Mt. Manunggal

Mt. Manunggal carries a specific place in Philippine history: this is where President Ramon Magsaysay’s plane went down in March 1957, a crash that killed the president and nearly all aboard. The trail up passes through forest that has mostly regrown since, climbing through Central Cebu’s cooler highland air before opening onto a summit with a clear run of views across the interior. These hills were stripped by logging through much of the last century and are now part of an ongoing reforestation push, visible in the mixed native and fast-growing species along the upper trail. The mountain draws two different crowds for two different reasons: hikers chasing the view, and visitors making a quieter stop at the crash site memorial partway up.

• The memorial marker sits below the main summit; budget extra time if you want to see both stops.
• Camping at the top rewards you with a sunrise that clears the eastern ridgelines first.
• Trails turn slick during the rainy months — sturdy boots matter more than speed here.

Explore More in Central Cebu Highlands and Metro Fringe

• Mt. Manunggal Crash Site
• Igutan Falls
• Kabang Falls