Mt. Palhi (Babaeng Bukid) in Libjo, Dinagat Islands (730+)

MT. PALHI (BABAENG BUKID)
Libjo, Dinagat Islands
Major jumpoff: Sitio Maytubig, Brgy. Bayanihan, Libjo
LLA: 10.20263410 N, 125.63748827, 730 MASL (+730)
Days required / Hours to summit: 1 day / 3-5 hours
Specs: Minor; Difficulty 5/9, Trail class 1-4
Features: Ultramafic and bonsai forests, unique biodiversity, scenic views
Article history: Created August 21, 2024
Author: Gideon Lasco

BACKGROUND
Located in the town of Libjo in Dinagat Island, Mt. Palhi – also known to locals as Babaeng Bukid – offers a spellbinding array of flora and fauna as well as scenic views of Dinagat; although its elevation is ‘only’ 730 MASL, the hike starts from sea level and it has the feel of a major mountain with dense forests, steep ascents, and a majestic summit. Unlike Mt. Redondo which has been devastated by mining, Mt. Palhi has managed to be one of the relatively-intact mountains in the island province, although there is always the threat of future exploitation. Moreover, Palhi involves an actual sea-to-summit hike: one that can be completed in half a day with an athletic pace, or as an overnight hike for a more relaxed immersion in such an unusual island forest.

The hike starts from the village of Maytubig, in the mouth of the river that empties into the sea. An immediate ascent through ultramafic rocks takes the hiker to a dense forest with relatively-stunted trees; there are pitcher plants and other unusual flora and fauna throughout the trail. Past the rattan and other thorny hurdles, the final ascent features the same bonsai forests as Redondo, and offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and islands – including Homonhon, Siargao, and the Southern tip of Leyte; if not for the mining areas, the summit would have offered a vantage point with view to view the Dinagat Islands as pristine fjords, as the earliest, precolonial, navigators from Butuan and elsewhere would have surely seen it. Nonetheless, even today, there is a loftiness in Mt. Palhi that makes it one of the best hikes not just in Caraga, but all of the Philippines.

ITINERARY

(Note: Instead of starting from San Jose or other areas and having to wake up very early, hikers can add a ‘Day 0’ and opt to stay in Sitio Maytubig for an early start)

Day 1
0300 Travel from San Jose to Brgy. Llamera
0400 ETA Brgy. Llamera; take pumpboat to Sitio Maytubig
0450 ETA Sitio Maytubig; register and secure guides
0500 Start trek from Sitio Maytubig
0530 Reach first viewpoint
0645 Arrival at Campo Uno; rest stop
0700 Resume trek
0900 ETA summit
0930 Commence descent
1230 Back in Sitio Maytubig; Lunch
1330 Head back to
16t00 Back in San Jose, Dinagat Islands (in time for last trip to Surigao City)

PRACTICALITIES: MT. PALHI (BABAENG BUKID)

MT. PALHI PICTURES

TRIVIA
An account of the author’s hike up Mt. Palhi is narrated in Hiking matters #803.