takladtamig dos: lake holon trek

My friends from South Cotabato in Southern Philippines, are organizing a trek to Lake Holon on August 19-20, 2012. The event is called 'Takladtamig Dos,' which means 'let us climb, my friend' or something to that effect, in Hiligaynon. This is open not just for mountaineers but also for those who have never climbed anything in their lifetime but have a love for the outdoors. I remember that our unforgettable Holon hike a few years back was not difficult, probably because I was in the company of good friends and because I enjoyed the beautiful sceneries along the way.

Lake Holon, is the serene and beautiful crater lake of Mt. Parker/Mt. Melibengoy, an inactive stratovolcano in the municipality of T'boli. Both the lake and the mountain are considered sacred by the Tbolis who have been living in the vicinity for as long as they could remember. The mountain is also rich in biodiversity, which was almost wiped out by a man-made disaster sometime in 1995. It has however, amazingly bounced back from that unfortunate incident and is now one of the emerging hiking destinations in the country.

Admittedly, our Lake Holon photos looked like it was taken from just another lake elsewhere. I thought that an aerial photo of the caldera provides the much needed context for a perfect Holon shot. I am personally glad that someone finally nailed that big time. (Photo courtesy of Louie Pacardo.)

I've personally met some of the Takladtamig's organizers during my few visits to South Cotabato. Although they are independent mountaineers, they call their group FHM or Friends of Holon and Melibingoy. What I particularly like about this bunch is that they are not just climbing for climbing's sake. They also endeavor to give something back to the community every time.

Barangay Salacafe

They planted trees and distributed school supplies during their latest climb. For Takladtamig Dos, they require each participant to bring a pair of tsinelas or slippers which would be used by the kids at Barangay Salacafe, the usual jump-off to Holon. I gather that they are brewing similar activities such as this in their future adventures. So if you are in the region during the long weekend, why not head to South Cotabato and join Takladtamig Dos. But if that is not possible, you may also donate a pair or two or even more slippers instead. The contact numbers of the key organizers are provided below. The Php500 registration covers for the transportation to and from Barangay Salacafe, climb ID and T-Shirt, entrance fee and planting materials. For inquiries, please contact Stella (+639197475721), Julz (+639089373130) and Louie (+639213885455). You may also visit the official Takladtamig FB page here for updates.
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