Mt. Pamitinan | Mt. Binicayan | Mt. Hapunang Banoy Hiking and Ecotourism Opening - Updates and Guidelines [2021]

Public Advisory as of 05 March 2021:

Abiso Publiko:

Pansamantalang ihihinto ang pagtanggap ng online reservation at pagtanggap ng turista sa Pamitinan Protected Landscape (PPL) alinsunod sa ipinatutupad ng Barangay na pagkontrol sa pagpapasok ng hindi residente sa loob ng Pamitinan Protected Landscape (PPL) at mga karatig pasyalan. 

Ang mga nauna nang nakapagpareserba ng petsa ng kanilang pag-akyat bago pa ang paghihigpit ay papayagan pa ring makapasok. Mangyaring ipakita lamang sa checkpoint ang confirmation slip. Matapos nito ay hindi na muna tatanggap ng on-line reservation.

Ito po ay hakbang upang mapanatiling ligtas sa pagkalat ng nakahahawang sakit ang mga residente dito. Manatili pong nakaantabay para sa mga abiso. 

Maraming salamat po sa inyong pang-unawa. 

From: Protected Area Management Office - PPL

The Pamitinan Protected Landscape in Rodriguez, Rizal is now open to the public.

As of February 22, 2021 DENR Pamitinan Protected Landscape officially announced that they are already opening Pamitinan Protected Landscape that covers Mt.Pamitinan, Mt.Binicayan and Mt.Hapunang Banoy. They will only accept guests ages 15 to 65 years old.

The Pamitinan Protected Landscape is a Philippine protected area in the Sierra Madre mountain range, just 34 kilometres (21 mi) northeast of Manila. It contains and protects the Montalban Gorge formed by the Marikina River that separates Mount Pamitinan and Mount Binacayan in the municipality of Rodriguez in Rizal.

Online Reservations for Hiking/Trekking is now available, book your date early! They will not accept late and rush reservations, single hike or twin-hike is accepted but no trilogy.

Be reminded that this is a protected area, throw your trash accordingly and as we face this pandemic together, let us follow together our health protocols such as wearing of mask, wearing of face shield, use sanitizers, physical distancing and do not overcrowd.

Related Article: The Mountaineer's Prayer | Inspirational Moments Before & After Hiking

Hiking New Normal Guidelines

Here are the New Normal Guidelines for Ecotourism in Pamitinan Protected Landscape that should be followed this is strictly implemented and approved by the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB).

Related Post: [Pandemic 2020: Lessons Mountaineering Can Teach Us About Surviving COVID Crisis | Hiking Reflections]

Please take time to read for this is an important information once you enter the protected area. 

Entrance Fee Rates and other Fees

As per PAMB Resolution No.02-2015 approved on November 28, 2015 - herewith are the fees / rates inside the Pamitinan Protected Landscape 

1. ENTRANCE FEE - Php.20.00 (Individual)

    For the following activities:

    Biking            

    Roaming & Picture Taking

    Boat Riding       

    Swimming

    Picnicking        

    Trail Running

    Pictorial         

    *Shooting/Filming with Permit

2. HIKING/TREKKING FEE - Php.50.00 (Individual)

3. TOUR GUIDE FEE - Php.500.00 (composed of five person per group)

4. PARKING FEE (Per day)

    - Motorcycle/Tricycle  -  Php.15.00

    - Car/Jeep  -  Php.30.00

    - Bus  -  Php.150.00

There was no increase in fees.

Online Reservation for Hiking, Trekking and Rock/Wall Climbing

We are all hyped to see again the beauty of Mt.Pamitinan, Mt. Binicayan and Mt. Hapunang Banoy. Here are the steps to follow for the Online Reservation as approved by the Protected Area Management board that should be followed.

Also, check further official announcement and updates for regarding hiking/Trekking & Rock climbing activities on their official Facebook page - DENR Pamitinan Protected Landscape.

Also read: [13 Essential Hiking Tips for Beginners [Mountain Climbing Guide]

Steps to follow for DIY

Steps to follow for Organizers

Mt. Pamitinan | Mt. Binicayan | Mt. Hapunan Banoy Hiking, Biking Guest Registration Dry Run

Last February 15, 2021 a dry run was conducted for the opening and acceptance of hikers and bikers at the Mt. Pamitinan Protected landscape including the Wawa Dam. This is to ensure that the New Normal guidelines will be followed as recommended by the IATF.

