The Last of the Real Ones – Mt. Magawang (850+), Occidental Mindoro
At the heart of Mt. Magawang in Occidental Mindoro lies the last refuge of the wild Tamaraws.
At the heart of Mindoro Island lies the smallest of the five (5) major centers of endemicity or the so called “Faunal Regions” in the country. This is called the Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park that is the humble abode of the critically endangered Tamaraw (Bubalus Mindorensis).
There’s other flora and fauna such as Hornbills, Pigeons, Deers and Pine Trees that is exclusive to the island. They may be the last of the real ones, so never miss the opportunity to raise awareness about their blurry futures. The national park is now declared as an ASEAN Heritage Park.
Blue Mountains
From Batangas Port we waited for the next RORO/ship bound for Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro.
From the port, we hired a van that will take us to Calintaan, Occidental Mindoro which is roughly 180 kilometers away. We slept all throughout to prepare our bodies for the hike later
By 06:30am, after more than 3 hours of land travel, we arrived in Calintaan, Occidental Mindoro. We had our breakfast also bought supplies for the 2-day hike inside the national park.
Shortly after the much needed final preparations, we secured our guide in Brgy. Poypoy, before transferring our backpacks and supplies into a farm tractor. Moreover, the road leading to the park is mostly unpaved, dusty, muddy and not advisable for vans.
The sun rose majestically upon the “blue mountains” of Calintaan. Then we arrived at the Military Detachment near the base camp for a courtesy call.
Tao Buid
The little briefing about hiking inside the park was helpful as we were assured by the officer-in-charge that insurgents are not visible inside the area. Safety was the priority, we were also warned that if gunshots during the hike were heard, duck until no sign of danger is imminent.
What I noticed during the short transit, is that some of the locals around the area are Mangyans who identify themselves as “Tao Buid” and “Buhid”. Some of them were only wearing tattered loin cloths or pounded tree barks fashioned like fabric to cover their private parts, including the women.
After more than 12 hours of total travel time, we arrived at Camp 1, or the base camp. Some wild monkeys are roaming around, ready to snatch food from unsuspecting visitors.
Onwards, Oh Lead us!
The camp was surrounded by Mahogany and Acacia Trees. We then prepared ourselves for the long hike ahead of us, and made some last minute preparations. Then we huddled into a circle then Kuya Jepoi made it to a point that everyone should be prepared mentally and physically.
He discussed important matters from the trail and route that we will be taking, what to do during emergency situations, the grouping as who will be the lead and sweep. Also some reminders on cultural sensitivity as indigenous people will be present along the trail, expected time to be followed, and distribution of supplies and hand held radios.
The Monkey Bridge
Then the hike commenced, the trail also serves as foot and migratory paths for the indigenous tribes. Some portions were not protected from slash and burn farming, some tree canopies were not present that made the hike quite exhausting from the heat.
The landscape was interesting – wide gorges, rivers with boulders and stones, small hills and forests in a distance were spared from deforestation.
After more than an hour, we arrived at the Barkong Bato Rest Station where we will have to cross the Monkey Bridge.
During monsoon seasons, the river below it is not passable, so the park administration built this single wire bridge. Although during our hike, the current is not strong and deepest is at waist level, but we still chose to cross the wobbly bridge anyway. If the hanging bridge in Eddet River in Kabayan, Benguet was frightening, wait until you experience this one.
Tamaraw Ranger Station
After crossing the monkey bridge, the trail then connected with a now becoming dense forest. Still with all the slips and slide we had along the way due to the muddy trail, we had covered much of the distance en route to the Ranger Station.
After a series of river crossing and some four hours and forty minutes of trek inside the park, we have arrived at the Tamaraw Ranger Station or Camp 2.
The station is complete with basic amenities such as huts and rooms to spend the night in. There are bathrooms, a kitchen and common areas for the mountaineers and guides alike. After resting and eating our packed lunch, we left our packs and started the second part of the hike that day, to the summit of Mt. Magawang.
The Green and Gold in View
Around three in the afternoon we started the ascent to Mt. Magawang. From the forested ranger station, the once covered in trees ensued into a savanna-like landscape. The bald grassy peaks flaked the landscape and no trees were seen all around. Mt. Iglit’s peak stood out in this sea of green and gold.
Everything was just grass after grass that ends in small shrubs and alike. Patches of forest only remained near the gorges where rivers meet.
Then after an hour, we reached the viewing deck of Mt. Magawang some 850 meters above sea level. This is where the Tamaraw Plaza can be seen with all the small hoofed mammals grazing day and night.
Tamaraw Plaza AKA their Freedom Park
These feisty dwarf buffaloes called as the Tamaraw (Bubalus Mindorensis), are small hoofed mammals from the Bovidae Family. They’re one of the crtically endangered species in the world and is now only endemic to the mountains of Mindoro.
What sets them apart from the Buffalo is that they are smaller, hairier, solitary and is not gregarious. They are often found in small herds and most of the time encountered alone. Their horns are not arched sideways but points upward in a V-shape form that makes up to their fierce reputation and is known to attack once intimidated.
As their numbers dwindle, their fragmented population spread thin and has been pushed way up into the grasslands of Mt. Iglit and surrounding areas. Sighting of them is rare nowadays. There’s roughly less than 500 of them still existing in the MIBNP.
Although I didn’t had any decent photo of the dwarf buffalo, seeing them in Mt. Magawang through the lens of the binoculars lent by the rangers was an awesome experience.
The advocacy to raise awareness of the population and importance of the Tamaraw to the country started in 1965. With the rise in human population, the creatures faced severe anthropogenic pressures such as loss of habitat, hunting, and also introduction of other foreign species such as Cattles that caused an epidemic (Rinderpest).
Recca, Recca
What made me decide to visit Occidental Mindoro is upon hearing stories about the great savanna like mountains and ridges of the Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park. Moreover, the sighting of the wild yet elusive Tamaraw grazing on the highlands of a mountain range felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity.
They also happen to be the institutional mascot of my alma mater, where I spent almost five years chanting songs like “Let’s Go, Tamaraws!”, “Fight, Green and Gold!”. From that moment on, the Tamaraw for me was not just some university mascot, but is now a charismatic Filipino icon: resilient, strong and proud.
Seeing Tamaraws before my own eyes is an enriching experience. Not all people will take great effort just to see these fierce creatures, but for those who take the long road to Calintaan, it is imperative to share the reality these creatures are facing.
We then got back at the ranger station after sunset to feast on a sumptuous dinner prepared by our team leader.
Next stop! The Last of the Real Ones – Mt. Iglit (1432+), Occidental Mindoro
May this article serve as a reminder that the Philippines is a rare gem that sets us apart from the whole world. Let’s start learning more to protect and preserve what makes us unique as an individual and as a nation.
I hope that our grand kids may still witness all of this.
