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THE NEW ISRAEL TRAIL …. (Makilala, North Cotabato)

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YOU NEED NOT FLY: You Can Climb through the Clouds!

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AND HERE IS THE TRICK : The New Israel Trail to Mt. Apo

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Welcome to the trail least travelled… Some 24.5 kilometers of foot path least disturbed by man..where only around 300 trekkers come to use every year!

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Soon you shall be entering Makilala’s forests from whence come our rivers and streams which are 90% clear and drinkable at their headwaters…

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But before that, allow us to provide you some general insights!

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Makilala…

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Makilala… <ul><li>Tribal Settlements (7) : Malumpine Valley, Matebugo </li></ul><ul><li> Makalangit, Sagpangon, Ilyan </li></ul><ul><li> Paruvianan, Pekong </li></ul><ul><li>Trail to Mt. Apo (1) : New Israel-Makalangit- Ma’ag/Jordan Peak </li></ul><ul><li>Potential Mt. Apo Trails (2): Sang’ngawan Trail; </li></ul><ul><ul><ul><li> Malumpine Trail </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><li>Macro Agri-Industries : Rubber Processing, Wood Industry, Banana </li></ul><ul><li>Cultural Interests : New Israel Moncadista </li></ul><ul><li>Biodynamic Agricutlrue : Don Bosco Foundation </li></ul><ul><li>Swimming Resort : Le Reve, Sang’ngawan Hotsprings </li></ul><ul><li>Camping : Camp Bulatukan; New Israel; Malumpine; Sang’ngawan </li></ul><ul><li> Don Bosco Youth Camp </li></ul>

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Our location in Mindanao The barangays that comprise Makilala…

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<ul><li>Our major watersheds… </li></ul><ul><li>Saguing R. South Bank--- 8,166 has. </li></ul><ul><li>Malasila R. ---------------12,615 has. </li></ul><ul><li>Bulatukan R. -------------- 8,150 has. </li></ul><ul><li>Lamitan R. ---------------- 5,425 has. </li></ul>79% or 9,900 hectares of Makilala’s forests and forestlands has forest cover. Of these, 6,500 hectares are in Mt. Apo , and 3,400 hectares are in the Labidangan Range . Natural forests comprise about 5,000 hectares.

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Natural Forest 2004 Natural Forest 1988 Decreasing Forest Cover

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Our other areas of ecological interest?

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<ul><li>Sang’ngawan Hot Springs (Barangay Batasan/Biangan/4Bs CADT ) </li></ul><ul><li>Distance from the national highway: 4.7 km; accessible by motorized vehicles’ </li></ul><ul><li>Camping requirement : - Tents and other gears; </li></ul><ul><li>Ideal capacity: - 500 people </li></ul><ul><li>Facilities: CRs, kiosks (due for renovation) </li></ul><ul><li>Current LGU Plans: Architectural and landscape </li></ul><ul><li>design currently being worked out. </li></ul><ul><li>Potential alternative entry to or exit from the peak of Mt. Apo. Fifty(50) or more hot springs; many warm pools! </li></ul><ul><li>Other interests : Bird-watching; monkey watching! </li></ul>

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2. Garok Falls (Barangay Batasan/4B CADT) <ul><li>Distance from the national highway: 7.7 km (3 km by foot) </li></ul><ul><li>Camping requirement: - Tents and other gears </li></ul><ul><li>Ideal capacity: - 15-20 people </li></ul><ul><li>Facilities: None </li></ul><ul><li>LGU Plans : Make it as a side-stopover from Sang’ngawan Hotsprings, on the way to the peak of Mt. Apo. via Mapawa Plains; </li></ul><ul><li>Recommended: Ideal for dry season stops, due to the area’s vulnerable to flash floods, </li></ul><ul><li>Other interests : Birdwatching, Bullfrog hunting at night; </li></ul>

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<ul><li>Distance from the national highway : 11.7 km (3.7 by foot) </li></ul><ul><li>Camping requirement : - Tents and other gears </li></ul><ul><li>Ideal capacity : 10-15 people at a time </li></ul><ul><li>LGU Plans : Make it as a side-stopover on the way to the peak of Mt. Apo , via Koong and Lake Jordan </li></ul><ul><li>Recommended: Ideal for exposure to the Tagabawa-Bagobo culture. </li></ul><ul><li>Other interests : Bird-watching; Bullfrog hunting; Eel-catching; Observance in the local broom making; </li></ul>3. Darapuay Falls (So.Malumpine, Brgy. Old Bulatukan/MAMATA CADT)

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4. Malumpine Valley… as nature trekkers’ hub. A 98% Tagabawa-IP Community , and an alternate route to the peak of Mt. Apo passing through the gradually ascending waterways along Darapuay River on the borders of Davao del Sur.

