Friday, Mar 21, 2014
Manila: Six pilgrims remain missing in the Mount Banahaw-San Cristobal in Quezon two days after a grass fire had broke out as authorities brace for similar emergencies ahead of an annual pilgrimage to the “Holy Mountain.”
The fire, which occurred on the side of the twin mountains fronting the town of Sariaya, had been extinguished after burning for several hours according to reports.
The missing pilgrims, who were identified as Jinky Dumanan, Cristy Bolante, Francisco Alapara, Tristan Alapara, Richard Estita and Emirencia Eugenio, had headed for a trek to the mountain despite warnings from authorities on Wednesday morning. The mountain is a restricted area to the public but lack of forest rangers to prevent people from going up the mountain has made this prohibition almost impossible to enforce.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), out of the 11 pilgrims that were reported to have ventured to the mountain on March 19, six are still missing while the rest have already reported to the basecamp down the peak.
It added that three mountain search and rescue (MOSAR) teams are still looking for the six unaccounted pilgrims who are members of the Hiwaga ng Bundok Banahaw (Mystery of Mount Banahaw), a group of locals who share the belief that the mountain possesses mystic powers.
Reports quoted Mount Banahaw Park superintendent Salud Pangan as saying that the fire was likely manmade. Mount Banahaw Park is comprised of Mount Banahaw, as well as the three other adjacent mountains, San Cristobal, Malasalakot and Mayabobo.
Aerial assessments conducted by the environment department placed the extent of area damaged by the grassfire at 50 hectares although independent appraisals said it could be less. The fire, which had raged during the evening, had caught the attention of people living close to Mt. Banahaw — an extinct volcano located some 80 kilometres South of Manila.
Reports quoted Reynulfo Juan, regional director of the department of environment and natural resources as saying that the fire had died down morning on Friday after burning continuously for more than two days.
Local environmentalist Dion Pullan said fortunately the conflagration was a “grassfire” instead of a forest fire which could cause much damage.
“It was a grassfire and not a forest fire which damaged a portion of the mountain described as the ‘mouth of bundol’” he told Gulf News in an interview.
He said although a portion of the mountains’ biodiversity had been damaged, it can regenerate quickly as the forest that are home to most flora and fauna, remained intact.
“What we are worried is that if such kind of wildfires tale place again, it could affect the mountain’s structural integrity and cause a portion of the caldera’s crater to collapse,” he warned.
Thousands of pilgrims are expected to troop to the mystic mountain as Christians mark the Lenten “Holy Week,” in April.
By Gilbert P. Felongco, Correspondent
Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.
