Hinulugang Taktak Reopens

I was supposed to write the second part for Cagbalete island but decided to interrupt it with some sort of news advisory.  Famed Hinulugang Taktak Falls Park in Antipolo recently launched its soft opening last month (Feb 2015)

March 19, 2015

I first visited it last January 2015 but the park was still undergoing renovation and clean-up and they were not yet letting visitors go down to the falls.   I was told to come back 3rd week of February as this was this target date for a soft opening.

I came back around March 19 and yes the park has soft opened and entrance is still free! (No definite date was given as to when the Park admins will start charging fees, but expect it before or around summer)

Note also that we do not want Hinulugang Taktal to revert back to its earlier state. So please  follow the rules and regulations posted below.

Please note also that the park is located at the bottom.  Going down may be easy but remember that you would have to go home later and climbing up requires more effort from your legs.

Some people are debating in online forums if the foamy white water seen near the falls is caused by soap and other pollutants from upstream or just due to the impact of water splashing.  According to a representative of Antipolo CEWMO (City Environment and Waste Management Office), it is due to the presence of aluminum sulfide  which they used to cleanse the water.  This  substance is also known as"Tawas" and you would notice its distinct smell when you approach the falls.

The park's benches and kiosks have been repainted and fixed, indicating the park's readiness to take in majority of summer visitors to Antipolo, probably the nearest resort town (from Metro Manila)

While pollution from upstream have been significantly reduced, CEWMO's rep mentioned some of their long terms plans for the park.  This include acquisition of the private property above the falls to be allocated for the construction of a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).  This is probably the imost important major component as this would allow park officials to later on add fishing and boating as park activities

Cleanup by the Antipolo CEWMO's workers continues despite the soft opening.  They are definitely expecting a surge in visitors during the Holy Week, which falls on the first week of April 2015.

The photo of the swimming pool was from January 2015.  The pool did not have water yet when I came back in March, but it seemed that it might be ready by the next few weeks.  The shower rooms and rest rooms looked really nice and clean.  But they were fixing something in the pipes when I arrived so they had to turn off the water.

Jan 2015

Hopefully everything goes as planned so that we could see future park visitors boating like the employee below.  Then they could catch fish, which they can cook in the park grounds.

One really good indicator of a wilderness area's environmental health is the presence of wildlife.  I saw 5 - 10 egret-like birds such as the one shown below.  Truly a good sign that Hinulugang Taktak Park may be well on its way to full recovery.