Mountaineers told: Inform village officials before mountain hikes

DAVAO City—mountaineers have been told to coordinate their plans and share their itinerary with barangay officials here before they scale the country’s highest peak at the Davao City side of Mt. Apo, the head of the Davao City Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) said.

PSSO chief, Angel Sumagaysay, said there have been incidents in the past “when people going up to the mountain did not ask permission from barangay officials in the area. These people eventually got lost and had to be rescued.”

“They went up, then it rained, and you know in the mountains if there are many trees it is very dark. Now the rain became strong, the water level rose they could not go down,” Sumagaysay said, as he recalled a recent incident.

The mountaineers were eventually found by the Bantay Bukid, the city’s forest guards.

The Bantay Bukid is composed of members of tribal communities living in the area who were deputized to guard the forests in the area.

“They were able to penetrate and locate the area where the hikers were trapped,” Sumagaysay said.

The rescue was augmented by personnel from the Davao City Central 911 and policemen who were deployed to assist the Bantay Bukid in rescuing the trapped hikers.

“Don’t just look at mountain climbing as all enjoyment. You should anticipate that there are so many considerations to look at,” Sumagaysay said.

He said the hikers should consider the weather and the conditions of the area, such as if the trails are slippery.

“You should ask permission and coordinate with barangay officials of the area where you are trekking, or plan to trek,” he said.