NO to MT. APO summit stairway

Celebrity Ka ba?
https://www.change.org/petitions/let-s-stop-the-kidapawan-city-govt
-from-building-a-7-km-stairway-to-mt-apo-s-summit

When  the 7km stairways project proposal was presented to media  the reaction of  individuals who opposes the idea were too fast to convey petition pages through the world wide web. 

I asked an apology from my fb friends that I cannot share the petition to my fellow mountaineer friends since I don't have any idea about the proposed project.

I can relate with the petitioners' reaction. I am even among the first 100 petitioners who signed but contend not to give my reasons why I am signing.

In 1983 Mt. Apo exploration for geothermal source was initiated. I remember my college years when I was among those students who militantly opposed the implementation of Mt. Apo Mindanao Geothermal Project 1 in the late 80s'. The country was facing the threat on power crisis thus the project was a legacy from former late Pres. Cory Aquino in 1992. Mt Apo Geothermal 2 & 3 oppositions were not controversial as the former. For environmentalists group, it was a huge destruction of our forest in exchange for  targeted development impact.

After 3 decades  of economic ups and downs, amidst global  trend, local tourism destination development continues, including the defined  environmentally critical areas. This does not exempt Mt. Apo.

I would like to believe that the proposed Mt Apo stairway does not cover the trail to the summit. Mt. Apo National Park originally covers 76,900hectares and later declared 54,974 hectares with the grant of 701 geothermal reservation and the rest as buffer zone.

I was one of the climbers who did the "last climb of the Century" in 1999.

For the second time, I took again  the "Mossy Forest trail" in Bongolanon, Magpet.

I did not have the guts to take the Kidapawan trail, now known "the celebrity trail". I was phobic of the fatal incident  of a graduating  Sillimanian who ascended Mt. Apo in 1991.

Instead, I would like to believe that the proposed 7km stairway will be constructed within the 701 ha. geothermal reservation area.This area is controlled and managed by EDC(Energy Development Corp). If this will pursue, this  will not only benefit  the  ambitious tourists to conquer Mt. Apo peak but  also the everyday workers who maintain the reforestration project within the buffer zone.

I would like to share this sentiment to all concerned. Mt. Apo is within the jurisdiction of Davao City, Davao del Sur, and Cotabato Province. I salute the organizers of Mt. Apo Clean Up Drives every after climbing season ends (March-May). All of them volunteers. Could you imagine mountains of bottles and garbage left by undisciplined conquerors? Descending all this garbage in sacks via Kidapawan trail.  For volunteers who do clean-up drives every year, they seek no more thrills. They do it for the passion of keeping Mt. Apo clean and protect it from irresponsible climbers who cannot distinguish what is biodegradable from not.

The "7km Stairway Project" to Mt. Apo will practically not impede adventure seekers.

If Mt. Pulag has the "executive trail" (which I had recently) and the "killer trail", give the "unable" the chance to reach Mt. Apo through the "celebrity trail".

If and when this is truly to be constructed within the 701ha reservation area, environmental impact on destruction of flora and fauna, and their habitats, is no longer an issue.