FOR Dabawenyos who want to escape from the city life to breathe some fresh air, a new eco-cultural tourism adventure is emerging in the Obo Manuvu ancestral domain in Mt. Karilongan, Barangay Carmen, Baguio District, Davao City.
The Obu Manuvu’s Koontayan ‘To Obu-Manuvu Eco Cultural Adventure is about 20 kilometers away from Calinan proper and it can be reached by any vehicle up to the Obu Manuvu community is Sitio Macatabo, Brgy. Carmen, Baguio District, Davao City.
From there, visitors together with a tour guide can start hiking through the existing local farm-to-market trail as the beginning of the tour. This trail has 1,083 steeped steps that will challenge ones’ endurance in trekking.
The top end of the trail has an amazing scenery overlooking the whole Brgy. Carmen area, and some parts of Davao City and Davao Gulf. They can watch the sunrise and sunset from the Obu Manuvu’s work of art the Bol’lad To Manama or God Hands structure made with bamboo and rattan which serves as a viewing deck for visitors who also want to take Instagramable photos.
They will be welcomed by the Obu Manuvu Village in Sitio Karilangan where they can also spend the night and stay in the community to experience the traditional and eco-friendly activities as part of the packaged tour.
Some of the activities that the visitors can enjoy are bird watching, forest walks, farm stay where they can eat native food, tree planting, cultural performances, plus an opportunity to be a bantay Gubat for a Day.
The Obu Manuvu in Brgy. Carmen foresee that by having this community project, they can help in promoting environmental awareness, and bringing their tradition back to practice.
Locals will also have additional source of income since this is part of their alternative livelihood projected in their Community Development Plan.
The tribe with the support from the Euro Generics International Philippines (EGIP) Foundation Inc., in which since 2012 has been helping the community of Obu Manuvu in enhancing their capacity to protect their forests , made this project possible.
This ongoing project will have its soft opening on September 8, 2018 and interested visitors should set their booking ahead of time because of the limited number of visitors they can accommodate as of now. They may visit their Facebook Page at EGIP Foundation to see more details.
The struggle in climbing the steeped trail is nothing compared to the struggle that the community needs to endure just to protect our forest. (Joy M. Montecalvo, Contributor)