Back-to-back marathon champion from Ifugao conquers Mt. Apo summit hike

Ifugao, Philippines – A back-to-back marathon champion from Ifugao turned a race setback into a remarkable feat of endurance after successfully summiting Mt. Apo, the country’s highest peak, following the cancellation of the Race to Lake Holon (RTLH) 2025 scheduled on December 6–7 in Barangay Salacafe, T’boli, South Cotabato.

Mt. Apo, which stands at 2,954 meters (9,692 feet), is the highest mountain in the Philippines and is considered a potentially active volcano. It spans the borders of Davao City, Davao del Sur, and Cotabato, and is regarded as a major test of endurance and skill for hikers and mountaineers.

Originally set to compete in RTLH 2025, 23-year-old Ligorinson Abbugao, a student at Manila Maritime, shared that he and fellow runners decided to make the most of their time in Mindanao, with Mt. Apo already on their bucket list.

“Since RTLH was canceled, we thought of alternative activities within the region. We did a short 20-kilometer trail run in General Santos City, then a day hike at Lake Holon. Since Mt. Apo was also on our bucket list, we decided to do a day hike there as well. We maximized our time in Mindanao because we don’t get the chance to be there often,” he recounted.

He added that he had eagerly anticipated RTLH, noting that it is one of the biggest trail-running events in the country.

“I was looking forward to being ‘Holonized’ this year, but due to a number of government agency regulations, the race permit was deferred to 2026. I totally understand and believe the decision was for the greater good. God willing, I’ll join next year,” he said.

Records show that the youngest person to climb Mt. Apo was a one-year-and-11-month-old boy, accompanied by his parents in 2017, while an eight-year-old girl reached the summit in 2024.

Ligorinson’s achievements

Abbugao is no stranger to endurance challenges, having emerged as a consistent overall champion in the 18–24 age group in national and international Spartan races, including his most recent competition at the Spartan Asia Pacific Championship in Pampanga last November.

Aside from trail running, he is also an accomplished dragon boat athlete who represents his school and helped secure the Under-24 championship last month. This achievement qualified his team for competitions in Macau, China in June 2026 and the 15th IDBF Club Crew World Championship in Taiwan set for August 2026.

Meanwhile, the all-time champion completed two 100-mile races this year and successfully defended his title by winning the Sinaunang Takbo 50 Miles (ST50 80-km) in Rizal, Montalban on December 20-- dominating the race from start to finish, with an impressive time of 14:41:08.

Abbugao’s Mt. Apo climb underscores his resilience, turning a setback into yet another athletic triumph.