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Wednesday, December 18, 2002
Mt. Apo climbathon summer event in 2003
FOUR years after it was closed for climbing, the country's highest peak Mt. Apo shall once again be opened to mountaineers next year as the Department of Tourism Southern Mindanao braces for a big climbathon summer event.
But DOT Regional Director Sonia Garcia said the event will be strictly regulated, meaning, all climbing activities in summer next year will only be allowed if they are for restoration, clean-up and tree planting.
Garcia said that DOT Region 11 has lined up the summer climbathon event as one of its eco-tourism promotional drives next year.
DOT has targeted groups interested in climbing the peak using either Kapatagan-Sibulan trail or Baracatan-Sibulan trail as entry point to the peak.
Garcia said DOT and partner local government units would employ a process in qualifying a group who will be allowed to climb.
"Of course, we will not just endorse any group. In fact, we in the DOT don't want Mt. Apo to be re-opened just for any climbing activity because it's so fragile. We want to preserve its nature," she added.
The climbathon event, she said, is one of the biggest tourism events to be held next year with a total of 200 expected participants.
She said that DOT is already tying up with local hotels here for the creation of eco-tourism packages for the event. OCE
(December 18, 2002 issue)
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