Albay gov’t mulls rules in Mayon volcano climbs

By MARLON A. LOTERTE

LEGAZPI CITY – The provincial government of Albay is mulling to regulate mountaineering activities in Mayon Volcano that will make climbing in the renowned natural wonder a sponsored and tourism activity.

Albay Gov.Joey Salceda has already directed Provincial Tourism and Cultural Offi ce (PTCAO) chief Dorothy Colle to inventory accredited mountain climbing guides in the province and to review the basic mountaineering standard procedures for climbers to comply with when trekking mountains within the provincial areas.

This, Salceda said, is the first order of business for the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to deliberate on, “ I hope it would be enacted the soonest possible time.”

The governor’s directive came after two members of University of the Philippines (UP) mountaineers were lost after they were left behind by their group, despite the presence of a local mountain guide, when trekking the 2,462-meter high Mount Mayon at the volcano’s border in Barangay Bonga in Bacacay town.

It can be recalled that personnel of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Offi ce (APSEMO), Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and other local search and rescue groups rescued Rosanne Aldeguer and Ramon Vizmanos, members of a 16-man UP mountaineers that climbed the summit of Mayon Volcano recently.

The Mayon Volcano climb tour was recently allowed after the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) lowered the alert level status to zero.

Salceda already asked Colle to confer with the Department of Tourism (DOT) in crafting possible provincial ordinance that will regulate or provide stronger platform for the safety of tourists and mountain climbers trekking Mount Mayon.

“We need here long-term regulations that would boost the promotion of Mount Mayon tourism, with more tourists safely trekking the mountains and scenic mountainscape of Mount Mayon,” He added.

Salceda noted that the mountain climbing activities in Mount Mayon and even other place for trekking have essentially been a free-for-all which is becoming a free-to-fall despite our efforts to regulate it.

Salceda said that the provincial government is planning to send a team from PTCAO, PPDO, APSEMO, Department of Tourism (DOT) and tourism industry stakeholders to Japan to familiarize with regulations for safe mountain climbing in Mount Fuji that can also be replicated to further promote Mount Mayon as mountaineering haven.