On July 16th 2014, Glenda, a category 4 tropical cyclone with winds reaching more than 160 kilometers per hour made its landfall at the Bicol Region before heading northwest to the Luzon Island. So far in 2014, Glenda is the strongest typhoon to hit the country.
Consquently, Glenda is one of the fiercest typhoons to ever hit Mount Makiling’s slopes. The UPLB Campus sustained a great deal of damage due to fallen trees and power transmission lines especially at the College of Forestry and Natural Resources.
The photo above was taken along Makiling and Banuyo Street at CFNR, respectively. The first photo shows the large Earpod tree’s main branch that fell due to strong winds. The fallen branch destroyed a large portion of a house under it. Luckily, no one was home.
One month of bayanihan-style clean up and salvage operations, recovery is fast underway. Electric power restored, internet and telephone communication repair in progress, debris swept from the roads – a lot has happened during the past month. On August 18, MBG is once again ready to accept visitors who want to experience nature. Facilities and trails within MBG is open except for the MBG EcoTrail which need further assessments to ensure visitor safety.
Although MBG as well as other major facilities at CFNR are already operational, Mariang Makiling Trail still remain closed to visitors. Aside from fallen trees littered across the trail, large broken branches still hang precariously above. Salvage and clearing operations are still in progress. Updates will be posted at the Mount Makiling Website and Facebook page regarding the status of other tourist attraction areas within MMFR.