A TREKKING TO MOUNT PINATUBO AND AETA PEOPLE

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I remember when I was a teenager, I found a geographical encyclopedia. There were a lot of interesting articles inside, about many countries, islands, mountains and other places in the world. And there was a section about volcanoes. Now my memory is not so clear about the details, but I remember one name- Pinatubo. Since then, I don’t know why, but every time I had an association about a tropical and exotic volcano, it was the first name that appeared in my mind. The image of it has been always a high mountain in shape of a dome, thickly covered by lush green jungle, and some small local villages around it. And I imagined an adventurous trekking through this wild nature, reaching the top of a place, associated with the name Pinatubo. 

Longtime exotic places like Pinatubo looked like very far from me. In fact, I even forgot which country Pinatubo is located. Until one day, more than a year ago, when I planned our new trip to Southeast Asia. We chose the Philippines, and when I looked for the important and interesting place to visit in this country, I found it- Mount Pinatubo, the famous volcano. So it immediately entered in our first Philippines itinerary.

Pinatubo- an important part of our Philippines trip itinerary

I found as more as possible information about this volcano. It has become famous from 1991, with its eruption, one of the strongest in history. But now it was quiet. Actually, when I saw some recent photos of it, its shape was not like a volcano at all. There was a beautiful lake in its crater, and there were a few local travel companies, arranging trekking to this lake.

I chose one of these companies- Pinaykeypoint, and booked our trekking, paying the initial deposit. Soon the time of our trip to the Philippines came, but it was canceled in the last moment. I called Juliet Corpuz, who is one of the Pinaykeypoint managers and she told me that my deposit remains, so if we come on the next year, we can use it.

 

The start of the trekking

One year passed and I remembered Pinatubo and our deposit. It was awaiting us, along with Juliet and her brother Robin Corpuz. We arrived in Manila, and on the next day, we traveled by bus to Clark- a special economic zone, located south of Pinatubo. From there we rent a car and proceeded to Capas.

Capas is a small town, and the main office of Pinaykeypoint is located there. Robin Corpuz has to be our main guide, and he awaited us in the Capas junction, in front of a MacDonalds- a place where the Pinatubo guides usually meet their guests. Robin has arranged a hotel for us- its name was Blue Inn, and it appeared to be their company’s starting base.

Then the next day came. We had to start our trip early in the morning. So we left Capas around 5:45 am by our car, together with Robin. I paid the rest of the money for the trekking, he bought some little things to eat, with more water, and we proceeded to Santa Juliana, our next stop.

In Santa Juliana

Santa Juliana is a village, located northeast of Pinatubo, on one of its volcanic valleys. It was the starting point for the trekkers. We arrived there at 6:30 am signed some necessary papers and passed the mandatory blood pressure check. There we met our second guide, and the driver of the 4×4 vehicle, by which we had to proceed to the foot of the volcano. It was almost 7:00 am, and now our real trekking has started.

We traveled about an hour on the plain bottom of the valley, covered by dust, sand and volcanic ash. The slopes of both sides of the valley were strangely beautiful, highly eroded, showing shapes and forms like an alien landscape. We were still in the shadow, which the sun was enlightening the high areas of the slopes.

Then we stopped for a rest. We saw a few kids. They looked different than the Filipinos. The kids were short, black, with curly hair, looking like Australian Aborigines or Papuans. They were Aeta– descendants of the oldest inhabitants of the Philippines.

Who are Aeta

In the most ancient times, thousands of years ago, the first people entered the archipelago of Sunda. It is considered that they have come from somewhere in South Asia, spreading through Indochina, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sunda Archipelago, then to New Guinea and Australia. They were black and relatively short people- the first inhabitants of this part of the Earth.

The Austronesians

Meanwhile the next wave of peoples- the Austronesians have lived in Taiwan, and have been still a small group. And maybe somewhere in the first millennium BC a part of them left Taiwan, starting one of the largest migrations every known- the Austronesian migration.

First, they settled in the Philippines, then in modern Indonesia and Malaysia. From there another group of them gradually spread to the east- to the vast spaces of Oceania. They settled Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia- reaching Eastern Island, and maybe even South America. Another group of them headed westward, reaching Madagascar.

So, now the first black people of the Philippines were not alone. The new Austronesian settlers with Asian faces gradually spread over the country, assimilating and pushing the aborigines deep in the jungle. Soon they became a minority, and only a few tribes remained of them. One of the tribes was Aeta, the people of Pinatubo.

