An Open Letter to the People of Bohol

To my beloved Bohol:

October 15, 2013 – A 7.2 magnitude killer earthquake waked up the small island province of Bohol and its nearby provinces. Although a week has passed since then, I am still in awe and in great sorrow about how destructive this earthquake was both to the people and to the astonishing cultural and natural wonders of Bohol. No words can express how sad I am, that prompted me to write you Bohol and your beloved Boholanos a letter.

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I am writing this letter, for two main reasons:

First, we want you to know that even we are separated by a thousand miles, our string of hopes and undying faith as Filipinos will never be broken. We might not be physically with you during this physical and emotional turmoil that had happened, our hearts and soul grieved with you as well.

Second, I would like to rekindle my beautiful memories with you in such a way we can both relinquish the sweet details of the past to be able to inspire us to create another bunch of sweeter memories in the future.

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It was Feb 20, 2011 when I first set foot on your beautiful island, 2 long years has passed since then but still my memory with you is so vivid. It seems that my good memories with you will not just stay in my mind but also in my heart.

I remember that day, I was seated beside a beautiful young Fil-German. She talked animatedly about how she spent her summer vacations in Bohol. Now, Im thinking maybe this is your way of showing me what to expect and its nothing but pure joy and happiness.

I was in the group of 11 full spirited individuals, that is my biggest group back then, and it seems that my big group is so small in comparison with regards of how big you heart to accommodate us.

We went everywhere Bohol has to offer…

From counting the thousand chocolate hills,,,,,,

To screaming our lungs out during Dolphin Watching,,,,,

Tasting the unique and excessive servings of Loboc River Cruise,,,,         

Marveling the colourful and vibrant coral reefs,,,,,

Lay with your back in the white sand beach of Panglao Island,,,

Enriching your faith with century old churches,,,

Look in your own reflection in the eyes of the vulnerable tarsier.,,

And the list is on and on and on…….and yet we are still sad… Why? Because as we leaves a certain spot, portion of our hearts were left behind. We could not satiate our thirst of the marvelous and majestic destinations our Almighty God has showered this island province of Bohol!.

As I laid back  and watched the beautiful sunset view of Panglao Island on our last day, I was contemplating why Bohol draws flock and flock of tourist every day. I even wondered how on earth they were able to build churches so grand back in the old days, when their resources and manpower is so limited.

 After a few hours, I realized the answer. It’s the Boholanos themselves. Their smiles are far more than the warmth of the midday sun. They are inborn religious, but brave and courageous to conquer all the hardships the life may bring. And most importantly, they are protective about their natural resources for all the next generations for them to see.

Now I think, those traits will make Boholanos surpass this ordeal with flying colors. They have stood past the test of time, and I think today will be part of the foundations that make Bohol a greater place in the future. Lets work hand in hand in rebuilding not just our numerous cultural heritage but also our society that will makes us a better human being.

Lastly, our faith in God will makes us stronger, and he will make us realize that there’s a bright day ahead of us.

God Bless and More Power!

In my heart, I love you Bohol!

Sincerely yours,

Gerald Magpantay

Pinoy Outdoor Planet

Batangas

Boracay! More than Just a Beach!

         I conducted a survey with 20 of my officemates in Toshiba of which beach in the Philippines they think is the best, of which 16/20 or 80% thinks that Boracay tops their list on a must see beach in the Philippines. From the 16 who voted Boracay as their top choice, only 4 actually visited the place, for those who did not, I ask them, Why they thought that Boracay is the best? They said that from what they were informed, Boracay has the whitest sand and the water is crystal clear, and ……… and (I waited for their next answer) then they say,,,, that’s it.

When I ask them again if when is their plan of going to Boracay? They stared at me, and exaggeratedly says – It’s too expensive and there’s nothing to do there than to swim!

That’s when I got inspired to write about this article!

       Let me tell you this - Boracay is one of the cheapest destinations with numerous activities to choose from! Boracay as part of the island province of Aklan, but despite its location, getting there is just as easy as counting 1-3. I personally prefer using the airplane as the best transportation medium going there. (I love Cebu Pacific!) The ticket prices ranging from 400 pesos to 2000 pesos roundtrip, since airline companies is giving promo the whole year round, it just depends from what season are you going( low, high, etc. I will discuss this on my next article).

