DILG Zambales at Mt. Pinatubo crater DILGSeventeen (17) strong and dedicated personnel of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) – Zambales team headed by Provincial Director Armi V. Bactad, took the challenge of the extreme thrilling trails of one of the most famous volcano in the Philippines, the Mt. Pinatubo.
Mt. Pinatubo was unknown to most people until its climactic eruption back June 15, 1991. The catastrophic event had been recorded as the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. However, after several years, Mt. Pinatubo is now considered as one of the most recommended tourists spot in Central Luzon, holding its beauty that covers its tragic past.
The different trails of the trekking challenge
At 6:30a.m., the team travelled for an hour from Barangay San Juan, Botolan, Zambales to a campsite at Barangay Villar, Botolan, Zambales through a vehicle called by the tour guides as “Saddam”. It was like a roller coaster ride travelling ups and downs the hills of lahar deposits passing through the grand canyons of lahar formations. The team started the trek at around 8:00a.m., upon arrival at the campsite.
Rest station, 20 minutes to crater
It took three hours of trekking before reaching a rest station at the foot of the mountain, passing through two mountains with different types of trails: the dried streams, grasslands at the Aeta community, steep and stony course going down a valley of lahar formations, and crossing through small streams along with boulders and rocks. From the rest station was another 20-30 minutes of trekking going up until the crater.
The majestic crater of Mt. Pinatubo
When the team reached the crater at around 11:30 a.m., it had revealed the excitement and gladness from their faces after all the pain of the body through the tough trail of trekking. It was that the blissful scenery will definitely make all the efforts so worth it upon seeing the beauty of the majestic crater. The blue-green lake on a gray-brown crater was a sight to behold.
After some photo-ops, the team ate their packed lunch and took some rest enjoying the amazing backdrop. Then the team decided to go back the campsite at 12:30p.m., leaving the magnificent setting of Mt. Pinatubo that had been destructive but truly majestic.s from their faces after all the pain of the body through the tough trail of trekking. It was that the blissful scenery will definitely make all the efforts so worth it upon seeing the beauty of the majestic crater. The blue-green lake on a gray-brown crater was a sight to behold.