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5. Le Reve Swimming Resort Barangay Kisante, Makilala <ul><li>Distance from the Poblacion: 8.3 km </li></ul><ul><li>Facilities: Swimming Pools, Fishing Lagoon, Camping grounds </li></ul><ul><li>Capacity: </li></ul><ul><li>200 people </li></ul><ul><li>Other interests: Cut flowers seedlings and other landscape materials for sale. </li></ul>

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About the trail?

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About the trail … <ul><li>1. Twenty-nine (29) kilometers of foot path, 70% of which is underneath mossy forests 30% brush land. Many </li></ul><ul><li>have good cliff-edge vantage views to the lowland; </li></ul><ul><li>2. 80% of the time, the trail winds on top of the ridges; </li></ul><ul><li>3. The trail has clean and cool watering holes along the way; </li></ul><ul><li>4. The trail is characterized by continuous ascent interspersed with rare flat terrains (Makalangit) </li></ul><ul><li>5. The, trail however, is most often supported by abundant moss and buttresses of trees in ladder-like; </li></ul><ul><li>6. The trail is provided with makeshift comfort facilities at </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Makalangit Base Camp. </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>The trail is relatively clean… averaging barely 12-16 pcs of wayward candy wrappers per kilometer. </li></ul></ul>

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The jump-off point : New Israel Moncado Alpha and Omega Community .

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New Israel…. <ul><li>Distance from highway: 4.7 km </li></ul><ul><li>Camping requirement: - Tents and other gears, </li></ul><ul><li>Facilities : Camping site that can accommodate hundreds; a reliable water system </li></ul><ul><li>Other interests : Monkey colony-watching, Swimming at Bulatukan River, lowland landscape viewing, nationalistic celebration and parades. </li></ul>

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Mossy forests that drip in the early morning…

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Makalangit Base Camp <ul><li>A place to rest your body at the end of trek day 1. </li></ul><ul><li>Water, CRs..you have them. </li></ul><ul><li>Root crops, you may buy them! </li></ul>23 October 2008

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Makalangit… <ul><li>At elevation 2000 meters AMSL, Makalangit base camp provides an overnight stop for energy recovery. The host caretaker, Nanay Rosita Pitogo to many, can offer you root crops, young sweet corn, and free range chickens at affordable prices… </li></ul>23 October 2008

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Mt. Pinil-Bama Area <ul><li>This area can be risky due to standing dead tinikaran trees which were damaged by the forest fire of 1998. </li></ul>

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Mt. Zion <ul><li>It is only when one reaches the top of this </li></ul><ul><li>lesser mountain (Mt. Zion), when one gets </li></ul><ul><li>to see the beauty of Mt. Apo. Seemingly near </li></ul><ul><li>in sight, the peak is actually still some good </li></ul><ul><li>four-to-five hours of trek uphill. </li></ul>

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Lake Maag Camp <ul><li>Maag Camp site is second overnight area for </li></ul><ul><li>slow-moving trekkers. The peak is 3 hours </li></ul><ul><li>away. Rightmost picture is that of Lake Jordan </li></ul><ul><li>which has been believed to have waters that </li></ul><ul><li>cure various human illnesses. </li></ul>

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Other New Israel trail sceneries… Makilala’s New Israel route is definitely scenic with its dizzy cliffs upon whose edge one may have to pass. The standard 2-3 days ascent, however, is only fit for the enduring and the strong-hearted trekker!

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When already at the peak… <ul><li>Seek elevated grounds for tent picthing to avoid surface floods when it rains at the peak. </li></ul><ul><li>Keep water sources clean at all times. </li></ul><ul><li>Bury human waste deep in the ground and away from water sources. </li></ul><ul><li>Do not vandalize. </li></ul><ul><li>Shouting of obscenities is prohibited. </li></ul><ul><li>Bring your garbage down to the exit points. Exit checkpoints will ask you to present it. </li></ul><ul><li>Drugs, guns, and excessive liquor drinking of liquor are strictly prohibited! </li></ul>

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Trail Statistics

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Makilala’s Share of Trekkers at the Peak. Year Trekkers % Overall 2005 28 2.4% 2006 206 17.4% 2007* 216 22.0% 2008 129 (no info) * extrapolated

