The local government here prioritizes safe and sustainable tourism in its nature adventure offerings.
In an interview on Friday, Mayor Lany Carbonell said the town has 113 tour guides trained in rescue and basic first aid, aside from their expertise in navigating tourism sites.
“We have an ordinance to guide them on what to do. We require a tour guide for visits to our tourism sites,” she said.
One tour guide is required for every five visitors, with a minimal fee of PHP700 for a whole-day tour of all attractions in San Gabriel.
Carbonell said visitors must pre-register at the tourism office prior to going to the sites since they are following a queuing system to avoid overcrowding, especially during peak season or holidays.
There are also checkpoints where vehicles are assessed based on the terrain.
“The safety of tourists is our main concern, not the money or number of arrivals,” she said.
Aside from safety, sustainability is a top priority given that most of the town’s attractions are embedded in nature. Tour guides ensure proper solid waste disposal and cleanliness of the area before guests leave.
In 2025, arrivals in San Gabriel reached over 50,000 daytime tourists, primarily for its nature-based sites, according to the Municipal Tourism Office’s report. The town generated some PHP28 million in revenues.
Tangadan Falls, Dupagan Falls and Mount Mugong are the most visited attractions for trekking, climbing and rough terrain riding.
“There is trekking going to the Tangadan Falls of about 15 to 30 minutes depending on the visitors’ pace. Usually, they stay about one to two hours average. It is open as early as 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. but cutoff for entrance to the falls is at 3 p.m.,” Tourism officer Daryl Dacumos said in a separate interview.
Tourists visiting the town are mostly from the National Capital Region, followed by Central Luzon and Calabarzon guests. They go to San Juan, which is about 10 to 15 minutes away, for accommodation.
San Gabriel only has a transient house for visitors but a hotel is already under construction. (PNA)
