Mount Banahaw
Encyclopedia
Mount Banahaw is an active volcano
on Luzon
Island in the Republic of the Philippines. The three-peaked volcano
complex
is located between the provinces of Laguna
and Quezon and is the tallest mountain in the CALABARZON
region dominating the landscape for miles around.
The mountain is considered by many as a "Holy mountain" and is popular among pilgrim
s along with mountain climbers
. Banahaw is a national park
and a protected area
in the Philippines since 1941, and is now called Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape covering 10901 hectares (26,936.9 acre) of land.
. The summit is topped by a 1.5 by 3.5 km (0.93205910497471 by 2.2 ) and 210 metres (689 ft) deep crater that is breached on the southern rim believed to have been caused by the 1730 eruption. Prior to 1730, a lake
occupies the summit crater of Mount Banahaw. The resulting flood destroyed the town of Sariaya, Quezon
located below the mountain.
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 springs 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 cave
s, stream
s and boulder
s; with names with biblical allusion
s, and shrines erected in, on or around them. These locations were allegedly revealed to a man named Agripino Lontoc by the "Santas Voces" or the "Holy Voices", which also gave the names to these places way back during the Spanish Colonial Era. Another one of this mountain is the adjacent Mount Banahaw de Lucbán.
s but also among mountain climbers being the closest over 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft) mountain from Manila
. Hiking
activity peaks during Holy Week
each year, with climbers numbering to the thousands. At least four trails exist from Dolores
, 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
, and meet near the summit, which is actually the rim of the Banahaw caldera
. 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
) and the spring at Brgy. Kinabuhayan, said to have curative powers.
. 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 and is now scheduled in March 2012.
words banal (holy, sacred, divine) and daw (a word used in quoting another speaker; when appended to sentences, daw indicates slight disbelief or uncertainty in the veracity of the quotation's content). Combined, the two words mean "[it is] probably/supposedly sacred". The way the phrase was transcribed in Baybayin
, the ancient syllabary
used in writing Tagalog prior to the introduction of the Latin alphabet
, finally produced the term "Banahaw".
Active volcanoes in the Philippines
Active is commonly termed for volcanoes with historical eruptions. Moreover, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology classify active volcanoes in the country as having erupted within historical times , with accounts of these eruptions documented by man; or having erupted within the...
on Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
Island in the Republic of the Philippines. The three-peaked volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
complex
Complex volcano
A complex volcano, also called a compound volcano, is a volcano with more than one feature. They form because changes of their eruptive characteristics or the location of multiple vents in an area...
is located between the provinces of Laguna
Laguna province
Laguna is a province of the Philippines found in the CALABARZON region in Luzon. Its capital is Santa Cruz and the province is located southeast of Metro Manila, south of the province of Rizal, west of Quezon, north of Batangas and east of Cavite. Laguna almost completely surrounds Laguna de Bay,...
and Quezon and is the tallest mountain in the CALABARZON
CALABARZON
CALABARZON is one of the regions of the Philippines. It is also designated as Region IV-A and its regional center is Calamba City in Laguna...
region dominating the landscape for miles around.
The mountain is considered by many as a "Holy mountain" and is popular among pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s along with mountain climbers
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
. Banahaw is a national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
and a protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
in the Philippines since 1941, and is now called Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape covering 10901 hectares (26,936.9 acre) of land.
Physical characteristics
The andesitic Banahaw volcano complex is composed of several mountains with Mount Banahaw, the largest with a maximum elevation of 2158 metres (7,080.1 ft) aslAbove mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
. The summit is topped by a 1.5 by 3.5 km (0.93205910497471 by 2.2 ) and 210 metres (689 ft) deep crater that is breached on the southern rim believed to have been caused by the 1730 eruption. Prior to 1730, a lake
Crater lake
A crater lake is a lake that forms in a volcanic crater or caldera, such as a maar; less commonly and with lower association to the term a lake may form in an impact crater caused by a meteorite. Sometimes lakes which form inside calderas are called caldera lakes, but often this distinction is not...
occupies the summit crater of Mount Banahaw. The resulting flood destroyed the town of Sariaya, Quezon
Sariaya, Quezon
The Municipality of Sariaya is a first class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. The municipality is famous for beaches, resorts, heritage houses, and hiking activities...
located below the mountain.
