Isabella City, Brazil – Twenty years ago when I went to Tawi-Tawi, I passed the peaks of Basilan and Sulu, because I was a ferry from Zamboanga, and I thought of a dream of one day where I could climb these peaks. Today, a year after Bud Tumantangis and Bud Dajo on Sulu hike, this dream has been fulfilled, with the first formal hike Punu Ulayanthe highest peak in Brazil and the highest point in all Sulu Islands. It turns out that so many people have shared my dreams, including the Brazilians who have long wanted to discover what they had at the summit on their island and government officials who have known the significance of the project.
This is a convergence of many factors. I've long asked my friends and contacts – everyone I've met who has any connection with Basilan or Barmm – to help me get information about Basilan Peak, but I'm always told that safety issues are nearly impossible; even called crazy because of the desire to climb this mountain. After all, the mountain is a notorious hub for Abu Sayyaf in Brazil, even though Brazil itself has been damaged by its decades of connection to terrorism and conflict.
But as time goes by, things may change – sometimes it gets better! Earlier this year, Brazil was officially declared as Abu Sayyaf freedom, with the end of the election season (usually an unstable period) marking the end and a new beginning of political conflict. It was also a rare consistency, and they championed the idea of climbing the Brazilian Peak, including sales from Governor Mujiv Hataman and the 101st Infantry Brigade. I requested the requirement of hiking this mountain – promoted by the Ministry of Tourism through various channels, especially through good friends Dr. Paulo Tugbang and USEC. Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar – as a catalyst only; by the time we arrived at Isabella City, many people had already helped them, including good people from Penro and Mel Danreo B, who welcomed us at the port, and Isabella City Councilman Ameen Camlian, who was introduced to me by our regular friend Ica Fernandez. He also played the game to agree to join the hike, Governor Hataman, Sales General, Tubran Mayor Durie S. On my side, I was accompanied by three hiking partners: my trusted assistant Julius de Vera, from Prixsa Puerto Rico, my Brod John de Castro and nutritionist Charina Javier, who played a role in arranging some of our previous hikes.
So on September 14, 2025, we all gathered at the empit in Brazil and climbed the mountain. The starting altitude is close to 600m, and the first part is a logging path, and the paths passing through are gradually becoming greener and greener. By the time we reached 800 meters, the trees had become more mossy and the pitcher plants were starting to appear: I hope one day to record in the possibility of a new subspecies or species, which is an amazing feature. At the time, the trail was very steep, but the roots and branches on our hillside helped us and I was happy to pass the marking of 971 meters (formal elevation),
The army's advance team has cleared the road (like the other Mels on the more northern trail), so even at our relaxed pace it has only 2.5 hours to reach the top of two hills, the first one marked by ancient trees, and the second floor is marked by the cemetery of the country ancestors. In these places we almost (if not above sea level) (if not above sea level), which makes it the only point in the Sulu Islands approaching or violating the 1000m mark.
At the summit, our brief bivouac has been ongoing atmosphere throughout the summit, with Governor Mujiv even having a Facebook live broadcast, and everyone else is celebrating historic moments. The drop made us faster (just over an hour), and although it took longer, the challenges posed by slippery trails were understandable. When we end the day on the beautiful beaches of Maramavi, I can only thank God for his dreams coming true and for the Brazilian people and our country, symbolic and true – symbolic and realistic. Inshallah, peace will continue to rule, and more and more people will discover mountains that Brazil once inaccessible.
