Mt.

387, behind its booming number of tourists and hikers, the management admits

to be delighted not for their daily earnings but because of visitors who became

environment friendly after visiting the mountain.

The Mt. 387, locally known as Mt. Batong Amat, shaped by the dauntless

guardians of the locals, is a perfect place for adventurers and nature lovers as it is one of

the main destination of hikers in Nueva Ecija aside from Minalungao. This forestal haven

is about 387 hectares located at the Barangay Puncan, Carranglan.

Its most popular break to tourists is the “Summit” in which hikers need to mount up

over muddy flat surface that assaults a straightforward 150-200 meters, steep stretches

about 100-150 meters until reaching the final ascent to see scattered and distinct pine

trees within a wide plain that which overlooks the entire cities of Nueva Ecija

Before the establishment in 2017, hiking at the mountain and planting seedlings

was done only for leisure of Mr. Roy Manuzon’s group, locals of Mt. 387 management,

until every time they went up, citizens compelled to join them from 30 to 200 and

volunteerism in cultivating trees started as well as restoring the once barren parts of

mountain into full health.

Up to the present time, hikers are still encourage to carry one or two seedlings

each to be planted in the bald areas beside the hikers trail to fuel the motive of improving

the environment’s state and that activity stays as the highlight within the trip. Fortunately,

more and more programs are align that highly emphasizes the appreciation of nature.

The management asserted that even though number of tourists have reached 400 a week
in peak season, spreading environmental awareness to people is still their main goal and

the ecotourism is just a bonus to use to keep the nature green and maintain its

abundance.

It has been clear to the management from the beginning that ecotourism just

serves as a strategy to recover and improve the mountain’s beauty in so much related

with their vision to form a strong connection between the people and the environment

which elaborated by Mr. Manuzon in his statement “dapat mayroong ugnayan ang dalawa

sapagkat kapag naglilingkod ang tao sa kalikasan, naglilingkod din pabalik ang kalikasan

sa tao”.

“Hindi lamang tayo para sa turismo, ginawa lamang itong sangkalan ng samahan

para ang pagmamahal sa kalikasan ay manumbalik at mapahalagahan,” said Councilor

Erik, also a local, when asked about the main aspiration of Mt. 387.