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Mount Banahaw (; also spelled as Banahao and Banájao) is an active complex volcano on Luzon in the Philippines. The three-peaked volcano is located at the boundary of
Laguna Laguna (Italian and Spanish for lagoon) may refer to: People * Abe Laguna (born 1992), American DJ known as Ookay * Andrés Laguna (1499–1559), Spanish physician, pharmacologist, and botanist * Ana Laguna (born 1955), Spanish-Swedish ballet d ...
and Quezon provinces. It is the highest mountain in both provinces and Calabarzon region, dominating the landscape for miles around. The mountain is considered by many as a holy mountain, thus a ''bundok dambana'', and is popular among pilgrims along with
mountain climbers A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...
. It is located in a
protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
known as
Mounts Banahaw–San Cristobal Protected Landscape Mounts Banahaw–San Cristobal Protected Landscape is a protected landscape park in the Calabarzon region of the Philippines, south of Manila. It is the second largest protected area in Calabarzon, after the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected L ...
covering of land.


Physical characteristics

The andesitic Banahaw volcanic complex is composed of several stratovolcanoes with Mount Banahaw, the largest with a maximum elevation of above mean sea level. The summit is topped by a and deep crater that is breached on the southern rim believed to have been caused by the 1730 eruption. Prior to 1730, a lake occupied the summit crater of Mount Banahaw. The resulting flood destroyed the town of Sariaya, Quezon located below the mountain. * Other peaks: :* Mount San Cristobal (on the western slope) :*Mount Banahaw de Lucban (at northeastern slope) :*Buho Masalukot Domes (at southwestern slope) :* Mount Mayabobo *
Maar A maar is a broad, low-relief volcanic crater caused by a phreatomagmatic eruption (an explosion which occurs when groundwater comes into contact with hot lava or magma). A maar characteristically fills with water to form a relatively shallow ...
s: Lake Dagatan/Gunao Lake and
Lake Ticob Lake Tikub (also known as Lake Ticub, Lake Ticob, Lake Tikob or Lake Ticab) is a nearly circular crater lake located in the province of Quezon, in the Philippines. The circumference of the lake is elevated and thick with foliage that steeply slope ...
* Thermal Areas: :*Tiaong-San Pablo hot/warm springs :*Bakia warm/cold springs :*Sampaloc warm springs :*Mainit hot/warm springs :*Cagsiay hot/warm springs


Importance to locals

Banahaw is a custom pilgrimage site for locals, believed by many as a holy mountain, a spiritually-charged location. The mountain and its environs are considered sacred by local residents; the water from its
sacred spring A holy well or sacred spring is a well, spring or small pool of water revered either in a Christian or pagan context, sometimes both. The water of holy wells is often thought to have healing qualities, through the numinous presence of its gua ...
s are deemed "holy water" for allegedly having beneficial qualities, issuing forth from locations called ''"puestos"'' or "holy sites". These sites are unique natural features composed not only of springs, but also caves,
stream A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...
s and
boulder In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In c ...
s; with names with biblical allusions, and shrines erected in, on or around them. These locations were allegedly revealed to a man named Agripino Lontoc by the ''"Santong Boses"'' or the "Holy Voices", which also gave the names to these places way back during the Spanish colonial era. Another one of these mountains is the adjacent Mount Banahaw de Lucbán."Mount Banahaw"
Malapascua. Retrieved on September 25, 2011.
Banahaw is also a part of the Makiling-Banahaw Watershed, a reservation of the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) providing steam for power generation, as well as water source for domestic and industrial uses.


Hiking activity on Banahaw

The mountain is popular not only with pilgrims but also among mountain climbers being the closest over mountain from Manila. Before 2004, hiking activity peaks during Holy Week each year, with climbers numbering to the thousands. At least four trails exist from
Dolores Dolores, Spanish for "pain; grief", most commonly refers to: * Our Lady of Sorrows or La Virgen María de los Dolores * Dolores (given name) Dolores may also refer to: Film * ''Dolores'' (2017 film), an American documentary by Peter Bratt * ' ...
, Sariaya, and other towns of Quezon located on its foothills. The most frequently used trails are the ''Cristalino'' and ''Tatlong Tangke'', taking an average of 9 and 5 hours, respectively. These two trails originate from Barangay Kinabuhayan in
Dolores Dolores, Spanish for "pain; grief", most commonly refers to: * Our Lady of Sorrows or La Virgen María de los Dolores * Dolores (given name) Dolores may also refer to: Film * ''Dolores'' (2017 film), an American documentary by Peter Bratt * ' ...
, and meet near the summit, which is actually the rim of the Banahaw
caldera A caldera ( ) is a large cauldron-like hollow that forms shortly after the emptying of a magma chamber in a volcano eruption. When large volumes of magma are erupted over a short time, structural support for the rock above the magma chamber is ...
. On the summit are viewpoints, labeled as ''Durungawan'' I, II, and III, which are the usual destination for pilgrims and hikers. Other points of interest include the ''"Kuweba ng Diyos Ama"'' ( Tagalog: Cave of
God the Father God the Father is a title given to God in Christianity. In mainstream trinitarian Christianity, God the Father is regarded as the first person of the Trinity, followed by the second person, God the Son Jesus Christ, and the third person, God t ...
) and the spring at Brgy. Kinabuhayan, said to have curative powers.


Pollution

Due to incessant climbing activity the mountain trails have become littered with trash. In March 2004, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources ordered a 5-year suspension of hiking activity in the mountains, covering the Dolores and Sariaya trails. Reopening was delayed was then scheduled to March 2012, but was further extended to February 2015. Some sections of the mountain were reopened to hikers in 2019, and the mountain observed seasonal openings due to the mountain's religious significance, but most sections of the mountain still remain closed.


Endemic fauna

Frogs endemic to Mount Banahaw include ''
Platymantis banahao The Banahao forest frog (''Platymantis banahao'') is a species of frog in the family Ceratobatrachidae. It is endemic to Luzon, Philippines, where it is only known from Mount Banahaw (Banahaw and San Cristobal peaks). Its natural habitats are su ...
'', '' Platymantis indeprensus'', '' Platymantis montanus'', ''
Platymantis naomii The Naomi's forest frog (''Platymantis naomii'') is a species of frog in the family Ceratobatrachidae. It is endemic to Mount Banahaw, Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical ...
'', and ''
Platymantis pseudodorsalis ''Platymantis pseudodorsalis'' is a species of frog in the family Ceratobatrachidae. It is endemic to Mount Banahaw, Philippines. Scientists have only seen it on one mountain between 1350 and 1500 meters above sea level. Its natural habitats a ...
''.


See also

* Sacred mountains * List of active volcanoes in the Philippines * List of potentially active volcanoes in the Philippines * List of inactive volcanoes in the Philippines * List of protected areas of the Philippines * Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology *
List of Ultras of the Philippines This is a list of all the Ultra prominent peaks (with topographic prominence greater than 1,500 meters) in the Philippines. See also * List of mountains in the Philippines Sources ListMap {{Geography of the Philippines, state=expanded *Ultra ...


References


External links


Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Mt Banahaw page

"Mount Banahao, Philippines" on Peakbagger
{{DEFAULTSORT:Banahaw Mountains of the Philippines Volcanoes of Luzon Complex volcanoes Active volcanoes of the Philippines Sacred mountains Landforms of Quezon Landforms of Laguna (province) Stratovolcanoes of the Philippines