- Other peaks:
- Mount San Cristobal (on the western sloper)
- Mount Banahaw de Lucban (at northeastern slope)
- Buho Masalakot Domes (at southwestern slope)
- Mount MayaboboMount MayaboboMount Mayabobo is a cinder cone situated at the base of Mount Banahaw, in Barangay Mayabobo, Candelaria, Quezon. Approximately with a height of 300 meters, it is a tourist destination for local residents of Candelaria and nearby municipalities, since it has a telecommunication site at its...
- MaarMaarA maar is a broad, low-relief volcanic crater that is caused by a phreatomagmatic eruption, an explosion caused by groundwater coming into contact with hot lava or magma. A maar characteristically fills with water to form a relatively shallow crater lake. The name comes from the local Moselle...
s: Lake Dagatan and Lake Ticab - Thermal Areas:
- Tiaong-San Pablo hot/warm springs
- Bakia warm/cold springs
- Sampaloc warm springs
- Mainit hot/warm springs
- Cagsiay hot/warm springs
Holy mountain
Banahaw is a traditional pilgrimagePilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
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 springs 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
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
, but also cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s, stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s and boulder
Boulder
In geology, a boulder is a rock with grain size of usually no less than 256 mm diameter. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive....
s; with names with biblical allusion
Allusion
An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference to, or representation of, people, places, events, literary work, myths, or works of art, either directly or by implication. M. H...
s, and shrines erected in, on or around them. These locations were allegedly revealed to a man named Agripino Lontoc by the "Santas Voces" or the "Holy Voices", which also gave the names to these places way back during the Spanish Colonial Era. Another one of this mountain is the adjacent Mount Banahaw de Lucbán.
Hiking activity on Banahaw
The mountain is popular not only to pilgrimPilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s but also among mountain climbers being the closest over 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft) mountain from Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. Hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
activity peaks during Holy Week
Holy Week
Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
each year, with climbers numbering to the thousands. At least four trails exist from Dolores
Dolores, Quezon
Dolores is a 5th class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 26,312.-Barangays:Dolores is politically subdivided into 16 barangays.* Antonino * Bagong Anyo...
, Sariaya
Sariaya, Quezon
The Municipality of Sariaya is a first class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. The municipality is famous for beaches, resorts, heritage houses, and hiking activities...
, 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
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
Kinabuhayan in Dolores
Dolores, Quezon
Dolores is a 5th class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 26,312.-Barangays:Dolores is politically subdivided into 16 barangays.* Antonino * Bagong Anyo...
, and meet near the summit, which is actually the rim of the Banahaw caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
. 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
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
: Cave of God the Father
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
) and the spring at Brgy. Kinabuhayan, said to have curative powers.
Pollution
Due to incessant climbing activity, and litterbugs who have no regard to the environment, the mountain trails have become littered with trashLitter
Litter consists of waste products such as containers, papers, wrappers or faeces which have been disposed of without consent. Litter can also be used as a verb...
. 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 and is now scheduled in March 2012.
Etymology
The term Banahaw is not known to many people but some beliefs attribute it to the description of a holy being. This mountain has a rock with the footprint of an unknown being and supposedly, this was the origin of the name of the mountain. Banahaw is very close to the modern TagalogTagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
words banal (holy, sacred, divine) and daw (a word used in quoting another speaker; when appended to sentences, daw indicates slight disbelief or uncertainty in the veracity of the quotation's content). Combined, the two words mean "[it is] probably/supposedly sacred". The way the phrase was transcribed in Baybayin
Baybayin
Baybayin , is a pre-Spanish Philippine writing system. It is a member of the Brahmic family and is recorded as being in use in the 16th century...
, the ancient syllabary
Syllabary
A syllabary is a set of written symbols that represent syllables, which make up words. In a syllabary, there is no systematic similarity between the symbols which represent syllables with the same consonant or vowel...
used in writing Tagalog prior to the introduction of the Latin alphabet
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
, finally produced the term "Banahaw".
See also
- Active volcanoes in the PhilippinesActive volcanoes in the PhilippinesActive is commonly termed for volcanoes with historical eruptions. Moreover, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology classify active volcanoes in the country as having erupted within historical times , with accounts of these eruptions documented by man; or having erupted within the...
- Potentially active volcanoes in the Philippines
- List of inactive volcanoes in the Philippines
- Philippine Institute of Volcanology and SeismologyPhilippine Institute of Volcanology and SeismologyThe Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology is a Philippine national institution dedicated to provide information on the activities of volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as other specialized information and services primarily for the protection of life and property and in...