Mount Banahaw (alternative spelling for Banáhao) is one of the active volcanos in the Philippines. Part of a volcanic group, it is placed along the limit of Laguna and Quezon provinces, on the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. The mountain & its environment are considered blessed by the local residents because of its “holy water”, w/c allegedly have good qualities, issuing forth from local springs & its “puwesto’s, or the “holy sites”. These are composed of unique, natural features such as rocks, caves and springs with shrines erected in, on or around them, their location having been revealed to a man in the Spanish Era by the “Santo Boses” or the “Holy Voice”. It has another of this mountain & it was named as Mount Banahaw de Lucban.
Mt. Banahaw is a traditional pilgrimage site for locals, believed by many to be a “holy mountain” or spiritually-charged location. It is also common among mountain climbers being the closest >2000-meter mountain to Manila. Hiking activity peaks during Holy Week of each year, with climbers numbering in the thousands. At least 4 trails exist, from Dolores, Sariaya, & other towns in Quezon. The most frequently trails are the Cristalino & the Tatlong Tangke, taking an typical of 9 and 5 hours, respectively. These 2 trails originate from Barangay Kinabuhayan, Dolores, and meet near the summit of Banahaw. At the summit, w/c is actually a rim encircling the caldera, viewpoints are numbered as Durungawan I,II, and III. These viewpoints are the usual destination for pilgrims and hikers. Other points of interest include the “Kuweba ng Diyos Ama” (Tagalog: Cave of God the Father) and the spring at Brgy. Kinabuhayan, said to have curative powers.
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