Three staff of the Provincial Tourism Office of Mountain Province and 3 guides of barangay Talubin assessed the Amkijo waterfalls located at barangay Talubin of Bontoc, Mountain Province.
The validating team arrived at the amazing waterfalls after a 40-minute ride from the capital of Bontoc combined with trekking a descending trail of about 30 minutes from the national road situated at sitio Pamassaw, Talubin. Sitio Pamassaw is located within the Bontoc-Barlig national road.
The trudging route was steep combined with open field, which was covered only with grasses and shrubs, and the rest was shaded with pine trees and forest trees. However, we didn’t feel much excruciating tiredness and scorching sun due to the melodious chirping of several species of birds and insects.
The main source of the majestic falls is the creek located at Balabag where Bontoc Tourism LGU tapped it for potable use by the villages of central Bontoc. Some springs along the road that discharge downward complement the water volume of the falls.
The height of the Amkijo falls is about 50 meters. Its hammering and reverberating sound can be heard about 150 meters away. The pool is about 5 feet deep and 15 meters in diameter. The water is cool, clear and potable.
Some of the thrills include splashing into the smaller falls below the big falls, walking thru wooden pine log bridges, crawling a rock cliff, climbing a pine log leaning “tower”. The bridges and “tower” were naturally positioned after the previous calamity.
Our local guides Noel Lippaen, Fernando Aspilan and Amalya Taoey, also a secretary of barangay Talubin, related that there are 2 big pools below but these need rappelling to reach them. While having a snack break at the river bank, the staff of the Provincial Tourism Office suggested that the pathway must be rerouted and zigzagged, signages must be placed in conspicuous along the road, other activities such as going to other picturesque spots nearby must be organized, coordinate with the Bontoc municipal tourism office to organize river tracing with rappelling in order to validate the two big falls below Amkijo waterfalls.
While having a snack break at the river bank, the staff of the Provincial Tourism Office suggested that the pathway must be rerouted and zigzagged, signages must be placed in conspicuous along the road, other activities such as going to other picturesque spots nearby must be organized, coordinate with the Bontoc municipal tourism office to organize river tracing with rappelling in order to validate the two big falls below Amkijo waterfalls.