Finding Meaning in the Mountains - Part 2

There's this much-raved about arts and music festival happening soon in a much-visited mountain up in the Cordilleras.  

It would have easily caught my interest knowing the arts and music enthusiast and nature lover that I both am but instead, I saw it in a bad light. Because I believe that the featured mountain does not need any publicity at the moment, neither droves of people going up there all at once. What said mountain needs is to actually "heal" from all the negative impacts it has received since hiking started trending among Filipinos a few years back. (Although upon research, I discovered that festival in question is organized in partnership with a foundation that supports communities through sports, arts and music. So I do hope that a big part of the profit goes to the advocacy of this foundation. Organizers have yet to divulge details about this aspect.)

On another instance, I advised a cousin to make sure that the mountain tours she had been joining observe proper hiking manners, like not leaving garbage and being considerate of the communities. The most recent climb she joined had as much as 63 tourists. That's a lot of people. 

Awareness on these matters I have developed after recently joining Random Act of Kindness (RAK), a group of mountain-loving people from different backgrounds and professions. Lead by professional mountaineers, RAK imparts mountaineering courses and ethics. More importantly, it organizes climbs for a cause. 

RAK actually gives back to the locals and indigenous peoples residing in remote communities at the foot or sometimes, even deep in the mountains. 

Take for example our annual Give Light and Pasko Fiesta program that took place last December 17, 2016 at Sitio Manggahan in Barangay Daraitan at Tanay, Rizal. It provided eight solar lamps to eight Dumagat families from Purok Paydas which remains without access to electricity, a basic need, as well as donated toys, clothing, school supplies and food to hundreds of locals both young and old from the sitio. 

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness." -- Desmond Tutu

To know more about the successful community outreach, you can read the article I wrote for Business Mirror. Also in the story, Dumagat Chieftain Eufemia Enciso of Sitio Manggahan expressed her gratitude. 

Dumagat Chieftain Eufemia Enciso of Sitio Manggahan

"Nagpapasalamat ako at nagpatuloy pa rin ang Random Act Kindness sa pag-aabot ng mga donasyon, damit, pagkain, laruan para sa mga bata. At higit sa lahat, ang solar lamps dahil hanggang ngayon, wala pa rin kaming kuryente [I am grateful because RAK continued its donation of clothes, food and toys for the kids. Most important, the solar lamps,  because we still don’t have electricity]."

Hearing these words, I sincerely felt that I was finally in the right place and time doing the right thing. 

Now, time to see photos from the 2016 Give Light and Pasko Fiesta: 


Let there be light! Three of the eight Dumagat beneficiaries of the lamps made by SolarSolutions Inc., a solar enterprise that promotes use of sustainable and clean energy. 

Little girls of Sitio Manggahan show off their plush toys from Jollibee, which sponsored our outreach through its Maaga ang Pasko campaign.

And of course, young boys too! Besides toys, children of the sitio and the Dumagat kids of Purok Paydas were also gifted with clothes, school supplies and snacks. 

 His cuteness caught me. And he caught me in act!

Well, he likes me! :) Kilig! 

And here's us wishing all our donors and sponsors our gratitude for making our Give Light and Pasko Fiesta 2016 possible. 

(ALL PHOTOS ARE MINE.)

My New Comfort Zone

Before acrophobia took over

In the past six years, I had been coddled by the comforts of the media industry's lifestyle beat, especially when it comes to traveling. 

Whenever I joined media familiarization tours, even if it involved  trekking in the outdoors, we, the writers and bloggers, would always be well taken care of. Porters would be hired to carry our stuff, personnel would be ready to hand us drinks, and modes of transportation would be present at any given moment. 

That's how babied media could be at the times. Unfortunately, others get used to it to the point that they demand all the privileges when that should never be the case. (But that's another topic altogether that I'd rather not discuss.) 

And so I wouldn't blame my best friend for telling me, "That's not you bes," after seeing this photo I shared over Instagram: 

(Photos from Ms. Weng)

That's me learning the basics of ropemanship and applying it in an actual scenario: which was to cross a gushing river during rainy weather with an emergency harness. The training was led by Sir Rick, our co-founder and leader of Random Act of Kindness (RAK). It was held at Daraitan River in Sitio Manggahan in Tanay, Rizal where our group organized an outreach for the marginalized community and Dumagat tribe the day before. (Read Finding Meaning in the Mountains-Part 1)

With half a day to spend at the remote village snaked by the river, RAK members decided to spend for ropemanship. Sir Rick first showed us how to properly cross a river without any ropes while sharing tips and tricks to our survival. Of course, it looked easy but I highly doubted it was. And then, he tied a line from the two sides of the river. This was were rope harness tied to us would be connected. 

Thanks to peer pressure, I came third in line. What happened surprised us all. Because of the continuous rains (the weather was bad even before we got at Sitio Manggahan), the water in middle part already reached my chest, I actually got swept away by the strong current. But thanks to our safety line, I was safe, haha. Yay, it worked! 