       You also have the option of going to Kalibo, in mainland Aklan or get the direct flight to Caticlan. What’s the difference? If you are flying via Caticlan route, you can only bring a hand carry baggage up to 10 kls only, while for Kalibo, up to 15kls, likewise it seems that the fare in Kalibo route is somewhat a little bit cheaper than the Caticlan. I personally choose Kalibo since I can bring additional stuff like swim wear, etc., just be sure that your hotel provider includes the van transportation from the Airport to Boracay Island and vice versa. From the airport, it’s a two hour van drive to the port, from there you will ride a ferry around 30 mins to the island’s port. From then, you will again ride a coaster for 15 mins that will bring you straight to your hotel.  

Hotel selection is not a problem, since there are endless to choose from. From the Posh and 5 star Hotels in Station 1 to your budget friendly inns in Station 3. There is a room for every budget. I love Hotel La Carmela de Boracay located in Station 2. It has a feel of a luxury hotel, but for a reasonable price.  If you still thinks its quite expensive, then I have good news to you. Last time we went there, we have stumbled upon its sister hotel Boracay Courtyard which is just 3 mins walk away from Carmela, the room is cheaper from 900/person, and yet you can use all the amenities of La Carmela such as pools, its buffet restaurant and the likes.

Now we are settled in our Hotel, its time to explore Boracay!

As simply as it may seems, Boracay has the best beach!, I love its powdery white sand especially in Station 1. The beach is long and wide, and you can just lie there and relax. Yes, Boracay gets pretty crowded at times of the year but it makes the island a fountain of colors and race.  If you are looking for a fun, exciting and vibrant get away, then Boracay is a place to be.

I love Helmet Diving, its quite scary at first, but as you sank into the ocean floor and interact with the fishes, your worry will be gone and wish you can stay there forever.

Who said that Banana Boat Ride is already extreme? Then try Fly Fish in Boracay! I had the most fun and embarrassing moment in the fly fish,, (I can’t tell you why, it’s a little bit censored! J)

Then if you are looking for a serene and quiet place, then snorkeling and island hoping is for you. You can eat lunch in one of these islands.Fresh seafood is being cooked right before your very eyes.. and the islets surrounding Boracay is exuding with peace and tranquility, ideal for those mending a broken heart.

I tried this all for just 1000 pesos. Love it! Always remember the rule, more you are in a group is the cheaper your individual payment will beJ

Nightlife in Boracay will never be left behind even those we had in the metro. As I love Island Hopping, Bar Hopping is a must in Bora, There are bars for every music genre, for every age bracket for every wallet that you have. As you stroll around , you can even spot a fire dancer that will make you stop for a while.

Aside from what I have mentioned above,choosing your desired activities is equally tiring for the actual activity itself because the possibilities are endless, there's jet skiing, surfing, para gliding, para sailing diving, atv ride, and so on and so forth?

I just wish I can extend my 3 days vacation just to experience it all. But don’t worry, soon I will be back!

Let me remind you again that for my 3 day stay in Boracay I only got to spend 6500 pesos (including airfare, hotel, food and activities).

Now, who said its expensive to go to Boracay?  Nahhh.. Its just a myth!

Boracay, More than Just a Beach!

Important Note: As I writing this article, issues such as overpopulated tourist draws more problems in the island such as local prostitution, excessive garbage and deterioration of corals among others.  I personally would like to encourage my fellow Pinoys to visit Boracay, but as we visit this amazing place, lets observe proper waste disposal, avoid engaging in the local prostitution, and be an advocate not to damage corals especially during snorkeling and diving activities.Lets take care Boracay not just for ourselves but for our children as well to see this wonderful creation of God.

Twists of Revisiting Mt. Batulao

“A mountain even how many times you have climbed it, will never fail to give you new twists each time you will try to conquer it!”

I have proven this cliché once again as we had climbed Mt. Batulao for a quick day trek last Sunday- Sept 1, 2013.

Since I personally believe that Mt. Batulao is ideal for beginners, I persuaded my team members in Toshiba which are all first timers to join me in this trip, and they are Mye, Cel and Jen. We also joined by two of my facebook friends Janice and Fredda for this climb. A day before our climb, I was informed by Fredda that one of her Italian friend- Diego who just arrive in the Phillippines would like to go with us, and we gladly said yes, and I thought that this will be 1^st Twist of this Climb!

