5 rescued from Alegria mountain

CEBU, Philippines - The five neophyte mountaineers who got stranded at Mt. Lanaya in Alegria town have been rescued after a six-hour search Sunday.

A combined team of the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and local DRR offices of Alegria and Malabuyoc towns found the hikers, two of whom are students, at past 8 p.m. on Sunday in Sitio Siag, Barangay Montaneza in Malabuyoc, which is halfway to the summit.

They arrived at the incident command post at around 11 p.m. after over three hours of trekking.

 Mae Listones, Alegria local disaster officer, said one of the hikers was unconscious while the rest suffered from hypothermia and dehydration when they were found. They were immediately brought to the Reinhard Wirtgen Memorial Hospital in Alegria.

 Listones said the hikers climbed Mt. Lanaya Sunday morning without informing the barangay and without a guide.

 Authorities said a male hiker collapsed from exhaustion in the middle of their climb, prompting his companion to dial 911 and send a text message to a friend who is a Capitol responder.

Heavy rains and poor visibility made the rescue quite difficult, Listones said.

 She said rescuers had to exit via the neighboring Malabuyoc town where the trail is safer.

 "Lisod kaayo kay ulan, ngitngit pa gyud. Di na sila maka-exit sa Lumpan kay gawas nga lisod ang terrain, danlog na ang ang dalan mao ni-decide sila nga mo-exit sa Sitio Lumbo sa Malabuyoc,"she said.

 "Dugay sad sila nakit-an dayon kay ang instruction dili sila mohawa sa ilang area. So pag-abot sa mga rescuers wa na ang hikers didto kay nibalik diay sila sa ilang giagian apan nasaag kay wa pud nakatuod. Lahi napud ilang naagian,"she added.

 Listones said 12 locals from Malabuyoc also conducted their own search when the hikers did not return later that afternoon.

 "Wa sila mo-log sa ilang names kay supposedly mo-log book man aron mahatagan og guide ug wa pud mobayad entrance sa barangay. Gipangita sila kay na-worried kay wa baya sila kabalo sa trail," she said.

 Listones advised mountaineers to follow protocol when climbing to avoid the same incident.

 "Actually, strikto man gyud mi anang trekking. Ang problema kay gahi ang ulo sa uban, mangita gyud og paagi bisan pangpang agion. Unta moagi sila sa sakto nga proseso kay dili man pud dako ang entrance fee ug kina-hanglan og guide," she said.

 She added that those with no prior mountaineering experience should also avoid risking their lives to climb Mt. Lanaya.

 "I-discourage gyud namo kadtong way experience ayaw lang gyud mo patuga-tuga,"she said.

Mt. Lanaya is a 4-5 hour trek to the summit (Kalo-Kalo peak as named by the locals) from Barangay Legaspi, which a local mountaineering group would claim as a "minor climb." It provides an amazing view of the town, as well as the neighboring Malabuyoc and Badian.

Aside from being a destination for mountaineers, Alegria boasts of some fine beaches, waterfalls, and hot spring attractions. (FREEMAN)