Forest and Farm Trek in Ayala Darong

Trekking is always a good form of outdoor activity and has been one of the fastest growing adventure types. The numerous mountain ranges and summits in Sta. Cruz offer good venue for trekkers and mountaineers for camping and day hikes. Mt. Loay and Mt. Apo top our trekking list, while several newly-discovered waterfalls are also starting to become popular such as Tomari Falls in Sibulan, Balusong Falls in Tibolo, Langan Falls in Coronon, Tarasoban Falls in Zone II and Tacob Laya and Karamagan Falls in Sinoron.

Unknown to many, the Ayala Farm in Darong is also a good trekking site. This 600-hectare coconut plantation and cattle ranch offers a good secondary growth lowland forest and a farm trail highly suitable for day hiking in flat to gently rolling terrain. We were lucky to have been given permission by Sir Maui Chu of Darong Agricultural Development Corporation (DADC) to do trailblazing trek last May 22 together with my LOGSAC friends.

The farm house serves as the jump off point where Sir Maui gave us a briefer and a guide in Dodo Bagal. We started with an easy trek off a tractor trail and then got inside the jungle of endemic trees until we reached a little stream of slippery rocks. It was a short traverse of the stream and we were back to a tractor trail, this time we followed a single track outside the forest edges.

Inside the forest is a dense environment where interesting wildlife was recorded. Notable species appeared are Philippine Long-tailed Macaque and some good birds to include White-eared Brown Dove, Amethyst Brown Dove, Black-naped Monarch, Brown-Tit Babbler, Philippine Bulbul, Rufous-fronted Tailorbird and Yellow-wattled Bulbul.

DADC, formerly called Ayala Agricultural Development Corporation, is one of the largest and pioneering agricultural production areas in Sta. Cruz. It has become a pilot site for Tagnanan variety of coconut before in partnership with Philippine Coconut Authority. Several portions of the property were converted for industrial purposes but still has huge retained site for coconut production and cattle pasture bordering Sibulan River, sitio Piping of Sibulan and SODACO Farms of Inawayan. 

An abandoned lake within is a good area for water and chocolate break. This served as the turning point before we head back to the farm house using a different path. The trekking lasted for more than four hours with a total distance of 10.9 kilometers. It was a hot trek actually but the exciting part was the cool and sweet juice of buko prepared to as by Sir Maui in the farm house.

It is always nice to be back to this place after sometime. In my childhood days we always visit this area to take a bath in the river. In late 90s the DADC became a take-off point of the water tubing during its peak before it was totally impeded by the presence of a hydro power plant. The vertical rock wall in the upstream portion of the river was also our venue for rappelling adventure in the past. Indeed, the management of DADC has been very supportive with the ecotourism program of Sta. Cruz in the last 10 years. I hope that forest and farm trekking, as well as trail biking will be welcomed by the management as option activities in this area.

Chasing waterfalls in Karamagan, Sinoron

In my previous article about Sinoron last year I mentioned that aside from being a huge carpet of green canopy this barangay is also a chain of active creeks conniving to form the mighty Pilan River which now serves as the wellspring of south Sta. Cruz. From my humble observation when properly tap and sustainably utilize Sinoron can really supply potable water to this town composed of more than one hundred thousand people. From this fact it is well and fitting to shove my idea of christening Sinoron the Water World of Sta. Cruz, or Davao del Sur for that matter.

With COVID-19 still hemming in and continuously wreaks havoc in the country, I beat the opportunity to explore other places in Sta. Cruz. Along with my LOGSAC friends the latest site we explored and documented was sitio Karamagan in barangay Sinoron. It was undertaken in response to the request of the tribal group who is out to consider ecotourism in their place soon. Karamagan is just 5 kilometers from Barangay Hall. The first 3 kilometers is a dirt road all the way to the hanging bridge in sitio Pilan. From here we started the single-track hike to our first target destination Dumagok Falls.

After an hour and a half of uphill trailblazing, we witnessed the spectacle of Dumagok Falls. According to our guides Kagawad Banglos, IP mandatory representative Wilmar and Nong Pe Maloon, we were the very first “outsiders” who stepped into the waterfalls. To make it legitimate I asked their consent to consider that climb the first recorded ascent to Dumagok Falls, a flattering feat once again for LOGSAC. This 3-tiered waterfalls is nestled southwest of Sta. Cruz and edges sitio Mahayag in Digos City. The highest tier is around 30 feet with a moderate drop through a cold and chilling natural basin of more or less 15-foot diameter. Similar with other unspoiled attractions in Sta. Cruz, Dumagok Falls is also filtered with endemic trees and bushes and backgrounded with intimate sounds of birds.

