Scale
new heights, swim in turquoise waters and scamper to a new place I’ve never
been were among the things I wanted to do as summer began. So far, I was
able to push through with the last two summer goals last March and April,
respectively, except for the first one. Some unfounded fear kept me from pursuing
it. I haven’t scaled a peak the past three years, and that, I believe, has
created a deep hole of doubt in me—so deep I dreamed about dying during a trek! |
| A glimpse Cebu's southwestern coastline and Badian Island from Osmeña Peak |
The last one whose summit I reached was Mt. Calayo a.k.a. Musuan Peak in Bukidnon. It was one helluva difficult one for this world-weary adventure junkie who practically had no preparation whatsoever for the arduous trek. Good thing, I pulled it off successfully on my own, without any guide. For more about my climb there, click this link: http://scorpio-sojourn.blogspot.com/2015/03/musing-at-bukidnons-mt-musuan.html).
Can I do it again? Do I still have what it takes to make it to the top in one piece? I mused as the scorching summer days rolled by. Admittedly, age has caught up on my knees and legs; they’re no longer in tiptop shape like when I scaled Mt. Apo many years ago. Still, a part of me wanted to prove to myself that I can still do it.
 |
 |
 |
Just
when I was about to abandon my plan, the chance to go climbing suddenly came my
way—thanks to an unforeseen event held in Cebu that became my passport to another
adventure in the uplands. Mind you, the island province has a number of
interesting highland hideaways that are just waiting to be explored by
adventure junkies.
The peak, a part of the Mantalongon mountain range, is quite unlike other mountain ranges in the country given its numerous jagged hills neatly spread all over the place that provide a panoramic view of the southern part of Cebu Province. Osmeña Peak is the highest among these hills. At first glance, the conical hills resemble gigantic green Hershey Kisses! I was instantly smitten, nay, overwhelmed by the awesome beauty of this popular destination.
Chances are, the Chocolate Hills of Bohol would most likely cross your mind the moment you lay eyes on the Mantalongon mountain range. The hills in the latter, however, are thinner, sharper and craggier. Unlike the Chocolate Hills, the peaks of the Mantalongon range are assembled near each other. I surmised that they must have been huge corals that rose up so high from under the sea millions of years ago.
Why
do I like scaling peaks and mountains? Well, there’s something about them
that’s worth all the effort. To borrow the words of John Muir, Scottish-American
author and environmental philosopher: “Keep close to Nature's heart... and
break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the
woods. Wash your spirit clean.” And climb Osmeña Peak I did “to wash my spirit
clean”. I guess I needed some “washing” if only to scrub out self-doubt.
It
was a hot Saturday when I finally embarked on my trek. Waking up early, I took
a quick shower, skipped breakfast and messaged Grab for a cab. Around 7 AM, I
was on my way to Cebu South Terminal. Arriving there, I was dismayed to see several
long queues waiting for the buses that will take them to various destinations.
On weekends, the terminal is usually packed with passengers going home to the
southern towns of Cebu and even to those in nearby Negros Island.
Ignoring
the grumblings of my tummy, I decided to head straight for my ultimate
destination instead of having lunch first. I bought some stuff though from a
7-Eleven outlet at the town’s junction, intending to eat them later when I’m
already at the mountain’s summit. To get to the peak, I hired a motorcycle taxi
locally known as habal-habal, plying
the route from downtown Dalaguete to the upland village of Mantalongon, the
jump-off point for the peak.
After
getting what I wanted, I went out of the store and saw a squad of habal-habal drivers just across the
street. After some negotiation with one of the fellows, I hired the services of
Arnold who drove me all the way to the tourist center at the foot slopes of Mt.
Labalasan. One way fare per person is pegged at Php100. As the motorcycle can
accommodate two persons, I had to shell out Php200 for one way fare or a total
of Php400, including the return trip.
The
smooth ride along the zigzagging but well-paved Dalaguete-Badian Road passing
through Mantalongon treated me to a picturesque montage of the countryside—lush
mountains, rolling hills, steep cliffs, green veggie patches, quaint little huts
and charming rest houses and a whole lot more. About 45 minutes later, we
reached the base or jump-off point where visitors—I was among the throngs who
were mostly backpackers and hikers from Luzon—are made to sign at the Osmeña
Peak Tourism Center. Entrance fee is Php30 per person.
Local guides often approach visitors, offering to show you the way to the peak for a fee, of course. It wouldn’t hurt your pocket to give something to augment the income of the locals, most of whom seem to live below the poverty line. I got the services of an older guide named Boy. About Php150 would suffice as guide’s fee but I gave him Php200 because he also doubled as porter and photographer.
On
our way to the top, Boy told me that the peak was discovered by no less than
President Sergio Osmeña, Sr., the country's third president. Osmeña, a native
of Cebu, often had his plane landed there. Boy also mentioned that the boulder
where I posed for some pictures used to be a cornerstone bearing an inscription
about the late president’s discovery of the peak. I'm not sure though how
accurate his account was. Nonetheless, I enjoyed to the hilt that quick escape
to one of Cebu's highest points.
