29 mountaineers trapped near Mt. Pinatubo's crater

Twenty-nine mountaineers have been trapped in Mt. Pinatubo in Porac, Pampanga since Saturday.

A GMA News Balitanghali report said the mountaineers are trapped near the volcano's crater.

Nigel Lontoc of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Region 3 told Balitanghali in an interview that at least three rescue teams have started an at least six-hour hike to reach the trapped mountaineers.

Lontoc said the three rescue teams included members of the Porac Police Station, Quick Response Team of Porac town and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of Pampanga.

Aside from the rescue teams, a helicopter has also been dispatched from Clark Airbase to join the rescue efforts for the mountaineers.

The regional OCD chief said that based on initial information, three of the mountaineers were injured.

While there have been minor injuries based on initial information, Kag. Zenaida Arboso of Brgy. Sapang Uwak in Porac, Pampanga, said the immediate concern was to bring food and water to the mountaineers as their supplies were cut off due to extended exposure in the mountains.

“May mga katutubo nang sumama sa rescue operations. Nagkulang lang sila sa tubig at pagkain. Walang nang mas grabeng problema bukod sa nasugatan sila at na-fracture ang paa ng isa,” she said in an interview with Balitanghali.

Lontoc, meanwhile, clarified that the group of mountaineers failed to secure a clearance from local authorities before starting their hike.

As one of the tourism coordinator of Brgy. Sapang Uwak, Arboso reiterated the importance of being in contact with the different municipalities, communities, and authorities to and from Mount Pinatubo to ensure a safe hike.

According to the barangay official, “Lahat ng umaakyat, nagko-contact sa amin, pero this time, wala. Kaya kagabi, nagtaka ako kung bakit walang nag-contact.

'Yung galing sa amin na kaibigan kong taga-Manila rin na mountaineer, tumawag sa akin kagabi, 'Madam, mayroon pala kaming mga kasamahan na umakyat na na-trap sa Pinatubo.' Sabi ko, 'Ito na nga ba ang sinasabi ko kapag kulang ang coordination sa community.”

“Ngayon lang nangyari sa amin na walang contact sa amin, pero lahat ng nagko-contact sa amin bago umakyat ay may orientation muna. Sila kasi, hindi na-orient kaya hindi nila alam ang gagawin noong dumating at ngayong nagkakawalaan na sila,” she added. —Bianca Rose Dabu/ALG/KBK, GMA News