Taking that memorable climb up Mt. Pinatubo

Not even the danger of the crater lake overflowing could stop some people, including a 70-year-old engineer, to take the long and arduous six-kilometer commemorative climb towards the top of Mt. Pinatubo, considered the most destructive volcano in the 21st century.

Never mind if the volcano is again hugging the headlines, pushing the DPWH to painstakingly create a small canal for its caldera lake.

For the trekkers, who are participants of the 3rd Mt. Pinatubo anniversary climb sponsored by Smart Communications, Department of Tourism-Region III and the Municipality of Capas, Tarlac; seeing and swimming in Mt. Pinatubo’s jewel-blue caldera lake is worth all the trouble, danger and fatigue.

“I’ve traveled all over the world to climb mountains during my youth. It’s but time for me to climb Mt. Pinatubo and see its beauty before I die,” said 70-year-old engineer and photo hobbyist Nestor P. Datu.

Thus, senior citizen Datu and a handful of forty- to fifty-year-olds, government officials, a few foreigners and adventurists bravely endured an hour of rough and tumble 4x4 ride along the O’Donnel river channel. Afterwhich, they traversed a long bed of rocks and hot and cold streams leading up to the crater, amid a spectacular view of lahar formation.

At the top, the trekkers paid homage to Apo Namalyari, the Aeta’s indigenous deity, and quietly said a prayer for the deliverance of mankind from all evils.

After another religious ritual and a quick dip at the mouth of the volcano, all the participants trekked back – exhausted but victorious.

The DOT-Region III has been promoting Mt. Pinatubo as a tourist destination and Brgy. Juliana in Capas, Tarlac as an easy route to the crater of the once-destructive volcano.

This eco-tourism project has already attracted a significant number of visitors and has generated economic activity for the benefit of the host population. So successful is the project that it has been recently adjudged as the best ecotourism project in the whole Asia-Pacific by the Pacific Asia Travel Association. (PNA)