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Garbage management! <ul><li>The proper orientation of trekkers and serious collaboration with local porters/guides have made a crucial contribution to our succccessful management of garbage along the trail. </li></ul><ul><li>A two-year successive characterization of waste materials collected by the MENR Office along the 12.5-km New Israel-Makalangit Base Camp Section, has resulted thus: Yr 2006 – 12 pcs. Ave./km; Yr 2007 – 16 pcs. Ave./kilometer. </li></ul>

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Trail garbage … <ul><li>Year 2006 </li></ul><ul><li>Section Studied: 12.5 km distance between Makalangit Base Camp and New Israel Poblacion </li></ul><ul><li>Items Gathered Pieces Ave. per % of </li></ul><ul><li>Km. Total </li></ul><ul><li>Candy wrapper 98 7.84 64.05% </li></ul><ul><li>Biscuit wrapper 21 1.68 13.73% </li></ul><ul><li>Cigarette Butts 8 0.64 5.20% </li></ul><ul><li>Tying strips 11 0.88 7.10% </li></ul><ul><li>Tin can (coke) 1 0.08 0.65% </li></ul><ul><li>Plastic ( cellophanes) 10 0.80 6.50% </li></ul><ul><li>Paper strips( news,etc ) 4 0.32 2.61% Total 153 </li></ul><ul><li>YEAR 2007 </li></ul><ul><li>Section Studied: 12.5 distance between Makalangit Base Camp and New Israel Poblacion </li></ul><ul><li>Items Gathered Pieces Ave./km. % of Total </li></ul><ul><li>Candy wrapper 107 8.56 55.0% </li></ul><ul><li>Biscuit wrapper 24 1.92 12.3% </li></ul><ul><li>Cigarette Butts 5 0.40 2.6% </li></ul><ul><li>Tying strips 7 0.56 3.6% </li></ul><ul><li>Tin Cans 0 0.00 0.0 </li></ul><ul><li>Plastic/ </li></ul><ul><li>cellophanes strips 46 3.68 23.7% </li></ul><ul><li>Paper strips </li></ul><ul><li>(sardine wrapper) 1 0.08 0.5% </li></ul><ul><li>Juice wrapper </li></ul><ul><li>(oishi manggo) 1 0.08 0.5% </li></ul><ul><li>9. Eggshells 2 0.16 1.0% </li></ul><ul><li>10. Vitamin tablet wrapper 1 0.08 0.5% </li></ul><ul><li>Total 194 </li></ul>

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Portering rules This is contained in Document Titled “General Working Guidelines for Porter-Guides and Trekkers. Some of its salient points are listed below:

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<ul><li>Portering… </li></ul><ul><li>1. Service charge  P250.00/day + food; </li></ul><ul><li>2. Porter-Guide to Trekker Ratio: 1: 5 </li></ul><ul><li>3. Maximum payload: 15 kgs. + additional charge of P25/kg for excess. </li></ul><ul><li>Weighing of cargo is recommended on jump-off @ Israel. </li></ul><ul><li>4. Co-carrying of cargo by the trekker is encouraged. This </li></ul><ul><li>separates the true-blue mountaineer from the ordinary tourist. </li></ul><ul><li>5. The porter-guide is expected to help in the following: </li></ul><ul><li> Pitch tents  fetch water  facilitate cooking </li></ul><ul><li> personal necessities site  safeguard equipment and supplies </li></ul><ul><li> from pilferage  rescuer and danger zone notifier  </li></ul><ul><li>. 6. Walking protocol: the trekkers and porter-guides must stay within shouting distance, for trail security. </li></ul><ul><li>7. Sleeping outside the pre-designated a camp areas is not encouraged, for the trekkers to avoid falling trees and other unnecessary risks. </li></ul>

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<ul><li>Portering… </li></ul><ul><li>8. Exit trail must be pre-determined; no diversion is </li></ul><ul><li>to be contemplated unless extremely necessary. </li></ul><ul><li> 9. Porter-guides must ensure that their trekkers are properly oriented </li></ul><ul><li>by the LGU before jump-off; </li></ul><ul><li>10. Porters and trekkers share the responsibility of taking care of their garbage - bringing the same up to the exit points. </li></ul><ul><li>11. Miscellaneous provisions for porters-guides: </li></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Mastery of the trail and exit points; </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Capable of assessing the appropriate pace of his group; </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Provides himself appropriate climbing gears  tents, raincoat, bolo, clothes, cooking utensils, water containers, medicines, first aid skills, flashlights, backpack, sleeping gears, needle, thread, plates, spoons, cups, etc. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Refrains from drinking intoxicating liquors; </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Provides happy service and forge friendship with the trekking public. </li></ul></ul></ul>

