Mt. Batulao, a famous beauty of a “beginner” climb, is asked to be boycotted by the mountain climbing groups. Curious, I dared to go and find out why.
Mt. Batulao, The Well-Loved Mountain
It’s strange I haven’t climbed Mt. Batulao earlier. After all, its proximity to Manila made it a popular destination for beginner climbers. The hike to the peak of Mt. Batulao is clearly defined by loose soils amid grassy slopes. Some assaults are steep that ropes were installed to aide climbers. And being an open trail, there are not much trees lining up Mt. Batulao, which made the sweltering heat almost a daunting factor.
Multiple stores providing temporary shelter, restrooms and refreshments made climbing Mt. Batulao more comfortable. Too comfortable, to my taste.
From the beginning of the trail, one can already see Mt. Batulao’s beauty characterized by a seemingly sleeping dinosaur’s jagged back. It’s like a reminder to finish the climb no matter how difficult the path ahead is. No wonder Mt. Batulao’s landscape has been well-loved and repeatedly visited by both beginner and experienced climbers.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAq4GJcs_LR/?taken-by=followyouroad
#BoycottBatulao Movement
However, when I invited more people to join our climb, I was surprised to hear repulsive reactions from the mountain climbing community. The #BoycottBatulao movement was started because of dubious organizations and local groups collecting unwarranted registration fees from Mt. Batulao’s many climbers.
Facebook groups and travel blogs echoed the message to discourage treks to Mt. Batulao until the local government implements correct policies that protect climbers from trail extortionists. As much as I am appalled by the Mt. Batulao “scams”, I was curious to find out for myself what the buzz was about. Now here’s what I found:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAvc7V0s_O-/?taken-by=followyouroad
The Usual Commercialization
The moment we got down the bus, guides and tricycle drivers flocked to us offering their services. Because we were first-timers in Mt. Batulao, we opted to get a tour guide, but we skipped riding the tricycle. Our guide informed us beforehand that there will be a total of PHP 90 collected for three registration points.
There have been reports that getting guides for Mt. Batulao are made compulsory, even for climbers who are very familiar of the trail. The guide fee was also said to have increased to PHP 500 for a maximum of 10 persons, a sum higher than the usual PHP 300 fee for Mt. Batulao. Even the tricycle rides cost PHP 100 for three persons, but only PHP 30 per person — so that riding alone is cheaper than riding with a group.
But the compulsory guide and the guide price hikes for Mt. Batulao are only proposals pending on a barangay-level and have not been approved. Still, we agreed on a PHP 500 fee for our group of six.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAyRd59M_Cn/?taken-by=followyouroad
Mt. Batulao Toll #1: The Dubious Health Center
The first registration was at a newly constructed Sitio Caybunga, Brgy. Patugo Balayan Health Center. PHP 30 was collected per person. You may think this is cheap, but the typical registration fee for mountain climbing only ranged from zero to PHP 20 per person. Those fees charged are mostly for parts of the trail that are private property, for environmental maintenance, or for the operations of the local groups such as tracking registered climbers for safety.
PHP 30 may not be much for an average person, but collecting that sum from a handful of climbers at Mt. Batulao is huge. This Health Center in particular have termed the compulsory payment as a “Donation”. Our guide said it has only been installed late last year.
Toll #2: The So-Called Tourism Outpost
The next registration point was at The So-Called Tourism Outpost not far from The Dubious Health Center. It has been previously reported to collect PHP 10 per Mt. Batulao climber. But for our group, they did not collect any amount. The old lady manning the registration table even said, “Hindi kami namemera” (We’re not extortionists).
However, another climber we met at the peak said they were collected fees from this booth.
Toll #3: The Anniversary Celebrants (New Trail)
For our hike, we chose to ascend and descend via the shorter but more treacherous New Trail of Mt. Batulao. Upon Trail arriving at Peak 8, a sari-sari store just past the campsite collects PHP 30. I asked what the collection was for, and the local said it’s for the 8th anniversary of the New Trail of Mt. Batulao which is on February 6. There will be a huge feast he said, and he even invited us to it. I’ve never heard anyone celebrating a Trail’s anniversary before.
The Anniversary Celebrants claim to collect the fees at Mt. Batulao year-round. They also claimed to be the first ones to collect fees decades before, and that without them we wouldn’t have an established trail. I found this claim to be The Original Collector unbelievable because the New Trail is of Mt. Batulao, well, new. There are still other groups of collectors at the Old Trail. They proudly said that the local government doesn’t have a hand in these collections.
Toll #4: The Basecamp Collectors (Old Trail)
Had we chosen to traverse to the Old Trail of Mt. Batulao, we would have been collected another set of fees. A so-called “Ligaya Basecamp” pre-Camp 1 of the Old Trail collects PHP 10. At Camp 1 itself, another PHP 20 was collected for a total of PHP 30.
So, if we have been unlucky, our tour guide would be right in saying we would have been collected a total of PHP 90 all in all — way too much for a dayhike at Mt. Batulao.
Collecting a huge sum of money without the local government’s permission is illegal, and plainly covetous. It would have been better if the funds collected went to environmental care for the trail of Mt. Batulao, or to installing new ropes for the assault. But these collectors appear to enjoy the funds only for themselves with zero benefit to Mt. Batulao or its climbers.
This kinds of opportunism may have clouded climbers’ bliss upon setting foot on Mt. Batulao. It also spread a negative word about the mountain, as far as promoting a boycott, when in reality it was people who are at fault. The mountain itself was highly recommended for a rewarding “first climb”.
Is Boycott the Solution?
