Cebu City is an ever-growing mountaineering hub in the country. Here, climbers are as passionate about scaling mountains as they are zealous about the ethos of the city itself. And while the province of Cebu lacks any earthly behemoths (above 1,500 masl) that it can be proud of, local mountaineers are just as enthusiastic ascending Cebu’s modest mountain offerings as they are in climbing the major mountains here in the Philippines.

Among the more well-known and oft-visited mountains here in Cebu province are:

• Mt. Babag

• Mt. Manunggal

• Osmeña Peak

• Mt. Lanaya

Here is a list of some of the recognized mountaineering groups in Cebu:

• Cebu Mountaineering Society (CeMS)

• Cebu Mountaineering Alliance (CMA)

• Cebu Outdoor Adventure Team (COAT)

• Ewit Mountaineering Group (EMG)

• Inter-Mountaineering Society (IMS)

• ONE Cebu Adventure Team

• Pundok Habagat

There is a new-found and growing tradition amongst Filipino mountaineers, not just in Cebu, but all over the country. The annual Freedom Climb event, organized by the Federation of Filipino Mountaineers Inc. (FIMO), is just a few years old and is slowly gaining a large number of adherents both nationally and internationally. In Cebu, almost a hundred climbers made their way up to the peaks of the Mt. Babag range just to celebrate the Philippine Independence Day on June 12. This is one of the biggest, most comprehensive climb events in the city, and participating in the yearly event is sure to open up new opportunities for other outdoor adventures.

Outdoor activities are on the boom here in Cebu with the influx of tourists pouring in over the country as well as people from the provinces trying to make a living in the city. With the rising intens

ity of urban life and corporate demands, students, professionals — young and old alike — are discovering alternative possibilities of R&R: outdoor adventuring and mountaineering.

For more information about Cebu mountaineering groups and activities, you can visit the Open Climb Cebu website.