BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Negros Occidental has reopened the Mount Kanlaon Natural Park to trekkers, two months after the active volcano’s status was declared “normal.”
Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya, special concerns head of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, said in a report on Wednesday the trails were reopened some three years after Alert Level 1 was raised over the volcano.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology lowered the alert level on Kanlaon from 1 to 0 on May 5.
The hiking trails — Mapot and Manawin in Canlaon City in Negros Oriental; Guintubdan in La Carlota City, and Wasay in Murcia town, Negros Occidental — were reopened on July 1 after an assessment and clearing operations at the four entry points into the park led by Protected Area Superintendent Concordio Remoroza.
Forester Rally Cagayanan said foreign trekkers will be charged P1,000, Filipinos, P500. This includes an overnight stay at designated campsites.
Only 10 trekkers will be allowed on every trail.
Bookings are accepted at the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Bago City, Negros Occidental or at the city hall in Canlaon, Negros Oriental.
Meanwhile, the DENR has also started collecting P300 fees from trekkers wishing to explore the Northern Negros Natural Park.
Based on the guidelines, 75 percent of the collected fees will be deposited as a protected areas fund and 25 percent goes to the national treasury.