Still, I had to be semi-rescued because I couldn't stand anymore and finish the task on my own. About three came to me and two held the rope steady. 

It was well documented you see: 

Ready, steady

About to be swept away!

All of them to the rescue!

The only time Sir Alex did not bully me. But he went back to it right after we got back to land. 

When I returned to the rest of RAK, what do I get? Bullying! As always, we just made it a laughing matter. And all was good afterward especially with the shot of lambanog to warm the body. 

The week before that, we climbed Mt. Daraitan to raise funds for the community outreach and that too proved very challenging to the sheltered lifestyle journalist that I was. 


For the first time in my entire traveling life, I experienced the most number of falls I could ever had. Funny, in the beginning of the descent, I was even boastful for saving myself a couple of times from slipping thanks to my quick reflexes. This proved to be useless on the last hour of the four-hour descent because of the ruthless trail--muddy and slippery as fuck. Add to that my exhausted and lampa legs. I was a disaster. Haha. 

Muddy and slippery as fuck

Slip here, fall there. Landing on my butt, stopping the fall with my hands. At one point, my left hand without gloves landed on a sharp stone cutting it. I was bleeding and I needed to get a first aid. Hoho. On another instance, I landed with my right arm planting on the soil. I froze on the ground and thought oh God, hope I did not dislocate my arm. Thankfully, I did not. 

"Maisusulat ko pa," I would tell Sir Rick and my best friend Xerlyn, as well as the local guide. The four of us in the tail of the pack. 

We also went off trail and had to cross a narrow cliff. I almost slipped here too. But no worries, I was well assisted. 

All the time, our destination which was the Daraitan River at the foot of the mountain could be heard flowing with might as if we were getting nearer but we weren't! What a tease.

But as what life does not cease teaching us, it was never about the falls but how one got back up on his/her feet after. So on zombie mode, I did finish the hike. I was covered in mud and sweat combined and sure looked nothing like a lifestyle journalist.  

Yet, I felt as if I belonged there, in the great outdoors. In time, I will make it my new comfort zone. 

Finding Meaning in the Mountains - Part 1

Exhausted, I went to bed, closed my eyes, and tried to sleep. Half-conscious, half dreaming, the memories of the day that just transpired flashed in my mind. It was a blur of browns and greens, the colors of the earth and trees, of the mountain I just hiked. 

Normally, this only happened to me after movies that I took by heart. It could only mean that said mountain made the same impact, perhaps even greater.  

At the summit of Mt. Daraitan

It was Tanay, Rizal's Mt. Daraitan, standing at approximately 739 meters above sea level. Supposedly, it was categorized as a minor climb but totally did not felt that way to me. It was my first serious hike and it was also the toughest. 

Nevertheless, I was not one to complain because despite feeling dead from the physical pain, I felt so much more alive from the unforgettable gain. 

Because unlike most of the commercial climbs I bet you have joined to "get away from the city" and instead "get close to Mother Earth while"--and all other similar cliches--this particular journey to Mt. Daraitan was mainly for a good cause. 

The colors of the mountain

Held last December 11, Sunday, it was one the last fund-raising climb of Random Act of Kindness, or RAK, for the year 2016. RAK is a group of mountaineers slash volunteers hailing from different sectors of the society. 

Only on my second adventure with the group, I had been enlightened ten-fold about "mountaineering" and all the responsibilities it entailed. It was never just about reaching the summit, taking selfies, and saying "I conquered Mt. Daraitan (or any other mountain)." 

Sir Rick of RAK lives and breathes mountains

Because as RAK co-founder and leader Frederick "Rick" Laping said with conviction, "You can't conquer a mountain because the mountains had been there before you. And you can't conquer a mountain because the mountains will outlast you." 

What you are allowed to say is you conquered your fears, or you conquered yourself in reaching the summit and returning safe. Sir Rick further imparted to the hike's participants. 

There were over 10 of us plus three more RAK members Tupe, Alex, Paul and Daiana, who were savoring the steaming lomi after the tiring hike, while taking by heart valuable lessons from a man who had courted and loved the mountains for two decades already. 

The group at the summit

From this immersion came the awareness that many mountains in the Philippines served as ancestral domains of indigenous peoples, the rightful dwellers who most often lacked access to basic needs like shelter, clothing, food and light. 

Thus, RAK was born from the desire to do one random act of kindness at a time. Whether to extend a helping hand to remote, mountainous communities, or to protect and preserve the environment through clean-up drives, or promoting clean, renewable energy, among others. 

Sir Rick points to where the last outreach program of RAK for 2016 is to be held

So how to does RAK do all this? We go back to the non-profit organization's fundraising climbs which are open to all who wish to follow and support RAK's above-mentioned outreach programs. Of which, the culmination for 2016 was recently held on December 17 at Sitio Manggahan in Brgy. Daraitan (yes where the mountain was). 

I also took part in the said event and for two consecutive weekends, found new meaning in the mountains. 

To be continued in Part 2. 

