had good tents and so with the cooking gears. I joined the LGU team where they built a somewhat like a house tent without any side covers. It was so cold and incovenient. No earthpads, all where sticks like rods in my back made of woods and too bulky roots in the sides. The scenario even went worse when heavy rain poured. The coldness even doubled which i felt in my bones. We were lying side by side in order to use other bodies temperature. It was still funny because some of us did not sleep and just drunk some hard drinks, and shared jokes. They also built a fire. The one on my side chilled and so did I. And the night was over.

The following day we went to lantawan UNO all the way to “Tinagong Dagat” where along the trail there was mud and leech all over the place. We were told by the rescue team to put some plastic and shampoo over our feet. We reached Tinagong Dagat after 2 hours and they interviewed Vice Mayor Ruelo and went back to the camp site(helepad) it was about 1 PM. We also explored Twin Falls and the grandeur of Bonsai Forest. And we had some socials at night. The following day (3rd day) we descended from the mountain and we were all safe and well. Thanks God.

After amonth it was the feature date, all the people in San Isidro were waiting for the episode in Magandang Gabi Bayan. Then one thing I realized I was not in the episode and as they say; “regrets always in the end”.hahahahahahaha.

It was the talk of the town for quite sometime since it was the first time ever……that

Hamiguitan was featured.