TRI-MUNICIPALITY, INTER-PROVINCIAL MOUNTAIN LOOP
Barangay Alvenda, Municipality of Mutia, Province of Zamboanga del Norte
Barangay Bagong Nayon, Municipality of Concepcion, Province of Misamis Occidental
Barangays Mansawan and Gandawan, Municipality of Don Victoriano, Mis. Oc
by: Edsel E. Jeon
A few weeks ago, I randomly decided to hike a trail somewhere in Alvenda, Municipality of Mutia, Zamboanga del Norte—and somehow ended up in Barangay Bagong Nayon, Palo Quatro, Municipality of Concepcion, Misamis Occidental.
Yes, somehow. At this point, even I wasn't entirely sure where the trail was taking me.
While I was there, one of the locals told me that a new road is "available", connecting their area directly to Barangay Gandawan in the Municipality of Don Victoriano, Misamis Occidental.
I went there alone that day, and by the time I heard about the new road, it was already past lunchtime. Exploring an unfamiliar route alone at that hour didn't exactly sound like the smartest idea—especially when I had no idea how the " available " road would actually look like.
So, I decided to save the adventure for another day and, hopefully, find someone spontaneous enough to come along and explore the new trail with me.
A week later, I went back as planned—this time with two companions I had met, or should I say, invited on the spot, while I was busy taking sunrise selfies at Adonai ViewKid, my campsite in Barangay Mansawan, Don Victoriano.
My Two Instant Recruits: Marc and Yander
Marc (leftmost), the ultra-trail runner. I met him last June when I climbed Mt. Malindang’s North Peak, where he was one of the participants.
Yander (rightmost), the sporty SB Member of Zamboanga del Norte, on the other hand, was a complete stranger. He went to Mansawan with Marc to check out the route for the upcoming Mt. Malindang Trail Run this month. It's going to be his first trail run, so he asked his close friend Marc to teach him the basics. Marc is already a certified ultra-trail runner and know's the area very well.
In short, they arrived in Mansawan with one plan: check the trail and prepare for the race.
Then Mrs. Jeon, wife of jungkook (center) showed up. lol!
By now, you already know how that story ended. Their original plan didn't push through because I somehow managed to convince them to ditch their route inspection and join me instead to explore a completely new trail.
The Start
We started the hike from Adonai Viewkid in Mansawan to Alvenda in Mutia around 7:30AM. The distance was 2.90KM and we used it as our warmup since it required hiking on a concrete road.
Into the unknown... Alvenda to Barangay Bagong Nayon, Concepcion.
Well, not exactly since I already checked a portion of the route a week ago. Since I was already familiar with the first half of the trail, I offered to be their guide—and, naturally, their photographer as well. I also asked them to pose at several landmarks where I had previously taken selfies during my earlier hike.
They happily obliged...
Or maybe they were just too courteous to say no to whatever I suggested.
I divided this segment into 2 phases:
Phase 1: Alvenda crossing to River Crossing: 1.61KM
The " jump shot "
We reached Palo Quatro, Barangay Nayon after about hour and a hals of hiking and modelling. The boys decided to take a quick 10-minute break for snacks.
While we were resting, a local approached us and asked if we could register our names in their logbook. I asked if a permit was required to hike in the area, but he explained that it wasn't necessary. The logbook was simply their way of keeping track of people coming in and out of the barangay.
I was surprised to see that the last entry was from three years ago. I also mentioned that no one had asked me to register when I visited a week earlier. He explained that he had been in town for a meeting—or something along those lines—so he wasn't around that day.
A few minutes later, his wife joined us, and that's when our supposedly 10-minute snack break officially went off schedule.
It turned into 30 minutes.
We ended up enjoying the conversation so much that the snacks became secondary. They shared stories about how, when they were younger, they used to hike all the way to Poblacion, the municipal center of Concepcion.
Naturally, the moment we learned that there was a trail connecting their barangay to the town center, that became the main topic of conversation.
When it was finally time to leave, we thanked them for their warm welcome and told them we'd be back soon to finalize our plans for trekking from their barangay to Poblacion. Pohon.
