Apo Hikers  Apo Hikers is an adventure story arc of the Philippine comic strip series "Pugad Baboy", created by Pol Medina Jr. and originally published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. This particular story arc lasts 62 strips long. In 1999, the story arc was reprinted in "Pugad Baboy XI", the eleventh book compilation of the comic strip series. The story arc begins in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato, which sits at the foot of Mount Apo, the highest mountain peak in the Philippines. Staff monitoring the volcano are alarmed when they feel tremors shaking the station. Thinking that Mount Apo is about to erupt, they report to their superior who reassures them, saying that the tremors they are experiencing are caused by the residents of Pugad Baboy, who are on a hiking trip up the mountain. The Pugad Baboy gang are well-prepared to hike up the mountain slopes: Tomas is in charge of the first aid kit, Ka Noli has the emergency radio, Polgas has the survival gear, Bab has the thermal wear and most importantly, Dagul has the food provisions. They also have the services of a guide, Mel, who gives them a few survival tips, such as falling on one's back so that the backpack absorbs the impact of the fall. Mel also has a pet Bobcat who accompanies the party as they hike up the mountain. The hiking party soon reach Lake Agko, the waters of which are hazy with steam from the volcano. Mel reminds them that it is not possible to swim in its waters. As they reach the Marbel River, Mel informs them that at this point, warm and cool waters meet, and being sulphuric in nature, the water is good for the skin. Polgas soon hears rushing water and opines that there must be a waterfall near their location. Mel confirms this and tells them that they will be passing by the waterfall when they return from the peak. At 8,000 feet from sea level, they reach Lake Venado. Night soon falls and the party sets up camp. In the morning, they prepare for a three-hour hike to the mountain's peak. At 10, 311 feet, they reach one of the eight peaks of Mount Apo. Mel shows them the volcano's old crater, which is filled with blueberry bushes. Mel also points out a protrusion called "Anak ni Apo" (Filipino for "Son of Apo"), probably a part of the volcano under of which is an active magma vein.