Who are the UP Baguio Mountaineers?

The UP Baguio Mountaineers is a campus-based organization aiming to promote environmental awareness and mountaineering as a hobby through their various activities, such as clean up climbs, tree planting projects and this activity, the Run for Trails. The UPBM has produced 11 batches of mountaineers since its foundation in 2000, and looks forward to its 10th year anniversary this coming October.

The University of the Philippines Baguio Mountaineers (UPBM) is an active and dynamic University-based city-wide organization that aims to uphold mountaineering as both a venue for environmental awareness and as a sport and healthy physical activity. In addition to holding major and minor climbs around the Cordilleras, the UPBM has organized and implemented environmental activities (i.e. clean-up climbs, tree-planting activities) on mountains in and around Baguio City such as Mt. Cabuyao and Sto. Tomas, Tuba, Benguet, Mt. Amuyao in Barlig, Mt. Province and Mt. Pulag in Benguet.

Rationale behind Run for Trails

What is the rationale behind this trail run?

For the previous years, Baguio City has published its position as the commercial and industrial center in the North rapidly eclipsing the citys reputation as the cleanest and greenest in the country. As a consequence, parks and greens, open spaces have given way to road-expansion projects, shopping centers and call centers, and a metropolitan lifestyle that takes for granted ever-increasing environmental issues.

Moreover, efforts toward environmental awareness and city trepidation are very timely. To prevent congestion, pollution, and other man-made catastrophes from taking their toll on us, efforts must begin with what the city still has the public parks. Awareness of park systems and ecologies could entail strong concern for public parks not just as venues for recreation but also for education and sports.

In connection with this, the UP Baguio Mountaineers holds a Trail-Running event in Camp John Hay, Baguio City annually since 2004. The event aims to:

(1) introduce park trails as an alternative venue for sports and recreational activities such as running, walking and bird watching;

(2) campaign and advocate for the proper preservation, maintenance and environmental development of parks;

(3) impart environmental awareness and concern for the thriving of natural ecologies in the city in the face of commercial and industrial congestion; and

(4) relate sports and/or recreation with environmental action. For the escalating development of commerce and industry of today is causing the remaining green spaces in Baguio City to be n grave danger of being crowded out by modernizing institutions.