 

As the team leader, I have some apprehensions at first if its just okay to climb with a foreigner (a complete stranger) whom I haven’t met before considering that all my team members are girls and newbies. But from the moment we started to mingle with each other from 9 am until the wee hours that night that we have separated, I realized that Diego is a wonderful person. Since he was travelling around the world for 5 successive years, he shared to us enormous and viable information about what’s in and out in the backpacking activity. Would you believe, we have to speak in English the whole time because of our new friend Diego. Actually we have an internal joke that its not just our feet is sore but also our nose,, due to nosebleed in speaking English.(hehehe).. This is the 2^nd twist of this Climb!

Back at the hiking activity, we started our trek at 11: 30 in the morning. The sun is already scorching hot but we bravely fought the sun ray’s by applying sun block lotions and wearing protection gears. After an hour we arrived in the peak 1 which is situated near a small hut of which we rest for a while.We resumed our trek after 10 mins of rest, from there the trail gradually increases its height and the sun continues to heat up, major factors that contributed to exhaustion and dehydration. It was then after our 1^st major stop, 2 of our three 1^st timers had reached their maximum potential and decided that they cannot proceed anymore and they are just willing to wait for s after we come back. This is the 3^rd Twist of this Climb!

From 7, we are now just 5 who decided to take on full course to the summit. After an hour, we arrived safely in the summit. And of course what to do in the summit aside from the non-stop photo shoot, drink the famous ice cold “Mountain Dew” sold by the locals. Indeed in Mt. Batulao you can taste the mountain dew literally and figuratively.

We just stayed in the summit for around 30 mins or so  because the clouds is starting to get darker and we can almost feel the rain drops in our face, and as if on cue, as we started our hike down, the rain rigorously pour as of theres no tomorrow. We did not have time to prepare ourselves nor to secure our things. Its  just so hot and sunny in one hour and wet and cold the next hour. This is the 4^th Twist of this Climb!

But contrary to what we had thought, we enjoyed the whole rain experience. Its like we are trekking in another mountain, because the trail is covered with fogs with occasional thunder and lightning that adds up to the dramatic effects of the mountain.

As Mt. Batulao is a favourite destination for mountaineers from Manila, you can just imagine how many mountaineers flock this mountain last Sunday, and just as expected, we are like a member of a large band roaming around the barangay as we head back to the road. But the 5^th twist of this climb is that the road is not cemented thus it turns to be very muddy!

Since we have girls in our team and so as the other groups, you can almost hear a scream every now and then because they get slipped in the muddy road. There are portions of which the mud extent up to knee level that can cover your whole shoes. But what’s interest me most, is that during our whole ordeal with the muddy road, I have never seen a single mountaineer with a sad face… all is smiling and laughing their hearts out. And the locals are looking with us in such amusement in their eyes causing us to laugh with ourselves a little bit more.

Due to our lost battle with the mud, our initial plan of going to the amusement park Sky Ranch as our side trip becomes just a plan. Since it was already past 6 when we took the jeepney going back to Tagaytay, we decided to end our trip with a sumptuous dinner and indulge ourselves to the famous food now in Tagaytay, what else but BULALO!

As I coiled myself to sleep, few hours after we have separated from each other. I have learned another thing.

“A mountain even how many times you have climbed it, will never fail to give you new twists each time you will try to conquer it!”

Mt. Maculot says – Don’t you dare underestimate me!

I have climbed Mt. Maculot in the past thrice- Mt. Maculot is a 900+ MASL above sea level and located in Cuenca Batangas. Its proximity in Manila and its antonishing view of Taal Lake and Volcano, makes it a favourite for those seasoned and newbie in mountain climbing. Mt. Maculot has three main destinations, Rockies (760+) MASL, Summit (900+MASL) and Grotto (500+ MASL). The views of Taal Lake are perfect in the rockies that is why 90% of climbers prefer to climbed on this part of the mountain. For the past 3x that I was in Mt. Maculot, we are already contented in staying at the Rockies.

My numerous visits to Mt. Maculot has lead me to a conclusion that is Mt. Maculot is very simple mountain, no preparations needed etc, behaviour that is really wrong for a Climber enthusiast like me.

 I have read in a blog, that you can never count Mt. Maculot as a mountain that you have climbed if you never experience its summit. As if I was ignited by this statement, conquering the summit has become my obsessions for days. And indeed last July 27-28, we had an opportunity climbed it and aim for a Summit Traverse from Rockies to Grotto.