Further history

A few eras passed over the Philippines. The Muslims came in the 13th century. Then the Spaniards- in the 16th century. The country became a Spanish colony until the end of the 19th century. Then the Americans took control over the Philippines, the WW2 came and passed and the country became an independent state. But Aetas remained hidden in the jungles of Pinatubo and the surrounding mountain areas. Hidden from the civilization, hidden from politics, hidden from local Philippinos, hidden from the Westerners, hidden from the whole history of the last 2000 and more years.

They were hunters, living in small huts in the jungle, made by bamboo and banana leaves. Normally their huts and shelters were only temporary since they were nomadic people. They had (and still have) their own archaic language and culture, existing in the Philippines for thousands of years.

The next part of the trekking

We made some photos with the Aeta kids and proceeded ahead by our 4×4 vehicle. The valley became narrower and most stony. After another 40 mins ride, we arrived at a small hut, where an Aetas family was selling some little things to eat and was looking after two of their cows. We stopped there and started our hiking to the crater lake. It was already around 8:30 am.

Around 30 mins later we reached another place, which used to be a former starting point of the hiking. There we saw a few other small groups of hikers, as well as two Filippinos, selling some drinks and sweets. At this point, the volcanic ash and dust finished and the path became steeper, passing through a young jungle by a small stream. And after another 20 mins (hiking with Robin and the other guide, and listening to some fresh hard rock music) we ascent to the summit of the crater. Here I saw the familiar landscape of the lake, as have seen it before in many beautiful internet photos. It was around 9:30 am.

Robin and our second guide remained on the summit for relaxing and we descent to the lake shore. It was silent and only a few visitors like us were resting on the sand. We took some photos, relaxed some 40-50 mins and back upward to the summit of the crater. There Robin was awaiting us. It was time for lunch, and for Robin’s story about Pinatubo.

The story of Pinatubo

Robin said:
“I grew in Capas, west of Mount Pinatubo. It has been always a normal mountain (at least for the last 500 years). It was covered by lush rain forest, rich in waters- streams, rivers and underground springs. Aeta people have lived in the forest. Their lifestyle was wild, unchanged for thousands of years ago. They used to cover their bodies only with girdles, and the only “work” they had was animal hunting. It was almost impossible to see them.

But 1990 came. A strong earthquake, (7,8) by Richter brought a lot of destruction and caused fatal changes of the Earth’s crust under Pinatubo. Seems it has opened the way of the lava, squeezing it upward, to the water-rich layers of the mountain ground. So the water started heating and boiling, until June 1991…”

The eruption

“It was the rainy season. One day we suddenly saw a smoke on the mountain, and soon we heard the news- Mount Pinatubo has become a volcano. The smoke was rising high to the sky, forming a mushroom shape. We looked at it, and we were very happy. We shouted- “Hooray, we have a volcano!” (in fact, Pinatubo had previous eruptions, and the last one was around 1500 AD, but since then it was quiet and the locals knew it as a “normal mountain”). But we didn’t imagine what had to follow soon. It was only the first, the minor eruption.”

Meanwhile the scientists were performing serious investigations about the volcano’s situation and activity. They were expecting a serious a destructive eruption. So the government and the army started evacuating the locals. Most of the Aeta people left Pinatubo, but there were a small group, which remained in a cave, being “faithful to the gods”, and it was fatal for them. 

Robin proceeded:

“A few days passed, and the second eruption began. But it was the major eruption and this time it was different. It was scary and horrible, like an atomic bomb, throwing a huge quantity of Earth’s ground into the air. The thrown material soon covered the whole sky and the darkness came. It was so dark, darker than the night! We were locked in our houses. There was nowhere to run, we thought that the whole Philippines were drowned in darkness and it was like the end of the world!

And to be more horrible, at the same time a typhoon came, bringing strong rains and winds. The rains were mixed with volcanic ash. The eruption was significant with its pyroclastic streams, which were the most horrible events of the eruption. A few hundred degrees heated gases and ash were descending downward, burning and destroying everything on their way. Many people died, among them many Aetas. The nightmare lasted a few days, the typhoon left and little by little the light started to back.”

The aftermath

“Finally, we saw Pinatubo again. It was very different. Its highest peak used to be 17… m, but now it has destroyed and thrown in the air. Now the new highest point of the mountain was only around 1400 m, and it was the summit of the newborn crater. The jungle was gone, and a long time a thick smoke was rising from the crater.

The survived Aetas had to leave the mountain. There was no jungle anymore, and they had nothing to hunt and eat. So they were forced to back to the “civilization”. They started to learn agriculture, to care livestock and seed fields. They also started to adopt the Filipinos way of life, to speak Tagalog and to wear modern clothes. But they missed Pinatubo.