We had to leave Dumagok after a short stay to proceed to its twin sister Kalasisi Waterfalls which is situated less than a kilometer. But prior to that we instantly visited Tacob Cave, an open rock formation above Dumagok Falls. This cave is a good consolation for us. The creek inside near the little opening is a reception that welcomed us through the cathedral-like chamber. The open façade of the cave serves as window to the green scenery in Karamagan and an affirmation that Tacob Cave is a hostile mediator of Dumagok and Kalasisi Waterfalls. 

With a height of around 40 feet, Kalasisi falls is taller than Dumagok but the vertical flow is a bit slender. The pool is also smaller and shallow but we stayed here longer for snacks, bathing and pictorials. And that being done I was able to refresh my body and soul by acquiring dose of fresh air as aid to my nasal sacrifice which they said part of the new normal in my workplace.

Our trekking accounted for 15 kilometers in a moderate to slightly rolling trail. Of course, birding always has a place in activities like this for me. I already considered Sinoron a personal birding hotspot starting from sitio Pilan to as far and denser forest of Saroso and Vega. That hike in Karamagan had me recording 43 species of resident and endemic highland birds to include good sightings of Philippine Serpent Eagle, Mindanao Hornbill, Sulphur-billed Nuthatch, Brown-throated Sunbird, Philippine Hanging Parrot, Yellow-wattled Bulbul, Brown Tit Babbler and Purple-throated Sunbird. I have a feeling that Sinoron will finally give me a glimpse of the Philippine Eagle within the year.

Our last stop was in Pilan River for a final cooling down to rejuvenate our muscles after that challenging trek.

As a Tourism Officer who do outdoor trips regularly I thought I have known 99 percent of my hometown. But with this latest discovery I realized there are a lot more out there which remain unexplored. It is good to have them documented to help authorities craft measures for conservation and protection because these are natural heritage which deserve to be in infinite existence.

Lanzones Resort, a High-end Homestay in Camiguin

This article might be very untimely for posting considering that COVID-19 is wreaking havoc in the entire Philippine archipelago which eventually causes downfall to all industries including tourism. But I simply could not let  go of an experience here without giving justice to the memorable reception provided to us by the management of Lanzones Resort during our visit in Camiguin last month.

Yes, Lanzones Resort is a high-end homestay which I thought could serve me if I quarantine myself for 14 days and beyond. There is stillness in the place which suits my taste in an accommodation facility. The indoor amenities like bedroom, dining room and living room are all spacious, and the frosty blushes provided natural ventilation which teamed up well with the warm charisma that translates into Camiguin’s overall local hospitality.

There are small close cottages around the perimeter, all about to be completed. We stayed in the big house which is surrounded with huge forest trees and fruit-bearing trees, lanzones among them of course. A team-building park outside presents a swimming pool, courts of basketball, volleyball and badminton and a lawn ready for squat in case you need to hug a verdant landscape.

For a naturalist like me there is no time lost here because Lanzones Resort provides good venue for backyard birding and walking. These are activities you could do in between coffee and Instagram breaks. The entire outskirts serve as garden of common avian species I recorded as follows:

            Asian Glossy Starling                                   

            Black-naped Oriole                                     

            Grey-streaked Flycatcher                            

            Philippine Pied Fantail                                

            Orange-bellied Flowerpecker                      

            Red-keeled Flowerpecker                           

            Large-billed Crow                                        

            Yellow-vented Bulbul                                 

            Eurasian Tree Sparrow                               

            Olive-backed Sunbird                                

            Cattle Egret                                              
            Philippine Coucal 
            Philippine Magpie Robin
            Chestnut Munia 
            White-bellied Munia 
            Barn Swallow
            Pacific Swallow 
            Barred Rail
            Coppersmith Barbet 
            Brown Shrike 
            Collared Kingfisher 
            Brahminy Kite
            Blue-tailed Bee-eater 

In this time where travelling is not the best to undertake, here is praying that the recent crisis will be over sooner than later so that everything will be back to normal, including travel and tourism. If this is so, I have to be back in business as usual and Camiguin will be a sure list in the bucket. I cannot wait to back to Lanzones Resort.