Davao Region is my third and last
region for this backpacking trip in Mindanao.
For this leg, my main itinerary is a
hiking trip to Mt. Talomo, one of the peaks of the city.
Believe to be inhabited by the guardians of Mt Apo, the mountain is also an important ecosystem and watershed.
To reach Mt Talomo, one should navigate
first the hundred hectares banana plantations in Barangay Tamayong.
As a advocate of diverse cropping and organic agriculture, it was a terrible sight to see hundred and hundreds of banana plants encroaching small communities and forest lines.
We arrived at Sicao, an Obo-Manobo upland village by mid-afternon but we decided to set camp since the weather begun to turn bad.
It’s been raining for the past weeks in Davao, making all trails muddy and difficult
for trekking.
Rubbing salt into the wound, my shoes which I have been using everyday since arriving
in Mindanao reached its limit.
We decided to forego the summit trek
and instead went to the mountains' amazing waterfalls. We leave our stuff at the
community and after four hours of trekking with my rope-supported
shoes, we reached our first waterfall- Sicao Falls.
The water of the falls is cold and clean. In fact you can still drink directly the flowing water.
After an hour, we went to another
site – the Tres Marias or Tatlong
Maria, a three side-by-side falls.
A magnificent 180 degrees-view. Too bad my camera doesn’t have a panoramic setting.
Saw this snake along the river. Beauty
isn’t it?
Luckily I managed to get back at our
camp with my shoes still barely intact. We have a healthful vegan meal for
lunch and then trek back to the city.
After two weeks, I ended my backpacking
trip in the great Mindanao.
My deepest gratitude to Jumar, Anne and her
family for their generosity and hospitality during my stay in Davao City.
MT. TALOMO
Davao City
05.12-13.12
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