It has come to our attention that some unscrupulous persons, offices and private organizations are using the name and logo of the Department of Tourism in organizing adventure treks to the crater of Mt. Pinatubo via the Sta. Juliana route in Capas, Tarlac, claiming that their program has the official endorsement and seal of the said department.
The public is hereby advised that no such official endorsement of any kind has ever been issued by the Department of Tourism – Region III to any office or organization and that any reference to such claim is devoid of truth and therefore fraudulent in nature.
The public is advised to call the regional office for information on accredited establishments with proper endorsements, Tel. No. (63 45) 961-2612/625-8525.
Issue this 26th day of February, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.
TRAVEL ADVISORY - DOT-RIII WARNS TREKKERS TO MT. PINATUBO
The Department of Tourism - Region III Office continues to caution local and foreign tourists who wish to venture into the heights of Mt. Pinatubo via Capas, Tarlac to heed the call of government agencies like Phivolcs and DENR not to fall prey to a tour operator that takes their guests to the so-called “skyway” or a bulldozed mountain trail enroute to the crater of the volcano as it poses danger to the lives and limbs of tourists due to lack of environmental clearances and permits from agencies concerned.
Regional Director Ronaldo Tiotuico said that the so-called mountain off-road trail which was bulldozed by a Korean tour operator based in Brgy. Sta. Juliana, Capas, Tarlac was rolled out without the benefit of an environmental clearance from government and has been the subject of complaints from local and foreign tourists who venture into the majestic volcano crater lake. A number of accidents have been reported to the regional office the past years caused mainly by poor road construction method and unskilled drivers of 4x4 vehicles. Several cases of physical injuries and near fatal mishaps have occurred.
The tourism regional office started promoting Mt. Pinatubo in 1999 when it chanced upon an access road to the volcano via O’ Donnell streambed as the most efficient gateway to the crater. The nature- formed road was then the most expedient way to the crater though it took about an hour drive onboard off-road vehicle capped by a two-hour arduous trek before reaching the summit.
It was then the policy of the regional office to offer to tourists the riverbed as the most highly recommended route to the famous volcano. One had to muster enough courage and stamina though to be able to reach the summit. And besides, the volcano’s caldera is so fragile that it can take only so many people at any given time due to danger posed by its natural terrain (e.g. intermittent tremors and collapse of its walls may occur).
The man-made mountain trail, while it is more accessible even to the unskilled trekkers, is found to be ill-equipped with infrastructure support to be recommended to tourists.
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