Bye Summer

Summer is ending and after months of scourging heat, I’m really looking forward to the rainy season. But before I say au revoir to the Sun King, just a quick reminisce of this summer.

Escaping the city’s heat, most of my free days were spent at our favourite hang-out place– Bahay ni Lola in Mabini, Batangas. It became my second home and workplace also. Days were spent writing technical papers and grant proposals, reading books, sleeping on lazy afternoons, accommodating guests, and/or swimming with Sheldon.

Work also gave opportunities to explore new places.

First, a visit to Barangay Daraitan in Tanay, Rizal. This community and the adjacent indigenous peoples (IP) communities will be submerged underwater if the controversial Laiban Dam pushes thru.

Assisting the Save Sierra Madre Network Alliance, we also conducted an IP Summit for the Rehabilitation of the Kaliwa-Kanan and Agos River Watersheds which was held in Infanta, Quezon.  

The summit gathered almost 100 Dumagat tribal leaders from Quezon, Rizal, Laguna and Bulacan.

Another work brought me to the mountainous region of the country- the Cordillera. We visited the small scale mining communities in Barangay Virac of Itogon, Benguet - the site of the first commercial mining firm in the country. 

We interviewed small scale miners and documented their operations.

Aside from meeting new folks, also favourite part of these trips were enjoying native cuisines- tapang kalabaw with sinantol and lambanog (Quezon) and pinikpikan with etag (Benguet), yumyum.

Also highlights of this summer: spending lazy afternoons at UP Diliman and taking photographs of trees and shrubs in bloom; 

birdwatching in La Mesa Ecopark, and a recreational climb with friends at Mt. Gulugod-baboy, the highest peak of Mabini.

Goodbye summer!

xOxOx 

 April-May 2013

Amihan and Mt. Pulag

One of the fun activities that we look forward every Christmas season is the chilly, casual walk on a windy night. The soothing effect of the cold northeastern wind propagates good vibes and jolly mood.

But Amihan season can be more exciting when you visit the coldest region in the country, the Cordillera. And within this mountainous region, the best destination to be during the peak of Amihan (December-February) is definitely Mt. Pulag. Here are my five reasons:

Breath-taking sunrise. This split moment between darkness and light, when the sun slowly rises up in the sea of clouds and in glowing red-orange backdrop, is one of the most spectacular views that I've seen. No camera/video will be enough to capture this awesome experience. Since less typhoons (I wish) and rains during this period, higher chances of encountering this wonderful moment.

Sub-zero. Experience the butt-freezing below zero temperature in Mt. Pulag. Even the three degrees Celsius (and lower) in a high-altitude mountain is already a major pain in the ass, and an experience to die for. Those thick fleece and jackets gathering dusts in your closets will really be handy.  The lowest record that I knew in Mt Pulag is -6 degrees Celsius, December 2010.

Walk above the Clouds. Experience a beautiful trek above the clouds. The other major peaks of Cordillera such as Mt. Tabeo, Mt Ugo and Mt. Napulauan looked like islands in the sea of clouds.

Amazing wildlife. Mt. Pulag National Park is home to some of the country’s unique fauna and flora like giant cloud rats, boars and Philippine deer.  Amihan season also coincides with bird migration season. Rare sightings of extremely rare migratory birds such as yellow bunting and little bunting were recorded in this mountain. The peak also provides a good spot to view the travelling raptors.

Wonderful culture. Visit to Pulag can also means interaction with the indigenous Ibaloi. Interact with the rosy-cheeks children in their fleece school uniforms, or have quick chat with the women and men in their galvanized roofs walled houses. The freezing weather will encourage you to try the traditional delicacies such as hot-meal of pinikpikan, few shots of tasty tapuy (rice wine) or maybe try the nganga (mixture of beetle nut, lime and tobacco leaf) for dessert.

Mt Pulag is definitely the best place to be this season... :)

 

Trek & Swim

Davao Region is my third and last region for this backpacking trip in Mindanao.

For this leg, my main itinerary is a hiking trip to Mt. Talomo, one of the peaks of the city. 

Believe to be inhabited by the guardians of Mt Apo, the mountain is also an important ecosystem and watershed. 

To reach Mt Talomo, one should navigate first the hundred hectares banana plantations in Barangay Tamayong. 

As a advocate of diverse cropping and organic agriculture, it was a terrible sight to see hundred and hundreds of banana plants encroaching small communities and forest lines. 

 

We arrived at Sicao, an Obo-Manobo upland village by mid-afternon but we decided to set camp since the weather begun to turn bad.

 

It’s been raining for the past weeks in Davao, making all trails muddy and difficult for trekking. 

Rubbing salt into the wound, my shoes which I have been using everyday since arriving in Mindanao reached its limit. 

 

We decided to forego the summit trek and instead went to the mountains' amazing waterfalls. We leave our stuff at the community and after four hours of trekking with my rope-supported shoes, we reached our first waterfall- Sicao Falls.

 

The water of the  falls is cold and clean. In fact you can still drink directly the flowing water. 

 

After an hour, we went to another site – the Tres Marias or Tatlong Maria, a three side-by-side falls.

