It's  been said that Mount Banahaw wards off those who are not ready to grasp its secrets. But every Holy Week, the draw of Banahaw is comparable to sacred sites such as the Lourdes in France, Sedona in Arizona, and the Ayer’s Rock in Australia. Attracting both pilgrims and trekkers; the faithful and the skeptic, the sick seeking for a miraculous cure and foreigners intrigued by the superstitious fanaticism that engulfs the “Holy Mountain.”

Towering some 2,158 meters above sea level, it has long been believed to be a fortress of psychic energy. Located 100 kilometers southeast of Manila, Banahaw is the highest peak among rows of mountains that surround the towns of Laguna and Quezon. One of the largest dormant volcanoes in the Philippines, its unique feature being an elliptical crater 758 meters high, its last recorded volcanic activity was in 1843.

During Holy Week, pilgrims ascend to its crater ream peak called Santong Durungawan to relive the passion and death of Christ. On the peak lie three crosses strategically planted to recreate the actual crucifixion scene. Pilgrims can also enter a cave called Kalbaryos, a narrow tunnel where each successful passage earns a seven-year forgiveness for all sins.

However, apart from its religious bearing, Banahaw is also home for a number of cults, spiritists, and faith healers meditating in caves and communing with mountain spirits. Amid towns and villages on Banahaw’s slopes are churches of the “Rizalistas,” one of many sects in the region venerating nationalist hero José Rizal.

For mountaineers, on the other hand, the true magic of Banahaw lies in its scenic waterfalls, caves, streams, boulders, thick forest, and a summit that overlooks a clear blue open sky. Trekking the well-trodden trail will lead to Kristalino Falls, a 30-metter waterfall surrounded by vine-covered trees. On the way to the summit are landmarks like Pintong Lihim, huge-moss covered boulders marking two divergent paths edged by trees hugging the ground on bended knees, commonly known as Niluhuran.

Sadly, over the years tourists and devotees have inflicted so much damage on Banahaw’s pristine surroundings owing to neglect, carelessness, and heaps of garbage. This is why this year, the mystical mountain remains closed to pilgrims and mountaineers for Holy Week.

Preserving Mount Banahaw is very important since it’s the largest watershed in Southern Tagalog and a major tourism destination. And until people learn to respect and preserve the natural bounty of the mountain, its beauty will remain a folklore to the ones who haven’t witnessed its ethereal splendor.