I think the #BoycottBatulao movement was not successful in terms of discouraging climbs, considering the still-heavy traffic in Mt. Batulao. It did, however, stirred up conversation and generated publicity about those who take advantage of the mountain. Mountain climbers are generally the peace-loving kind. But a lot of them in Mt. Batulao, even foreigners, seem to be aware of the over-charging and have asked questions to the concerning parties.
Opportunism in tourism is a reality not just in Mt. Batulao. But I’d hate for climbers to miss seeing the beauty this mountain. I personally think the better route to resolving the abuses going on in Mt. Batulao is to encourage dialogue between climbers and the local groups. Now that we found that charging of registration fees and forced guideship is based on a non-existent legal mandate, we should climb Mt. Batulao insisting on correct processes and demanding proof from scheming groups. A value that should be instilled to beginner climbers.
BOOK NOW: Mt. Batulao Join in and Private Day Tour
- Duration: 2:30 AM – 10 PM
- Places to see: Mt. Batulao trail and gorilla-shaped summit
- Notes: Meet-up McDonald’s El Pueblo, Ortigas, Pasig City; Children aged 0-12 are not allowed to join;
- Price: PHP 3,250
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAoFcnFs_Pn/?taken-by=followyouroad
After all, such abuses are not only directed to climbers, but also to the mountain itself.
How to commute to Mt. Batulao: From Coastal Mall Bus Terminal, ride a bus going to Nasugbu. Asked to be taken down at Evercrest (PHP 100), which is the jumpoff point to Mt. Batulao. You can ride a tricycle to the Elementary School (PHP 100 per 3pax or PHP 30 per pax) or opt to walk to Mt. Batulao’s jumpoff point.
- Inspired? Get more Mountain Climbing travel ideas
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17 Comments
Andre
January 13, 2017 at 1:40 AMGreat post and mind-blowing pictures. First I had have a look at a map, because I have heard of this mountain nor have anywhere near this mountain but it looks like a great track and the view from the top was certainly worth, the hard climb up.
Sam Coronado
January 13, 2017 at 7:54 PMHi Andre, it’s a really easy climb to be honest. It’s just that there are so many people, which is why it takes some time to get to the summit. It’s one of the most beautiful mountains I’ve seen locally 🙂
david supranes
April 22, 2016 at 1:36 PMHi I’m planning on trail running at Mt. Batulao tomorrow. We’ve been climbing Mt. Batulao since 2011 and stopped when the boycott was announced. Does anyone have any updates on the pending proposals regarding the compulsory guides and fees? Can you haggle your way out of the guideship?
Sam Coronado
April 22, 2016 at 4:02 PMHi there! Mandatory guideship is still pending on the barangay level. So you may choose not to hire a guide. 🙂
Nicole Paler
April 15, 2016 at 3:30 PMThis is so sad! I was even planning to go to Mt. Batulao with my kids(3 and 5 year olds, for the sake of Family Bonding 🙂 ), and use the old trail as I have been reading that it’s a great beginner’s mountain. But upon reading this, I am now having doubts. It would be fine by me if the 90 Php is used for the maintenance of the trail, or something that will benefit the mountain, the climber and the people as well and not like this, which is just straight extortion by the looks of it 🙁
Teresa Martinez
January 24, 2016 at 8:54 AMI hope this issue can be resolved towards the betterment of the site since that would be the win-win option to do, generating employment and providing mountain climbers the chance to experience what it offers.
Samantha Coronado
January 27, 2016 at 1:14 PMI agree. It also would help if the funds were allocated to the care of the mountain… Thanks Ms. Tere for dropping by here!
Ishmael F. Ahab
January 21, 2016 at 12:05 PMBoycott should only the beginning. Mountain Climber Groups should also reach out to the local government and residents their concern. These people should understand that what they’re doing is not sustainable. Their greed will eventually kill the tourism in the area. It also give Filipinos bad image especially to foreigners. Nakakahiya.
Samantha Coronado
January 21, 2016 at 1:18 PMI agree. Most of all, I feel bad for tarnishing the reputation of Mt. Batulao. It’s a really beautiful mountain. It’s the greed in tourism that’s the problem. Thank you for dropping by!
bluedreamer27
January 21, 2016 at 9:46 AMGrabe naman yung mga tao na nagtatake-advantage dito.. hopefully hindi maapektuhan yung tourism nila dahil dito.. I’ve been aiming to climb a mountain too…I just don’t know where and how to start… sabi nila Pico De Loro is a good start for newbies ^_^
Samantha Coronado
January 27, 2016 at 1:15 PMHaha! Agree ako sa Pico. Dun din ako nagsimula 😉
Debarpan
January 20, 2016 at 11:54 PMthis mountain looks like a really nice one,hope you had a great journey there.Anyway you did great jobs with quality pictures here in this post.
Samantha Coronado
January 27, 2016 at 1:15 PMThanks! What’s a famous mountain to climb in India? 🙂
Jojo Vito
January 20, 2016 at 10:08 PMI’m sure that it was beautiful climb. Your photographs show amazing views 🙂
Samantha Coronado
January 27, 2016 at 1:15 PMThanks Jojo! 🙂
Franc Ramon
January 20, 2016 at 9:57 PMMt Batulao was my first climb and it was really a beautiful site. I think fees are ok as long as it’s properly accounted for and goes to a cause. Mt. Ulap has the same policy on guides but somehow, it’s good to see that it generates employment. It really depends on the implementation and proper approvals.
Samantha Coronado
January 27, 2016 at 1:16 PMI agree with you. I don’t mind paying PHP90, to be honest, if it went to a good cause.
PS I didn’t know Batulao started your trail stories! 🙂