THE Sta. Cruz Investment Promotions and Tourism Office in Davao del Sur prohibits all individuals climbing Mt. Apo from bringing, cooking, and serving pork-related food to avoid the spread of the African Swine Fever (ASF).
In an advisory dated Friday, April 22, Senior Tourism Operations Officer Julius Paner said all climbers, guides, and porters are prohibited from bringing pork-related products within the Mt. Apo Natural Park to avoid the contamination of ASF to Philippine Warty Pig population.
"All Sta. Cruz Mountain Guides are also directed to monitor from time to time the presence of Philippine Warty Pig which was frequently seen lately in the saddle grassland of the summit, and have it reported to this office through actual photo and video footages," Paner said.
DENR-Davao confirmed a sighting on April 18 an endemic Sus philippensis or Philippine warty pig, locally known as “baboy-ramo” or “baboy-ihalas,” at the Mount Apo Natural Park during the Holy Week monitoring activity of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Davao from April 11 to 17, 2022.
Dr. Franklyn Buenaflor, assistant technical services division chief of Penro-Davao del Sur, told SunStar Davao that the event was the first sighting of a male warty pig in the peak area of Mount Apo.
Buenaflor said the sighting of the male Sus philippensis is considered to be a rare occurrence.
“Even up to now wala tayong document na (we do not have a document of an) actual sighting ng (of the) Philippine Warty Pig except now,” Buenaflor said.
“We have two Asean Heritage Parks in Davao Region, Mount Hamiguitan and Mount Apo, nakakita lang tayo ng (we only saw a) warty pig through yung camera traps na nilalagay nila (that we placed), but this one is a confirmed visual sighting so very possible na nag-increase ang kanyang (that there is an increase in their) population or safe haven sa kanya yung peak area (or the peak area is a safe haven for them),” he added.
Dr. Armie Capuyan, head of Disease Monitoring and Surveillance Section of Department of Agriculture-Davao Region, said in a recent virtual presser that the region still has recorded ASF cases. However, some barangays are already undergoing a repopulation stage.
Meanwhile, Paner said in a press conference that there has been an increasing demand for outdoor activities in the municipality as it is currently allowed under Alert Level 2.
"We are bringing in the banner for ecotourism for the entire Davao del Sur, and Davao Region," he said during the Pep Talk press conference at SM Lanang Premier on Thursday, April 21.
Due to the increasing demand, the tourism official said the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) recently granted their request for additional persons per trail.
Prior to the pandemic, a total of 50 climbers per trek per day are allowed. However, it was reduced to 50 percent when the pandemic hit the region.
"Daghan na mi gibalibaran na musaka sa (We had been declining bookings for them to climb) Mt. Apo because we are fully booked every day,” Paner said.
He also said that they would stop allowing hikers to climb the mountain beginning June this year in preparation for the three-month off season to give way for the mountain's rehabilitation.
According to a resolution by the PAMB last year, the off-season for 2021 covers the months of July, August and September.