Mt. Makiling Trail, botanical garden now open amid COVID-19 pandemic

The Mt. Makiling Trail and botanical garden at the University of the Philippines (UP) Los Baños in Laguna are now open to the public after its closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Oscar Oida’s “24 Oras” report on Tuesday, the Mt. Makiling Trail is suitable for tourists who are fond of nature as it is filled with trees and plants, as well as animals including birds. Tourists can also pass by a mud spring along the trail.

Meanwhile, the Makiling Botanic Garden has different kinds and exotic plants that can be found in the country.

“During their visit they can very well see and enjoy yung diversity ng mga halaman na nakikita dito sa (of the plants that can be found here at) Mt. Makiling and of course if they are so lucky perhaps they encounter some of the wildlife,” Dr. Roberto Visco, park manager and director of Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystem, said.

The park management advised visitors to register online beforehand and only the vaccinated would be allowed to enter.

Visco said there were only three time slots every day: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. And for each time slot at least 25 people would be allowed to enter.

“With nature talaga kasi puro puno,” Shaira Perez, a park visitor, said.

(It is very nature friendly with lots of trees.)

“Parang de-stressing po siya for us kasi syempre nag-aacads po kami sa bahay lang po kami nag-aacads nakakagaan ng loob,” Abby Mendoza, another visitor, said.

(It is a way of de-stressing for us youth because we tend to study a lot in our house and visiting here is comforting.)

However, minors under the age of 11 are not allowed in the park. — Richa Noriega/DVM, GMA News