JP Alipio, founder of the Cordillera Mountain Ultra, grew up in Baguio where he spent a lot of time trecking, hiking, and camping around the region. Photographed by Jilson Tiu for the February 2025 Issue of Vogue Philippines
Photographed by Jilson Tiu for the February 2025 Issue of Vogue Philippines
For JP Alipio, trail running can tell the stories of the mountains and its people.
It’s 6 AM, and you’re zipping along the edge of a mountain. The trail beneath your feet is only as wide as your shoulders, scattered with rocks and compact soil. You’re engulfed by dense vegetation, the air crisp and chilly, as sunlight pierces through the canopy. Beyond the trees, the sunrise casts soft, golden shadows over the Cordilleras, illuminating the jagged peaks and rolling valleys. This is the allure of trail running; it awakens your senses to the unevenness of the path ahead and immerses you in the sights and sounds of the world around you.
For JP Alipio, this connection to the trail goes far deeper than the thrill of the run. As the founder of the Cordillera Mountain Ultra and director of the Cordillera Conservation Trust, he’s spent over a decade mapping and preserving the ancestral trail system that winds through these mountains. What started nine years ago as a small race has grown into a transformative event that celebrates the region’s heritage, supports local communities, and champions environmental sustainability.
The CMU begins in Tinongdan village, just over an hour from Baguio, where locals and participants alike converge to embark on seven different races over the course of the weekend: from a kid-friendly trail run and a canicross for dogs to the flagship 47KM ultra. The trails, once carved by the footsteps of indigenous communities, now welcome runners from all walks of life, each one experiencing the Cordilleras’ raw beauty firsthand.
Fusing adventure, advocacy, and community, the Cordillera Conservation Trust has not only reintroduced these trails to a global audience but has also helped preserve them for future generations.
Over the years, JP Alipio has helped transform trail running in the Philippines into a movement that marries endurance with advocacy. For him, every race is an invitation to reconnect with the land, and with each other.
In Tinongdan, where cellular service is practically nonexistent, participants and supporters are nudged into disconnection, allowing them to immerse themselves fully in the moment. “Trail running can be a way to tell the stories of these mountains and the people who live here,” JP explains.
Pulling off a two-day event of this scale, however, takes a village. Organizing the CMU is a year-long effort, involving the network of local community members. Since the trails are inaccessible by car, crews must manually trace routes, clear paths, place markers, and then sweep the trails clean after the event.
Incorporating the Cordilleras into the race experience extends beyond the trails and into the cultural fabric of the event. The medals for the December 2024 race were handcrafted by weavers from Lubuagan, Kalinga, adding a tangible piece of Cordillera artistry to every finisher’s achievement. Champions of the 47KM ultra took home trophies crafted by Mich Camolo, a wire artist from Itogon who fashioned human forms clad in the distinctive red and black weaves of the region.
JP’s commitment to showcasing Filipino creativity isn’t confined to the Mountain Province. Posters and art for the Cordillera Conservation Trust’s events have featured the work of artists like Manix Abrera and Sean Kyle Manaloto, deploying a diversity of styles to celebrate the spirit of the Cordilleras.
Home stays, made available to participants, are a unique feature of the CMU. They not only ease the logistics of race day but also provide runners a rare opportunity to engage with the local community. “The day before the race, the jeeps are filled with produce from Baguio, brought here for locals to sell,” JP shares, emphasizing the event’s role in fostering micro-economies.
He refers to this phenomenon as the “adventure economy,” a sustainable model where outdoor events like the CMU anchor significant economic opportunities for communities such as Itogon.
While the race is undoubtedly rewarding, he acknowledges its disruptive nature. The trails pass through several villages, where aid stations are managed by locals. To ensure the economic benefits are shared, organizers require these stations to source their ingredients like bananas, rice, and more from their neighbors. “It’s not just about minimizing our impact; it’s about amplifying theirs,” JP says.
This way, the runners are not just enjoying the breathtaking views of the Cordillera, they are nourished by its bounty.
Trail running in the Philippines has extended far beyond the rugged peaks of the Cordillera ridge. Alipio has watched the sport flourish across the Visayas and Mindanao, with some of the country’s top talent, like Roberto Cain of Davao, emerging from these regions. On the international stage, the Philippines is proving its mettle, ranking second in the Asia Pacific region, a testament to the growing strength of its trail running community.
As JP looks ahead to the Cordillera Mountain Ultra’s 10th year in 2025, he reflects on how the race has transformed the very ethos of the Cordillera Conservation Trust. The initiative, which started with the push for reforestation, has evolved into a broader campaign to protect and maintain the ancestral trails that weave through the mountains. These trails, once vital arteries for the highland communities, serve as a bridge between past and present, allowing runners to tread the same well-trod paths that linked Cordilleran villages with one another.
With the Cordillera Mountain Ultra entering its second decade, JP’s vision remains rooted in the trails he calls home. He envisions a future where trail runners become champions of preservation. He hopes that those who race through these trails, feel the strength of the Cordillera winds, and experience the hospitality of its people will take up the mantle of advocacy: “My hope is that we can create a legacy, not just for trail running, but for the communities and landscapes that make it possible.”