If there’s one important
thing I gained from my trek to Osmeña Peak, it is this: That somewhere between
my soul and that highland hideaway, after all the starts and stops, the doubts
and the drifts, the sunburn, the sweat and thirst, swollen feet, sore muscles
and all, I’ve proven to myself that I still got what it takes to scale new
heights (although not as high as the other ones I’ve trekked before) and
stumbled upon a little bit of bliss up there where the sun kisses the jagged
hills. John Muir was right. We all need some “washing of the spirit” if only to
become bigger, better and bolder versions of our old selves. 🤣🤣🤣
 |
Said
to be one of the highest points in the whole island of Cebu, the stunning peak
in the village of Mantalongon in the town of Dalaguete, overlooks the coastal
towns of south Cebu and the nearby islands of Bohol, Negros and Siquijor at an
elevation of 1,013 meters above sea level (roughly 3,325 feet). At the summit,
climbers are rewarded with a spectacular vista of numerous jagged hills spread
across limestone cliffs as well as the seascape of Cebu’s southwestern coast,
including Badian a.k.a. Zaragoza Island.
 |
| Part of the Mantolongon mountain range |
The peak, a part of the Mantalongon mountain range, is quite unlike other mountain ranges in the country given its numerous jagged hills neatly spread all over the place that provide a panoramic view of the southern part of Cebu Province. Osmeña Peak is the highest among these hills. At first glance, the conical hills resemble gigantic green Hershey Kisses! I was instantly smitten, nay, overwhelmed by the awesome beauty of this popular destination.
 |
 |
Why
do I like scaling peaks and mountains? Well, there’s something about them
that’s worth all the effort. To borrow the words of John Muir, Scottish-American
author and environmental philosopher: “Keep close to Nature's heart... and
break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the
woods. Wash your spirit clean.” And climb Osmeña Peak I did “to wash my spirit
clean”. I guess I needed some “washing” if only to scrub out self-doubt. |
 |
It
wasn’t until around 9:30 AM when I finally boarded an airconditioned Ceres bus
bound for Bato and Oslob (passing through Dalaguete). Good thing, I was able to
get a window seat that afforded me a spectacular view of Cebu’s breathtaking
coast. Almost three hours down the road, I finally reached Dalaguete, the
take-off point for my trek. There are other entry points to Osmeña Peak but I
chose this route since I’m familiar, more or less, with the town having visited
it a few years back.
Ignoring
the grumblings of my tummy, I decided to head straight for my ultimate
destination instead of having lunch first. I bought some stuff though from a
7-Eleven outlet at the town’s junction, intending to eat them later when I’m
already at the mountain’s summit. To get to the peak, I hired a motorcycle taxi
locally known as habal-habal, plying
the route from downtown Dalaguete to the upland village of Mantalongon, the
jump-off point for the peak.
From
what I’ve gathered, Mantalongon, which is one of the 33 barangays (villages) that make up Dalaguete, boasts of cold
temperatures ranging from 18 to 24 degrees Celsius. Known as Cebu’s “Little
Baguio of the South”, it has also been recognized officially as the province’s
“Summer Capital”. With its nippy climate, high-value veggies like carrots,
cabbages, eggplants, lettuce, squash, among others, are grown extensively in
different parts of the barangay, earning for it the moniker, “Vegetable Basket
of Cebu”.
 |
| Osmeña Peak Tourism Center |
The
smooth ride along the zigzagging but well-paved Dalaguete-Badian Road passing
through Mantalongon treated me to a picturesque montage of the countryside—lush
mountains, rolling hills, steep cliffs, green veggie patches, quaint little huts
and charming rest houses and a whole lot more. About 45 minutes later, we
reached the base or jump-off point where visitors—I was among the throngs who
were mostly backpackers and hikers from Luzon—are made to sign at the Osmeña
Peak Tourism Center. Entrance fee is Php30 per person. |
| The view down below |
Local guides often approach visitors, offering to show you the way to the peak for a fee, of course. It wouldn’t hurt your pocket to give something to augment the income of the locals, most of whom seem to live below the poverty line. I got the services of an older guide named Boy. About Php150 would suffice as guide’s fee but I gave him Php200 because he also doubled as porter and photographer.
Mind you, Boy clicked like a pro, directing me how to position myself, fiddling with my smartphone’s camera with ease as if he owned it, and snapping most of my best shots! I can’t thank the fellow enough for the guidance and the pics so I offered him free merienda after we descended from the summit.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
So
far, the trail going up the peak is among the easier ones I’ve trekked in
recent years. The less-than-a-kilometer hike from the tourist center all the
way to the summit took me roughly 25 minutes to complete, including brief
stopovers for catching my breath, quenching my thirst, and of course, having my
photo ops. Fast climbers, however, did theirs between 15 to 20 minutes. Geez, my
lungs could have burst had I followed their lead!
On
our way to the top, Boy told me that the peak was discovered by no less than
President Sergio Osmeña, Sr., the country's third president. Osmeña, a native
of Cebu, often had his plane landed there. Boy also mentioned that the boulder
where I posed for some pictures used to be a cornerstone bearing an inscription
about the late president’s discovery of the peak. I'm not sure though how
accurate his account was. Nonetheless, I enjoyed to the hilt that quick escape
to one of Cebu's highest points. |
If there’s one important
thing I gained from my trek to Osmeña Peak, it is this: That somewhere between
my soul and that highland hideaway, after all the starts and stops, the doubts
and the drifts, the sunburn, the sweat and thirst, swollen feet, sore muscles
and all, I’ve proven to myself that I still got what it takes to scale new
heights (although not as high as the other ones I’ve trekked before) and
stumbled upon a little bit of bliss up there where the sun kisses the jagged
hills. John Muir was right. We all need some “washing of the spirit” if only to
become bigger, better and bolder versions of our old selves. 🤣🤣🤣
