Iraya Mangyans of Puerto Galera

When one major project ended in April this year, immediately the following day I found myself in Puerto Galera together with a deployment buddy whom I mapped Pangasinan with. On April 30 we stayed up late until midnight working on deliverables and the next day both of us are just happy to have delivered more than the minimum requirement so off we joined a 3D2N arnis training workshop in Puerto Galera, Mindoro. For the second time, I brought the four seasons tent with me on a trip.

It was my third time in Mindoro and my second visit this year, but after that I am sure I will go back there again since I have established friendship with many people from select towns in the island and am looking forward to meeting more friends there.

our tent

We set up our tents in Talipanan Beach in Puerto Galera. It takes at least 20 minutes of walking to get there from the main touristy beach by foot. That afternoon, my buddy and I just relaxed inside the treehouse while talking about the project, our hopes for it, and how our ideals led us to be heritage volunteers.

pretending to be a Watcher while looking far out in the sea for possible pirate attacks

The following day was the main highlight. We trekked to a falls and did some meditation there. The cool waters seemed like a cure to the summer heat. While waiting for food to be cooked, some of us slept inside s small cave near the falls. The awesome boodle fight lunch that followed was very much appreciated and I was happy that they accommodated my request for grilled squid. YUM!

Then we visited the Iraya Mangyan Community Village, a beneficiary of the Ayala Foundation. The Iraya Mangyans are excellent basket weavers and their works are being entered in the market by the Ayalas. The primary material used is dried nito grass. [In August I attended a weaving demonstration in National Museum and how I loved the smell of the lowly nito!]

nito baskets of various shapes and sizes and other crafts

That afternoon we finally engaged in the arnis training. We did some exercises and then the hands on practice fights which I love doing. The whole thing awakened the warrior in me whereas the the nighttime spent wading through the waters on a full moon reminded me of my role as priestess. At that point, as I was pondering on which road to take, I eventually decided to be a warrior-priestess. [Since I love watching wuxia and samurai films, I find fighting monks to be very cool because of their dual role as protector-defender and spiritual guide so I'd like to follow in their footsteps. :D]

 

Talipanan Beach at night

 On the third day, buddy and I had fun doing a continuation of our photoshoots from the previous days as we took advantage of the sunrise and early morning light which she calls magic light. By the time I got home, I already added another purpose in my life, to help protect our cultural heritage and to help support the local indigenous peoples.

A few weeks later, news of how the NCIP are betraying the indigenous peoples in various parts of the country are in the papers. It's a shame to learn that a government agency tasked to protect the IP's are instead making it easier for mining companies and other greedy corporations to take over the ancestral lands. Apparently this has been going on for many years now but lately the military has stepped in and based on the news articles I read, they even kill tribal leaders who oppose the landgrabbing activities.

******************************************

As the world faces climate change and other environmental issues which impact food production and cause sustainability problems, I believe that there is a need to go back to traditional knowledge and reestablish our ancient way of relating to Mother Nature. Western methods may seem superior on the surface but these will ultimately prove to be useless in the long run. I am hoping for a new consciousness to envelop the world, to make people realize their roots and to enable them to listen and uncover the hidden messages of Mother Nature.

Also, please buy local and help support the livelihood of the indigenous peoples, that their traditions and crafts and skills may live on.

Mt. Pulag 0221232014

Last year, some of my friends and I planned to hike up some mountains starting with those tagged as level 2, then Pico de Loro, then Mt. Pulag. Since we couldn't agree on the dates, the plans were never realized.

So in January this year, when I got an invite from someone I recently met at an org activity (note: I'm not an official member there, just happened to be a day volunteer), I just couldn't say no and pass again the chance to climb Mt. Pulag, said to be the highest peak in Luzon. Said mountain also became quite talked about because of the cold weather the Philippines is experiencing at the onset of the year until the present. Climbers before us talked of how ice formed outside the tents due to the very cold weather and so we were advised to bring extra clothes to keep us warm [and alive].

As the day of departure was approaching, I was already asking myself what on earth did I drag myself into. I wasn't at all prepared and at that time, my body was still recovering from consecutive trips. Laziness was upon me and even brisk walking seemed like a difficult chore. I was thinking of backing out because the weather didn't warm up a bit and I was afraid of the cold. But a voice inside my head was telling me not to run away, to face my fears like a true warrior. Besides, she [the voice within] warned, "you'd be banned from climbing groups this early if you back out at the last minute!!!" Also, I just brought a new camera which is cold-proof and perfect for adventures so this could be the perfect time to test it. And while in a dilemma, stories of how Mt. Pulag earned its nickname as "playground of the gods" sparked my curiosity. I just had to see for myself this fantastic sunrise and sea of clouds Pulag climbers have been talking about.

So I told myself, "okay, let's do this." Never mind what happens. The usual fatalistic "bahala na" saved me from backing out. For consolation and assurance, I kept on repeating to myself that a lot of people had done it and survived Pulag through the Ambangeg trail, said to be the easiest trail. If others can, why can't I?

Turns out that the hike up to the campsite was okay. It got colder as we climbed up the mountain but the gentle slope was something I was very thankful for. It made the three-hour hike seem like a walk in the park. Perfect for someone who's used to walking long distances like me. Along the way though my friend and I were assuring ourselves that we could do it, that "fear cuts deeper than sword", to quote our favorite Game of Thrones character Arya Stark. Also, we adopted House Martell's motto "Unbowed, unbent, unbroken", though we were still extra cautious.