***
For now let's take a look at photos from the Mt. Daraitan fund-raising climb with RAK. 

Don't be fooled by the seriousness of this entry because RAK is composed of a bunch of goofies and bullies, led by this trio, Rick, Alex and Kris (or RAK). Genius! 

Had to stop on my track just to capture this tiny beauties. 

There was also grotto deep in the mountain.

Sir Rick with the local tour guides in the background

Happy and funny faces at Station 2. 

My best friend and travel buddy Xerlyn and I at the summit, the very spot that confirmed my fear of heights. 

She, on the other hand, had no problem whatsoever and kept bugging me to take her photos. 

But truly, such a scenic view. 

Is this a challenge? Yak hane!

(ALL PHOTOS ARE MINE)

Mt. Pinatubo: Beauty in destruction

The beautiful caldera crater of the Pinatubo Volcano

The first ever eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in June 15, 1991 was recorded in history as one of the strongest not only in the Philippines but also in the world.  

But did you know that before that fateful day, Filipinos--especially those living in the provinces of Tarlac, Pampanga and Zambales where the mountain sprawls--did not know that there is actually a volcano sleeping underneath the earth surface? For 500 years it laid dormant until it finally awoke--dangerous and deadly. 

Today's reminder of the strong
1991 erruption

Thankfully, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) predicted the eruption early enough to allow evacuations that saved thousands upon thousands of Filipinos living in the region.

Still, Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption was so strong that it spewed big amounts of lava and volcanic ash. The effects of volcanic spews was further intensified by a typhoon caused massive lahar flow. It also emitted millions of tons of sulfur dioxide that was even reported to have contributed to the depletion of ozone layer.

More than two decades later, the once destructive Mt. Pinatubo is now a beautiful destination in the country. The communities surrounding it have also fully recovered and more importantly, have been even benefitting to the industries that came after the eruption—one of them is a bustling eco-tourism.

After registration at Brgy. Sta. Juliana in Capas, Tarlac, go on a 20-kilometer,
4x4 vehicle ride to get closer to Mt. Pinatubo. 

Go on 4x4

With a number of beautiful and exciting mountains scattered all over the Philippines, Mt. Pinatubo is considered as one of the most accessible to local and foreign tourists alike.

Located at the Cabulisan Mountain Range that snakes the provinces of Tarlac, Zamblaes, and Pampanga, Mt. Pinatubo is only a three-hour drive from Metro Manila.

Enjoying this view with media friends
from other publicationsafter the 4x4 tide

Take-off points are found in four towns in Tarlac namely Capas, San Jose, Bamban and Mayantoc. Among them, Barangay Sta. Juiliana in Capas is the most popular because it houses the Satellite Municipal Tourism Office where all tourists are required to register whenever going to Mt. Pinatubo.

After the registration, visitors will then embark on a 20-kilometer 4x4 vehicle ride to get closer to Mt. Pinatubo’s lake. Lasting for about an hour, the scenery during this drive include expansive of landscapes of lahar—now serving as an industrial industry where locals quarry construction materials.

But to prove that it is still part of nature, herds of cows could be seen dotting the surrounding. There is also what the locals call as the “Crow Valley Canyon,” a combination of green valleys and grey canyons. There are also rocky rivers and terrains that make the ride even more exciting.

The hike will make one understand how powerful the 1991 eruption was

Climb to the top

After the ride, visitors will then embark on another five-kilometer trek this time by foot to finally reach the crater. Although quite long, the trail is considered friendly because it doesn’t require a steep climb. Most part of the trek is on even dried soil and rubble, as well as solid lahar.

Along the way, make sure to greet the children of the Aetas—an indigenous tribe that still thrive within Pinatubo.

This stop-over signals that your closer to the top

Also, the surroundings will also make hikers understand how powerful the 1991 eruption was. What was once mountains peaks transformed into walls upon walls of dried lava.

The destination gets closer when the trail becomes smaller and more vegetated. Finally, a man-made staircase climbs up to crater. Once there, just let the beautiful scenery take your breath away.

At the peak of Mt. Pinatubo is a caldera lake that is 2.7 kilometers wide. It was formed during the 1991 eruption when the volcano collapsed forming a cauldron shape in the middle.

Welcome!

This submerged piece of land then catches water so it becomes a lake. However, mineral deposits of the volcano still reach the lake that is why swimming is prohibited no matter how clear or cool the water is.

A hub for eco-tourism

Besides the Mt. Pinatubo Lake, the province of Tarlac is promoting other tourist destinations that make up an eco-tourism hub.

Also in Brgy. Sta. Juiliana is the Mt. Telakawa, an alternative mountain destination for visitors who are up for a more extreme hiking challenge.

There are also scenic body of waters like the Duglo Falls in San Jose, the Siwako River in Bamban, and the Nambalan River in Mayantoc. 

Group shot with media friends and ECCO execs at the crater

***

This story was originally published for The Manila Times. Read "Back to the Boondocks" to know more. 

This trip was sponsored by ECCO shoes. Visit "Ecco O2 conquers Mt. Pinatubo" to know more. 

(TEXT AND PHOTOS: ©EUDENVALDEZ)