Steering Mindanao’s Mount Apo toward a Sustainable Path

Mount Apo in Mindanao represents different things. Standing at 2,954 meters above sea level, it is a holy grail for climbers drawn by the challenge of conquering the Philippines’ tallest peak. For the Manobo, Bagobo, and other indigenous peoples who consider the mountain their ancestral home, it is sacred ground. For the endangered Philippine eagle, warty pig, brown deer, the waling-waling orchid (Vanda sanderiana), and other flora and fauna, it is home—a refuge.

With the Mount Apo National Park facing habitat destruction from tourism, agriculture, and human settlements, stakeholders are mounting initiatives to protect it. These include developing sustainable mountain tourism and setting up a wildlife rescue and conservation center.

Mount Apo became a protected area in the Philippines with the passage of Republic Act 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992.

Sustainable mountain tourism

Last year, Mindanao and Sabah Parks launched an initiative to strengthen cooperation in mountaineering conservation and biodiversity advocacy, promote sustainable tourism, and ensure long-term benefits for local communities. Sabah Parks manages nine parks on the island of Borneo, including Kinabalu Park where Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea at 4,095.2 m, is located.

The BIMP-EAGA’s Environment and Tourism Clusters is supporting the initiative through the Twin Peaks Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Project. It entails knowledge exchange on sustainable resource management and reciprocal benchmarking between teams from Mindanao and Sabah. In Mindanao, it includes the establishment of the Mount Apo Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center. The project is also looking into joint marketing of Mount Apo and Mount Kinabalu as an ecotourism package.

Initial efforts focus on engaging mountaineering groups to raise awareness and drive positive behavioral changes, aiming to set a transformative course for sustainable tourism in the mountainous regions of Mindanao, including Mount Apo.

A conference organized last year by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) gathered stakeholders to examine sustainable pathways for mountain tourism in the region. Attendees also looked into developing uniform, general guidelines for Mindanao mountaineers and to professionalize porters and guides.

According to United Nations Tourism, mountain tourism is an opportunity to promote sustainability and inclusion. While mountains are among the most fragile ecosystems under threat from climate change and exploitation, well-managed mountain tourism has benefits.

“When managed well, sustainable mountain tourism can generate important livelihood opportunities contributing to socioeconomic development and social inclusion, as well as landscape and biodiversity conservation,” the UN body said in a report. "It can help preserve the natural, cultural and spiritual heritage of mountains, promote local crafts, foods and recipes, and celebrate traditional practices such as local festivals.”

The same report estimates mountain tourism accounts for 9%–16% of international tourism, but scarce data prevented it from estimating the sector’s share in domestic tourism.

In the case of Mount Apo, various reports say 5,000 to 10,000 climbers brave Mount Apo every year. In the last 4 years, authorities have tried to control the number of climbers allowed on the mountain because of cases of vandalism as well as improper sanitation and waste disposal along trails and campsites. To give the mountain a chance to recover from human activities, authorities have been shutting down the park between June and August.

According to the UN Tourism, sustainable mountain tourism seeks to reduce tourism’s negative environmental and social impacts and address the challenges posed by climate change.

A 2021 UN Tourism study said sustainable mountain tourism products and services should shift from high-impact tourism to low-impact, climate-sensitive ones, and create new opportunities, bringing tangible benefits to local communities, while helping to enhance the conservation of unique mountain heritage. They should also be inclusive, providing good-quality employment and decent work.

The study cites a tourism initiative in the Cordillera region of the Philippines, where stakeholders connected tourism service providers with small-scale producers so visitors could discover high-quality mountain products. The project was piloted in 2018 and offered an itinerary allowing visits to local producers of Benguet coffee, rice, and other agricultural products. In the Himalayas, homestays run by local communities offer “astrostays” where visitors can enjoy stargazing.

Rescuing wildlife 

The proposed establishment of the Mount Apo Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center seeks to amplify conservation initiatives in the park. It aims to safeguard the remaining populations of wildlife species. Under the proposal, the center will enhance surveillance and protection at designated areas to establish an additional layer of defense against disasters and human encroachment. The center will also serve as both a nursing and holding area and breeding facility for endangered species on Mount Apo.

The initiative was prompted by a widely circulated video depicting an injured warty pig on Mount Apo. The video was shared across social media platforms in 2022. The incident underscored the absence of a suitable facility to rehabilitate injured animals.

There are now pending bills in both the Philippines’ Lower House and Senate supporting the establishment of the center. Both aim to address critical challenges threatening flora and fauna in the Mount Apo park.

According to MinDA, the approval of these bills is crucial in safeguarding the integrity and richness of the country’s natural heritage for generations to come.