Dekada Cafe Balutakay Bansalan

I ventured to climb the country's highest peak but unexpectedly discovered a hidden paradise on its slope.
Mount Apo, known as Apo Sandawa to the Bagobo tribe, stands as the Philippines' highest mountain at 2,954 meters above sea level. Positioned on the tripartite border of Cotabato, Davao City and Davao del Sur, its majestic peak is visible 45 kilometers (kms) away in Davao City, 20 kms from Kidapawan and 25 kms from Digos City.
While conquering its peak is a dream for Filipino mountaineers, my attempts were thwarted twice. Nevertheless, during the three days earmarked for climbing, the local government of Davao del Sur treated us to a tour of hidden gems along the newly completed mountain road, traversing the upland barangay (villages) of Kapatagan in Digos and Balutakay in Bansalan on the slope of Apo. Until recently, these areas were solely upland farms, cultivating vegetables, cut flowers, and coffee. The road's development has transformed the landscape, giving rise to vacation houses, farms, mountain resorts, coffee shops, and restaurants.
Getting there
Digos City, the capital of Davao del Sur, lies 50 kms southwest of Davao City, an easy one-and-a-half-hour drive on a six-lane highway. The Kapatagan-Balutakay mountain road forms a 50-km loop ascending to an elevation of 1,500 meters above sea level on the slope of Mount Apo.