In Zambales, Mt. Tapulao trail shut for rehab
SAN ANTONIO, ZAMBALES—For the entire month of February, hikers seeking the panoramic views of Mt. Tapulao, the highest peak in Zambales, will have to wait while environmental recovery efforts are under way.
The municipal tourism office announced on Monday that the mountain is temporarily closed, giving the trails—and the ecosystems they pass through—a chance to breathe.
Standing at 2,037 meters above sea level, Mt. Tapulao has long been a favorite among local and visiting hikers.
Its challenging trails lead to a summit that rewards climbers with sweeping views of Zambales’ coastal plains and distant mountains.
For tour guide Norly Nening, 54, it is more than just a hiking destination, it is where he has built his livelihood, guided thousands of hikers, and witnessed both the beauty and the gradual neglect of the mountain he calls home.
Monthlong
Nening lives at the foot of Mt. Tapulao in Barangay Salaza. Since completing his tour guide training in 2008, he has worked as a guide for climbers tackling the mountain’s rugged trails.
For every group of five hikers he accompanies to the summit, he earns P1,500—income that helps support his family. But for the entire month of February, that income has come to a halt.
The closure, which took effect on Tuesday, will last until Feb. 28 and is scheduled to reopen on March 1.
The decision immediately affected Nening and other local guides. A group of 34 hikers from Manila, Cavite, and nearby provinces was scheduled to climb the mountain this Saturday but the trip was canceled after the trail was closed.
“For now, we will focus on harvesting rice because that is the only source of income we can rely on,” Nening said in Filipino during a phone interview on Tuesday.
In his 18 years as a tour guide, Nening has seen Mt. Tapulao grow in popularity. Tourism office data show that about 3,200 hikers reached the summit in 2025, up from 2,166 in 2024, with visitor numbers expected to continue rising. Peak hiking months are March, April, and the “ber” months until January.
Littered trails
But the popularity of the mountain comes with a price. Increasing numbers of climbers have left trails littered with trash compromising the beauty of the area.
According to Ronwhell Ednalan, head of the Palauig municipal tourism office, the temporary closure is meant to address these concerns.
“The purpose of the closure is for rehabilitation while we conduct a cleanup drive following reports of increasing trash along the trail,” Ednalan told the Inquirer.
He added: “We want to ensure that hikers can continue to enjoy the mountain while also protecting its natural environment.”
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