That night we spent at the campsite, everything changed. The weather became colder with each passing hour. I decided to hit the hay and call it a day (they rhyme!) no later than 6PM hoping to sleep through the cold. But boy was I wrong! I couldn't get myself to sleep! So by around 11PM, I lay there inside my sleeping bag, with five layers of clothes, shivering from the freezing cold. All the while, I closed my eyes, wishing so bad for sleep to come. When I realized how futile it was to try to sleep, I just waited for the early morning call for the group to hike all the way up Peak 3.

Fate must be playing a joke on me because the foggy early morning at 3AM made the hike a bit difficult. My flashlight died on me, probably because of the extreme cold. So I relied on my friend's flashlight as we hike. The activity helped my body generate heat so I felt less cold. When we got to the top, it was another story. I would have wanted to shout "the cold never bothered me anyway!!!" (from the Disney animated film Frozen) but it did.

We waited for some time at the peak, seeing nothing around but fog. Fog, fog, fog everywhere!!! Where's the promise of sea of clouds and the magnificent sunrise??? Later on, realizing that it's way past sunrise, we trekked down with a heavy heart. Inside myself, I resolved to keep on climbing Mt. Pulag until I finally see its treasures.

And it's only then that I understood the words of our guides, that the weather in Pulag is very fickle and hard to predict. Sigh! At least, I got to survive my first Pulag climb.

Our group's itinerary:
DAY 00 (Feb. 21, 2014)
06:30pm Assembly [VICTORY LINER CUBAO]
07:45pm ETD to Baguio

DAY 01 (Feb. 22, 2014)
02:00am ETA at Baguio
03:00am ETD Baguio to DENR
06:00am ETA at DENR, Registration and orientationof Participants
08:00am ETD to Ranger Station
10:30am ETA at Ranger Station, arrange guides and porters [option for early lunch]
11:00am Start Trek
02:30pm ETA at Camp 2, set camp, rest [option for late lunch]
05:30pm Early Dinner
08:00PM Lights out

DAY 02 (Feb. 23, 2014)
03:00am Wakeup call
04:00am Start trek to summit
05:30am ETA at summit, sunrise viewing, picture taking
07:00am Trek back to campsite
08:15am ETA at campsite, breakfast, break camp
09:00am Trek back to Ranger Station
11:30am Arrival at Ranger Station, Wash up, Lunch
01:00pm ETD Ranger station to DENR
02:30pm ETA at DENR, logout, get certificates
03:00pm ETD to Baguio
05:00pm ETA at Baguio, Dinner
10:10pm ETD to Manila

February

Today is the first day of March. I just came back from Bohol, tired and sleepy but just the same, eager to blog about this trip which I took with an officemate with whom I wasn't really that close but we do exchange jokes and pleasantries when we see each other. However, I'm feeling a bit lazy and can't seem to find in my heart to organize the photos I took, much less to edit them and create collages.

So here I am blogging about February instead. January was well spent travelling and attending lectures related to archaeology. In February, the focus is travel again. The last day of January saw me being absent at home for Chinese New Year and then succeeding days were spent in Catanauan where I was a visiting volunteer. It was my first time to excavate a burial amidst the sands so I made sure to be extra careful and just use wooden sticks. I so miss volunteering in the field full time but I'm afraid I might be fired if I would request for leave of absence for a month. Besides, I need money badly to fund my travel plans so I still don't see myself quitting my job at this point.

took a photo of this wonderful view of clouds being reflected in Caliraya Lake in Laguna while on the road

Last month, aside from Catanauan, I finally was able to climb Mt. Pulag. The trek was okay because of the gentle slope but the FREEZING cold is something that one must really prepare for. My friend and I didn't prepare for the climb physically but we did finish it. Unfortunately, we saw no sunrise nor sea of clouds so I'm thinking of joining another Mt. Pulag climb and won't stop until I see the famed sunrise and sea of clouds with my own eyes.

view upon descent, near parking lot

Also, my trip to Bohol is my second time to go to Visayas  (like what I've said above... I'm getting repetitive, maybe I should just sleep...) Anyway, we didn't go to the usual tourist spots like the famous Chocolate Hills, but just went to visit the churches destroyed by a very strong earthquake late last year. That, and also the beaches since Visayas really have the most beautiful beaches in the Philippines (I think... I can't be sure of this but of all the places I've been to, Palawan and Visayas seem like paradise and perfect for snorkeling.) It was heartbreaking to see some of the churches in their present pulverized state. On the brighter side, I got to explore one cave in Panglao--- the Hinagdanan Cave where one can swim in its cool waters.

aerial view of Bohol, taken form plane

My trip to Bohol allowed me to get on the motorbike. No, I didn't drive (I don't anyway...). But still, since it was my first time to ride as a motorbike passenger, it was very wonderful. I love the speed, the wind, even the noon time sun that scorches everything and burning my skin in the process. At night when the temperature has dropped down significantly, we still hopped on the habal-habal and looked up at the sky full of stars. After the ride, we couldn't help but think how ugly Metro Manila is for its polluted atmosphere thus preventing stargazers from doing what they love most.

So in the coming days I will be posting about my Catanauan trip, my Mt. Pulag experience, and of course, Bohol.

And because of my many travels, I have finally amassed many travel must-haves. I finally bought a four-season tent which can house two persons. I have bought a new compass, a pair of aqua shoes, more carabiners, and a stainless bowl (for camping). Now I can definitely go camping and just eat processed food in tetra packs (ugh! I hate those, really, but if camping I will have no choice.) That is, unless I will be able to buy cooking utensils for camping. I also need to buy outdoor clothes.

Plans for March include going extra thrifty again to prepare for another trip and also to allot some of my money to my savings. (Japan will be a reality soon...) Aside from travelling, I would also like to keep my promise to my sisters to clean our room.