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<ul><li>Portering… </li></ul><ul><li>12. Miscellaneous provisions for Trekkers: </li></ul><ul><li> Only trail-experienced trekkers may be allowed to lead the way. Neophytes must stay in the middle when the group is big and the </li></ul><ul><li> trekker line is stretched long. </li></ul><ul><li> Discipline in cigarette-smoking and intake of alcoholic drinks; </li></ul><ul><li> Eating on time and in the right amount in order to replenish lost </li></ul><ul><li> energy. </li></ul><ul><li> Self-discipline in water intake along the trail in order to </li></ul><ul><li> maintain the right body salt and avoid muscle cramps. </li></ul><ul><li> Provide adequate food for the porter-guides; </li></ul><ul><li> Duly register themselves at the LGU Processing Center. </li></ul><ul><li>12. Both porter-guides and trekkers shall wear IDs at all times. </li></ul><ul><li>13. A mutual rescue obligation binds both porters and trekkers. </li></ul>

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Prohibited Acts Inside Mt. Apo Nature Park

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Prohibited Acts Inside the Mt. Apo Nature PArk <ul><li>1. Hunting,destroying or mere possession of any plants and animals or forest products. </li></ul><ul><li>2. Dumping of any waste materials detrimenal to the protected area or to the plants and animals therein. </li></ul><ul><li>3. Mutilating, defacing, or destroying objects of natural beauty, objects of interest to cultural communities, or objects of scenic value. </li></ul><ul><li>4. Intentionally damaging or leaving roads and trails in damaged condition. </li></ul><ul><li>5. Leaving in exposed or unsanitary condition refuse or debris, or depostiting the same in the ground or in bodies of water. </li></ul><ul><li>6. Altering, removing, destroying or defacing boundary markers, and signs. </li></ul><ul><li>7. Leaving marks on tree trunks, rocks, boulders, and other natural structures. </li></ul>

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Prohibited Acts Inside the Mt. Apo Nature PArk <ul><li>8. Building of fire for cooking and any other purposes is absolutely prohibited. The bringing in of pyrotechnics and other explosives is likewise banned. </li></ul><ul><li>9. Construction of structures other than tents, and cutting of trees and sagebrush is strictly prohibited. </li></ul><ul><li>10. Washing of utensils and clothes directly in the lakes and other water source is strictly prohibited. Pitching of tents within 20 meters in the ase of Lake Venado, and 50 meters in the case of water sources at the peak, is strictly not allowed. </li></ul><ul><li>11. During the dry seasons, bathing and swimming in the lakes within the park is prohibited. As a general rule, regardless of dry or wet seasons, such is not encourage for safety reasons. </li></ul><ul><li>12. Shouting of obscenities, nudity, and unwarranted public display of affection is strictly prohibited; </li></ul><ul><li>13. All other crimes in the lowland, such as illegal drug use, prostitution and other anti-social offenses are likewise strictly banned within the Mt.Apo Nature Park. </li></ul>

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Breath-taking sights

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Floral Diversity

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the changing face of the mountain …

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Dry to wet season lakes…

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A heart-rending solitary place …that invades the very core of a trekker in search of the self!

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Soil layer at the summit … <ul><ul><ul><ul><ul><li>k </li></ul></ul></ul></ul></ul>This water-retaining ash deposit makes possible the continuous flow of the spring even during the 7-month drought experienced in the 1970s.

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<ul><li>Present topsoil </li></ul><ul><li>Sulfuric deposits </li></ul><ul><li>Ferrous ash deposits </li></ul><ul><li>Old topsoil (clay loam) </li></ul><ul><li>Fresh plant remains buried </li></ul><ul><li>underneath a 1640 eruption. </li></ul><ul><li>368 years </li></ul><ul><li>of history </li></ul><ul><li>under your </li></ul><ul><li>feet? </li></ul>

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You may have once doubted if there is water up there…

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<ul><li>February 2008 March 2008 June 2008 </li></ul>But are not the rain clouds higher than the peak?

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Breath-taking sights!

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Have a nice trek up the country’s highest peak! Sail with the clouds, feel the chilling winds, journey into the self, and …

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… realize that a human being’s 70 or more years of earth life , is but a dot in time and space!

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“ Man did not weave the web of life; he is just a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself!” - Chief Seattle 1864

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YOU HAVE REACHED THE CLOUDS, UP THE TALLEST PHILIPPINE MOUNTAIN… NOW, BE CAREFUL IN COMING DOWN. WATCH YOUR STEPS…

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WATCH YOUR STEP S IN COMING DOWN… We only agreed to reach the clouds. We never said Heaven!