 

A magnificent 180 degrees-view. Too bad my camera doesn’t have a panoramic setting.

Saw this snake along the river. Beauty isn’t it?

Luckily I managed to get back at our camp with my shoes still barely intact. We have a healthful vegan meal for lunch and then trek back to the city.

After two weeks, I ended my backpacking trip in the great Mindanao.   

My deepest gratitude to Jumar, Anne and her family for their generosity and hospitality during my stay in Davao City. 

MT. TALOMO

Davao City

05.12-13.12

traversing Mt Hibuk2x

When I first visited Camiguin in 2007, I promised myself that I will climb the majestic Mt Hibuk-hibok on my next trip to this beautiful volcanic island. Finally, got the opportunity to fulfill  that promise during this backpacking trip in Mindanao.

The most famous among the seven volcanoes of Camiguin, Mt. Hibuk2x is an astounding beauty, towering silently over the capital town Mambajao and Catarman. Yet, it became famous because of its history of destruction. More than 3,000 were killed during its last eruption in 1951.

We started our day trek in the coastal barangay of Yumbing. Eventhough Hibuk2x altitude is only at 1,330 meters above sea level (masl), the trek started at almost zero masl. We passed agricultural lands and cogon areas before entering the low-land forest of Mt Carling, the adjacent volcanic cone. Saw these amazing fauna and flora – pygmy frog, greens and lovely flowers

After 4 hours, we reached the crater that caused the last deadly eruption. According to my guide Ronald, the crater is “technically” part of Mt Carling. Today the "killer" crater is a shallow lake of freshwater and rainwater. We saw two beautiful brahmy kite hovering lowly on the lake.

I can’t resist having a quick dip after a long trek hehehe.

Another 1 hour of steep climb before we reached the summit. Lots of pitcher plants, mossy trees and bonsai ferns along the trail (reminds me of another famous volcano… Mt Makiling) 

Fog engulfed the surrounding when we reached the summit,

but still fortunate to have a quick glimpse of the crater lake and the town of Mambajao

After a quick lunch, started the steep decent to Barangay Tagdo. Lot of loose rocks along the trail so the trek is a bit tricky.

After one and a half hours of trekking, we reached Ardent Hotspring Resort, a government-owned facility. Here one can can relax, take a dip on hot spring pools and grab a cold bottle of soda or beer.

A great day. Very happy also to meet fellow mountaineers during this amazing climb in one of the country's deadly volcanoes.

Mt Hibuk Hibok

Mambajao, Camiguin

05.05-06.12

panaw bai

in Cebu recently, my 5^th visit i think, but first time to get out of the metropolis and experience the outdoors. but where to go? hmm, always wanted to climb Osmena peak so why not? :-)

but first, quick stop to Carcar, dubbed as “Vigan of Cebu”

but different to the heritage town of the North, American-influence ancestral houses surround the main plaza and the elegant Catholic church

didn’t brought my mountaineering gears because of some work-related stuff – laptop, campaign materials, etc tsk. so decided to spend the night in the small, beautiful coastal town Dalaguete. few accommodation options in the area but since always traveling on a budget, costs is always a major consideration. stayed in Ocean Bay Resort, located in the town’ poblacion, and spend the afternoon relaxing in the beach and watching a rainbow in the horizon.

next day, beautiful sunrise. hired a habal-habal up to Mantalongon, an upland barangay of Dalaguete. dubbed as the “Summer Capital of Cebu” because of it’s cool weather, this barangay is also the vegetable basket of the province.

Sunday is market day! enjoyed interacting with locals and watching the market activity. love the unique designed baskets.

basket full of squash!!! i doubt if i can carry that

next stop.... Osmena peak. named after one of the prominent political families in the province, the peak at 1,040 meters is the highest point of Cebu

360 degrees view at the peak (too bad a great fog envelops the area during our visit. curse of maiden climb, again? hehehe). still, very very happy to have a glimpse of the famed “Chocolate Hills” of Mantalongon

the view created by the surrounding peaks of Mantalongon mountain range is as awesome as the famous tourist destination of the nearby province of Bohol. very very nice...

before leaving the place, some spelunking activities. visited Kulabyaw Cave

explored this cave for almost 30 minutes. lots of balinsasayaw (swallows) inside

and Kampakas, a very short gorge marked by a grotto

ended the day with the dip in the Obong Natural Spring, a brackish natural pool shaded by a huge dalakit tree. the name of the town came from the word dalakit, a ficus tree or balete in Tagalog.

can't leave the place so stayed another night in Dalaguete and forced ourselves to wake up very early and hop a bus to Cebu City :-) birthday greetings to my friend Sonia who joined me on this trip.

Osmena Peak

12.04.11

going to Osmena peak? from Cebu City, take the South Cebu aircon bus to Dalaguete. from there, you can hire a habal-habal to Mantalongon market. a cheaper way is to take the smaller, unaircon bus near the Carbon Market to Mantalongon. from Mantalongon market, you can walk or hire a habal-habal to the jump-off of Osmena Peak. from the jump-off, a 30-minutes easy hike to the peak.