Backpacking the Philippines

Trekking is really nice. I have a friend who is into this adventurous activity. There are lots of places that you can visit or do your trekking here in the Philippines. However, September is a rainy month. We encounter several typhoons starting from this month, June, until December. It would be better if you check out first the weather news here in the Philippines before you proceed with your planned activities. We are more than willing to assist you with your trekking adventure.

Bring your umbrella.

If and when you do end up in Baguio City, come visit with us.  We are from AR and TX before moving to Manila last 2011 and now settled in this beautiful spring-all-year-round city. 

I do have a suggestion, which, in another life, I would have chosen to do this myself:  start from Manila then head to Baler, Aurora (really happening place now).  Then, head way north to a little known place called Sta. Ana, Cagayan.  Skip the other areas surrounding this, and take a boat ride to the Babuyan Islands.  Plan on a few nights there.  Cross to the west onto the Ilocos Norte/Sur area.  Lots of great points of interest there.  Moving south, go to Benquet and see the Rice Terraces.  Head south to Baguio City.  From Baguio, I would suggest a trip to Pampanga, then all the way south to Quezon using a train (from Manila).  That's all I have for Luzon.  I suppose someone else should write about Visayas and Mindanao. 
Since you speak Tagalog, you'll have a grand time.

Thanks for the advice @khryzthinne, I really do appreciate it. I will definitely check the weather as I ;embark on this adventure. I am actually looking forward to it. I was in the Philippines in December 2012 during typhoon Bopha but was not in its direct path. I've experience extreme snow blizzards in Denver, Toronto, and in the New England states and I've weathered through some major hurricanes while living in the Florida panhandle...what's a 'little' water? Hahaha. I'm somewhat prepared as I've purchased all my rain gear, specially the one to keep my backpack dry and also all my electronics.

Thanks @Albert.

Baguio is definitely on my list of cities to visit. Your suggestion was not too far off from my original plan as I started heading towards the west coast of Luzon, going all the way up north then coming back down the east coast. I did modify my plans to first head east then go north, then down the west coast and I included your suggestion on the Babuyan Islands. As part of my adventure, I will try to utilize all forms of transportation in the Philippines (tricycles, jeepneys, buses, taxi, planes, boats, & trains) including walking. As long as it can accommodate me and my backpack, I'll try it.

For northern Luzon, here is my tentative places to go  which can change at a moments notice (I'm pretty spontaneous):

Manila
Baler Aurora
Santa Ana, Cagayan
boat to Babuyan Island
boat to Laoag City
Baguio/Sagada/Banaue
Pangasinan
Pampanga
Manila

For southern Luzon/Visayas/Mindanao, here's my tentative plan:

After Manila, I'll head towards the Bicol reagion (Calamba, Naga, Legazpi City) then off to the eastern Visayas region (Catarman, Tacloban, Ormoc) on my way to Cebu. From Cebu I will take a flight to Palawan then spend a couple of days in El Nido. I will be delivering some school supplies to an elementary school there. After El Nido I head back to Palawan to catch a flight to Iloilo then make my way to Bacolod then down to Dumaguete.

After Dumaguete, I'll take a boat to Mindanao and hit the following northern cities: Dipolog City, Ozamis, Iligan, CDO, & Butuan. From Butuan I will make my way down to Davao City/Gen San.

(All of this can change depending on what happens in the previous city)

I really don't know what I'll do after making it all the way down to southern Mindanao. Maybe I'll just stay in  Mindanao for a few days. I'll look for a park, pop the top on a Red Horse and contemplate my next move. There is always the option of leaving the Philippines to explore a neighboring SE Asian country. Who knows...I'll just play it by ear and see what happens.

you should try trekking at moalboal cebu