Mount Apo: Location, Height, and Significance in the Philippines

Mount Apo (Tagalog: Bundok Apo; Manobo: Apo Sandawa) is the highest mountain in the Philippines.

Location

• Island: Mindanao
• Province: Davao del Sur (also borders Cotabato and Davao City)
• Coordinates: 7.0083° N, 125.2717° E
• Protected Area: Mount Apo Natural Park (est. 1936, expanded 1996) – 64,000+ hectares.

Elevation

2,954 meters (9,692 feet) above sea level.

Ecological & Cultural Significance

• Biodiversity hotspot: 600+ plant species (including endemic Rafflesia, pitcher plants), 270+ bird species (Philippine Eagle habitat), mammals (deer, civets, monkeys).
• Ancestral domain: Sacred to indigenous Manobo, Bagobo, Klata, and Tagacaolo peoples. Site of rituals, burial grounds, and oral traditions.
• Geothermal energy: Two plants (Mt. Apo 1 & 2) generate ~108 MW for Mindanao grid.
• Tourism: Popular climb (2–3 days); trails from Kidapawan, Kapatagan, Davao. Permits required from DENR/PAMB.

Mount Apo symbolizes the natural and cultural richness of Mindanao.