Bagong Nayon, Municipality of Concepcion to Barangay Gandawan, Municipality of Don Victoriano: 8.40KM
From this point onward, all of us were unfamiliar with the trail ahead.
I had actually been looking forward to this section because I could see a portion of it from my campsite.
In my mind, I imagined entering a forest filled with ancient trees and a thick mossy environment—a place where the temperature would become even colder than it already was and where fog would slowly start to form as the afternoon approached.
Many of the beautiful natural wonders of Misamis Occidental can be found in the Municipality of Don Victoriano. Due to poor road access in the past, many of these places remained relatively unknown—even to locals.
But that was many years ago.
Today, places such as Mt. Malindang Natural Park and its North Peak, Lake Duminagat, and Piduan and Mansawan Falls can now be reached in approximately 1–2 hours from Dipolog City. With Don Victoriano's network of concrete roads nearing completion, visitors from nearby municipalities and provinces can now access these destinations much more easily.
Barangay Bagong Nayon, however, is a different story.
It belongs to the Municipality of Concepcion and is probably one of the barangays farthest from its town center, considering that it is geographically closer to Alvenda in Mutia. Its nearest neighboring—or perhaps “relative” barangay within the same province, without having to descend toward Alvenda, is Barangay Gandawan.
So, going from Bagong Nayon to Gandawan—or vice versa—would require people to traverse the technical and less-traveled trails of the Mt. Malindang Range.
Or so I thought.
Very soon, locals will no longer have to carry their produce to town markets by hand or spend long hours walking through difficult and steep terrain, as concrete roads gradually connect some of the most remote communities in the province.
Even though the road is obviously not yet ready for light vehicles, you can already see other outdoor seekers exploring the area using different means of transportation.
We continued our hike until Marc made a special request. It was already 11:30 AM, and he asked if we could take a lunch break.
I don't normally stop for a proper lunch when hiking alone since I'm used to eating ready-to-eat protein bars or drinking carbohydrate beverages along the way.
We chose a spot to rest, where—to my surprise—they immediately started setting up a mini kitchen, complete with cooking utensils and other cooking essentials.
Yes. They did not bring ready-to-eat meals. They brought actual raw ingredients that needed to be cooked.
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While they prepared their food, I entertained them with stories from my previous adventures and how I used to dress up like a princess. lol!
And in return?
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I got my free share of lunch too.
Of course, I made sure that all trash—from food waste to non-biodegradable materials—was properly packed and carried back to town.
Just when I thought my recruits were ready to continue with the hike, Marc brought out another piece of equipment and asked, “Who wants coffee?”
So, yes. We added another 25 minutes to our hike because the 2 needed a coffee break... immediately after the lunch break.
Realization: I think boys bring more props than girls when it comes to hiking.
We finally continued our hike, and I could tell that we were getting closer to Gandawan. The trail had started to look different—the soil was more compacted and leveled compared to the previous section, which looked freshly scooped by the claw of an excavator and had not yet been levelled by a road roller.
About 15 minutes into the hike, the concrete road that will soon connect Gandawan to Bagong Nayon finally appeared.
From here, you can also enjoy a panoramic view of the other areas of Don Victoriano.
Marc, as seen in the photo, pointed out that this area could eventually become popular among longboard skaters.
Before reaching Gandawan proper, we could already see the road leading to Lake Duminagat. From a distance, it looks like a mini mountain, but there is actually a concrete road running through the trees.
We also passed by a house surrounded by calla lilies. Of course, we couldn't just walk past them! We bought 30 stems for only P70 and carried them all the way back home.
We made a brief stop in Gandawan to buy water and Gatorade before heading toward Mansawan Gym, which was about 3 KM away.
Along the way, we ended up assisting several tourists who were asking for directions to Lake Duminagat.
We finally reached Mansawan Gym and continued another 1.5 KM back to Adonai ViewKid, where we treated ourselves to a cup of hot lomi, fried chicken, and sweet ponkan for snacks.
And just like that, our hike came to an end. This hike reminded me that hiking is not just about reaching a destination. It is also about the people you meet along the way. From fellow hikers, locals, to curious travelers asking for directions, every encounter somehow becomes part of the adventure.
Thank you for the time.
See you again pohon!
