Tourism revives Pinatubo landscape

newsinfo / Headlines Headlines Tourism revives Pinatubo landscape Aeta communities continue to rebuild lives through sustainable livelihood 35 years after major volcanic blast By: Madelle Calayag - Philippine News Agency / 04:30 AM June 15, 2026 Share: ADVENTURE TRAILS Tourists pose at Tutulari Avatar Gorge in Porac, Pampanga in this photo taken on June 12. —MADELLE CALAYAG TARLAC CITY, Philippines — What was once buried under ash and lahar from the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption has been transformed into one of Central Luzon’s leading ecotourism destinations, now sustaining Indigenous communities and residents who spent decades rebuilding their lives after the disaster. Thirty-five years after the eruption displaced about 1.

2 million people across Pampanga, Zambales and Tarlac, the former disaster zones have become hubs for adventure and nature-based tourism. At the center of this transformation is the Mount Pinatubo crater lake, often called a “beautiful disaster,” which now draws thousands of local and foreign tourists each year. Former lahar channels have also been converted into trekking routes and adventure sites that generate income for nearby communities.

Article continues after this advertisement READ: Aeta folk want more say on Pinatubo tourism boomFEATURED STORIES NEWSINFO Villanueva to attend special session: This is not the time to take sides NEWSINFO Eddie Villanueva tells son Joel: Follow your conscience not your friends NEWSINFO Lacson: Majority ready vs Cayetano ‘dirty tricks’ in special session Among the key beneficiaries are Aeta communities in Barangay Inararo, Porac, Pampanga, where residents now work as tour guides, drivers and cultural interpreters in their ancestral lands. READ: Averting another Pinatubo disaster Through community-based initiatives, such as Pinatubo Mountainero, launched in partnership with Indigenous leaders in 2022, around 60 Aeta guides and 10 drivers are now employed in tourism operations. Training Tour operator Bari Silvestre said the model places Indigenous peoples at the center of tourism development.

Article continues after this advertisement Aeta guides have undergone training in ecotourism, helping them turn traditional knowledge into sustainable income. Tour earnings vary depending on tours and visitor volume, ranging from a few hundred pesos to several thousand pesos per trip. Article continues after this advertisement One of the most visited sites is Tutulari Avatar Gorge in Inararo, a narrow canyon shaped by lahar flows and natural erosion, known for its moss-covered walls and dramatic rock formations.

For elder guide Berto “Bato” David, 78, the site is deeply personal, having once been a childhood playground before the eruption. “We used to play here when we were children. Now we serve as guides in the morning and we plant in the afternoon,” he said.

In Tarlac, the Pinatubo crater lake remains the region’s most iconic attraction. Tourists travel by 4×4 vehicles across lahar fields in Capas and Crow Valley before trekking to reach the crater. Local guide Alex Espiritu said hundreds of off-road vehicles arrive during peak weekends.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter SIGN ME UP By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy. He said tourism has created jobs, but reminded visitors to practice responsible travel.

/cb READ NEXT Tourism revives Pinatubo landscape No winner for P128M Ultra Lotto jackpot on June 14 EDITORS' PICK Villanueva to attend special session: This is not the time to take sides Coastal uplift seen in Sarangani, Davao Occ. after Mindanao earthquake SB19 to hold ‘I WaS There’ Thanksgiving fan meet in US, Japan Race on to bring in more Chinese EVs PBA Finals: Tim Cone hits back at ‘unfair’ officiating narrative Mexican group responds to racist slant-eye gesture controversy MOST READ WATCH: Bruno Mars’ nephews impress on ‘America’s Got Talent’ audition Eddie Villanueva tells son Joel: Follow your conscience not your friends No winner for P128M Ultra Lotto jackpot on June 14 Lacson: Majority ready vs Cayetano ‘dirty tricks’ in special session View comments EDITORS' PICK MOST READ newsinfo Villanueva to attend special session: This is not the time to take sides newsinfo Coastal uplift seen in Sarangani, Davao Occ. after Mindanao earthquake entertainment SB19 to hold ‘I WaS There’ Thanksgiving fan meet in US, Japan business Race on to bring in more Chinese EVs sports PBA Finals: Tim Cone hits back at ‘unfair’ officiating narrative globalnation Mexican group responds to racist slant-eye gesture controversy entertainment WATCH: Bruno Mars’ nephews impress on ‘America’s Got Talent’ audition newsinfo Eddie Villanueva tells son Joel: Follow your conscience not your friends newsinfo No winner for P128M Ultra Lotto jackpot on June 14 newsinfo Lacson: Majority ready vs Cayetano ‘dirty tricks’ in spec