To ensure public health safety, the IATF guidelines will be adopted in Pamitinan Protected Landscape to follow health safety protocols in areas under General Community Quarantine (MGCQ):

1. Persons who are 15 and below, senior citizens (66 years and above, with immunodeficiency, comorbidities, or pregnant women will not be allowed to enter:

2. The number of Hiking / Trekking and Rock/Wall climbing activities and other activities/side-trips such as swimming, camping, overnight stay, group recreation, photography / pictorial are minimized in number and should follow physical distancing, only hiking / trekking, and Rock/Wall climbing activities will be accommodated for the online reservation.

3. Two mountain hike per day will be implemented. No trilogy.

4. In accordance with the IATF guidelines, carrying capacity for trekking activity will be followe but in the meantime, it will be minimized to 30% per mountain, limited to 115 persons per mountain.

5. The DENR PASu-Office Registration Area for Hiking/Trekking and Rock/Wall Climbing activities will be open at 4:00 AM from Monday to Sunday including holidays and will not entertain beyond 12:00 noon.

STRICTLY NO WALK-IN. 

6. Observe proper health protocols such as:

    Wearing of face mask and face shield is a must when in registration areas, but it can be removed when hiking/trekking and rock/wall climbing but will be returned when at rest.

    Physical distancing otherwise attending emergency situations.

    Bring own hand sanitizers and own food utensils.

    No alcohiolic beverages for visitors while staying in Pamitinan Protected Landscape to minimize mingling with the locals and prevent spready of the virus.

Famous Hiking Trails: Wawa Dam, Mt. Pamitinan, Mt. Haponang Banoy - This area has a lot to offer. From the legendary folklore about Bernardo Carpio to the gorgeous rocks of Wawa Dam. 

ALSO WATCH:

Wawa Dam Newbie Bike Ride Down The River Nature Trip | Montalban Rodriguez Rizal via Marikina Route

Wawa Dam in Rodriguez (Montalban), Rizal Philippines - Bike ride from Mandaluyong via Cubao to Marikina to San Mateo, then Montalban Rizal.  Exploring the Wawa Dam in Rizal Province on this biking trip on a road bike, together with Folding Bike Group (first time we met).

Route: Wawa Dam – Wawa dam Loop from V. Mapa: Beginner bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. Good for Weekend Bike Tour. 

Nestled at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains in Montalban, Rizal, is the Wawa Dam. Site is 30 minutes away from Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, but can also be accessed from Marikina through JP Rizal. Wawa Dam is a biker’s treasure in Rizal - a famous destination for beginner and intermediate bikers. This is one of the recommended biking destination near Metro Manila . Just half an hour away from Commonwealth Avenue, Wawa Dam is tucked in a landlocked town in Rizal. Some bikers opt to ride from Quezon City to Wawa Dam through Timberland (also unofficially known as the Mountain Trail Biking capital of the Philippines). There are a lot of other scenic routes going to this area.

QUICK FACTS: The Pamitinan Protected Landscape

Approximate Area: 608 Hectares

Location: Rodriguez, Rizal

Legal Basis: Presidential Proclamation No. 901 dated October 10, 1996

During the cenennial of the Philippine Revolution on October 10, 1996, then President Fidel V. Ramos signed the Presidential Proclamation No. 901 to protect and preserve the historical significance as awell as the recreational, Educational, and ecotourism value of the Pamitinan Protected Landscape. 

The law paved the way for the protection of the historical and ecotourism sites found in the area which include various caves ecosystems, limestone cliffs and rocky mountains, and gravity dam.

The Pamitinan Protected Landscape, according to historians, served as a protected area because of its historical significance as a secret haven for the Katipuneros during the Spanish era. Historians claim that Andres Bonifacio uttered the first battle cry of Revolution inside the Pamitinan Cave at So. Wawa, Brgy. San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal.

Aside from its historical significance, PPL is also popularly lknown to spelunkers and cave enthusiasts because of its two popular caves - the Pamitinan Cave and Bat Cave. During summer, the Bat Cave becomes an interesting site for tourists who wish to trek across it. The Bat Cave boasts a hundreds of stalactites and stalagmites and numerous ringstone dams that enthral tourists and enthusiasts alike.

The PPL is also known for its ancient rock formations; Some of the Kinabuan, Angat, and Mdlum. Some of the rocks were believed to be about 135 million years olf. At the Kinabuan Rock Formation, the rocks are made of volcanic basalt and intrusive gabbrow believed to have been formed during the Cretacious Period of the Mesozoic Era around 70 - 135 million years ago. Meanwhile, the Angat Formation which existed as early as the Miocene Period of the Cenozoic Era dates about 20 - 25 million years ago. Lastly, The Madlum Formation, well known for Buenacop Limestone, dates back to the late Miocene age formed about 5 - 11 million years ago.

In the News:

Mount Pamitinan sa Rodriguez, Rizal, patok na puntahan ng mountaineers