A few years passed, and a new, young jungle began to grow again on Pinatubo. Aeta people started to back to their mountain. In the same time, the smoke from the crater gradually stopped, and the underground waters began to fill it, forming a crater lake. Thus the landscape of nowadays Pinatubo was formed. And along with it- a new Pinatubo tourism was born.

The Aeta people became a part of the new tourism. They were living in a young jungle, but they were already different. They had their livestock animals, they planted agriculture. And the government granted them exclusive possession of Mount Pinatubo.”

The way back

We started descending from the crater lake. Back to the waiting 4×4 vehicles, then- to Santa Juliana. At afternoon we headed on by our rented car to Capas, where we said goodbye to Robin and traveled to Clark, where we had to take another car and to proceed our trip in the Philippines to Sagada and the northern mountains of Luzon Island.

How to make a Pinatubo trekking

So, now the best way to make a Pinatubo trekking is by a local travel company. There are two main starting points to the crater lake of Pinatubo. The first one, and the most popular (which we chose) is from Capas and Santa Juliana. And the other one is from Botolan, from the west. The whole area is a part of a military zone, so a visit of Pinatubo requires permission to enter the zone. It is a duty of the Pinatubo travel companies, which arrange not only the permission but also the 4×4 vehicles and all other necessary services for the trekking.

There are a few travel companies, organizing Pinatubo trekking, some of them- from Botolan, others- from Capas. Among them, I can mention Pinaykeypoint, Tripinas, WOW Philippines and Trail Adventours. We made our trekking with Pinay Keypoint and I can say that all the organization and the nice environment, created by the guides were excellent and really professional.

Pinatubo trekking itinerary

Normally a Pinatubo trekking, arranged by a travel company can be done within 7-8 hours. It starts early morning (usually at 6:30-7:00am) and ends at afternoon- between 2:00 and 4:00pm, depending on the conditions of the terrain and the people. Usually, the itinerary from Santa Juliana looks like this:

6:00 to 6:45am- Gathering in Santa Juliana, register, blood pressure check (for travelers 40 years old and above).

6:45 to 8:30am (or 9:00am)- travel by 4×4 vehicle on the volcanic valley, covered by ash and dust, along the mountain river. Usually, you stop to relax and taking photos with the local Aetas on the way.

8:30am (9:00am) to 10:00am- hiking to the crater lake. During the years the last point of the 4×4 vehicles has been changed, depending on the conditions of the volcanic valley. The further near the crater is this point, the shorter is the hiking to the crater.

10:00am to 12:00am (or earlier)- relax at the coast of the crater lake. You can relax (and have some lunch) on the summit above the lake, or to descend to its coast. There is no swimming and boating on the lake, it is prohibited.

12:00am to 1:30pm (average)- hiking back to the waiting 4×4 vehicles.

1:30pm to around 3:00pm- back to Santa Juliana by the 4×4 vehicle.

The travel companies arrange transport (normally- for a night trip) from Manila, or from nearer cities like Angeles and Tarlac, to the starting point of the trekking. They also arrange transport for after the trekking, as well as accommodation for those who come the day before it. For more information and details, and for the prices, see the website of Pinaykeypoint.

Botolan route

From Botolan side the itinerary is quite similar. And soon Pinaykeypoint will start arranging trekking on that route too. It’s going to be even more exciting, because you can arrive at the sea coast beach on the previous day, sleep in a camping site on the sand, then on the next day just start your trekking to the volcano lake.

Aeta people visiting

Pinaykeypoint also organize visiting of the Aeta’s settlements and interacting with the local people. The company has made a lot of donations and other help to the Aetas, spreading the love in real actions. So you can combine your exciting Pinatubo trekking with some local ethnic activity. 

Independent Pinatubo trekking

You can make a Pinatubo trekking alone, without a travel company’s service. But it takes much longer since you have to walk the whole way on the dusty valley, without a 4×4 vehicle. And again, you have to obtain your permission just by yourself.

The best season for Pinatubo trekking

The best season to visit Pinatubo is from January to April since it is the dry season. Other time the weather is wetter, often raining, sometimes with typhoons. During rain landslides and floodings are possible and it is very difficult and dangerous to make a trekking. Normally the travel companies cancel trekking in such conditions.

Now Pinatubo is a calm and beautiful mountain with a breathtaking landscape of its crater lake. But it is still a volcano. Most probably it will erupt one day again. But this day will not be tomorrow. So, now is a good time to enjoy its beauty, history, and image.

Check out some books about Mt. Pinatubo, Aeta people and the whole Philippines!

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