Our group is composed of 8 persons, 4 of which is first timer. I am the group leader and act as the guide since I know the trail from the jump-off to the Rockies. Although there are apprehensions from my first timer members, I just encourage them since I am being complacent, thinking that if we can go to the rockies there are no way we can never reached the summit and do the traverse.

After the overnight at the Rockies, at 8 am we decided to proceed with the summit. The trail from the rockies to summit is becoming moderate to difficult, which is typical of mountains so to speak. And we manage it well.

After the quick photo ops from the summit, and a little rest, we decided to take on the trail to grotto going down. And there our dilemma started to arise!

We did not expect it nor prepared for it. The trail going down is almost 90 degrees. Its almost rocky to whole trail with very limited steps to help the climbers. There are ropes segments, that makes you feel you are doing a major rapelling with huge rocks that need to be conquered going down. The plan of going down by just 2 hours has become doubled. Every members of our group is scared to do the rapelling with our heavy backpacks and tents. I personally afraid of heights, but since I am the team leader, I am required to start.  Likewise the trails is filled with thorny leaves and trees.

It was a scary moments for me. I am afraid more on my team member’s safety rather than myself. We are nearly running out of water and we did not know if we are getting near our exit points.

As we progress little by little in our request to going down, a realization has stuck me along the way. I have become complacent. I have underestimated Mt. Maculot.

Maybe we are just lucky and God Bless our group so much! We have successfully and safely reached the Grotto.  When we are waiting for the bus going back to Manila. I say to myself – I WILL NEVER UNDERESTIMATE ANY MOUNTAINS AGAIN!

*Note: I did not own the pictures used in this blog. Since our own traverse is quite scary for us, we were not able to photographed ourselves in the duration of the trek. I just used the results of my random browsing in the internet.

My Wet and Wild Mt. Balagbag Experience!

It was 2am last Aug 18 when I woke up by a continuous sound coming not from my alarm clock but for the continuous rain in our rooftop. For a mere 10 mins, I just lie awake, thinking whether I will still be joining this daytrek adventure or not. I have gotten a few things to ponder:

1. It was raining hard the whole night, Am I ready to be soaked the whole day?

2. Its my first time to join a climb with people  I haven’t meet personally, Am I willing to trust them with myself?

As I think about it, the more reasons I got to say no, but after 1 hour around 3:30 am, I found myself riding a bus going to Cubao,,, Hahahaha..

Our meeting place is at Jollibee Tungko. I have no idea where it is located. I was just told by our Team Leader Sir Melo to ride a bus with the signboard to Tungko. I was shocked to be asked by the bus conductor that from Cubao the fare in an ordinary bus is already 38 pesos, so i therefore assume that its must be far from cubao, later I have learned that Tungko is already in San Juan Del Monte, Bulacan. (Ooops!, My poor navigational skills is always taking over me.)

From Cubao, we rode a jeepney to our Jump-off in Licao- fare is 26 pesos. Our group is composed of 7 members, headed by our TL – Sir Melo, Doc Boyet( yes, we have a doctor in our group, I also don’t believe it until I confirmed myself), Sir Dennis, Sir JayR, Mam Fredda, Mam Janice and myself. All were new to me, as a proof, I recalled when I entered Jollibee, I asked a couple of hikers (I just assume based on what they wear) if they know Sir Melo, and woolah, I am asking Sir Melo himself.. (Feeling awkward).

As we were dropped in our jump-off, the rain also started. Silently Im still hoping that the weather will be good but its like the fight between Gilas and Iran,  I want the team to win, but I know we can’t. We started as plan, going to the trail for the river trekking. But the continuous downpour of rain in Rodriguez Rizal has resulted the river to swell and be not possible to cross. We did not want to endangered our lives but we also did not want to postpone our trip so we decided to try the traditional route to the summit. It was a blessing in disguise, since the traditional route is relatively easy, we had this opportunity to further acquaint ourselves with one another and soon found out interesting facts about each other. We have a student, a 1^st timer,  3 seasoned climbers, a travel enthusiast, and of course yours truly the cutest among the group.

The rail to the summit is interesting, after hours of rains, there can be a minute of breaks which allows us some view of the community. It was nice to see a vast array of sights.

It was raining the whole time. We were fully drenched, we see nothing at the summit except vast and vast of fog, but nevertheless I enjoyed so much of this trip. I almost ran out of my daily stocks of jokes.

Since it was raining hard and we were already cold, we decided to go down immediately. Going down proves to be easier as always if will be doubled,,, no tripled with excessive laughter along the way. Soon enough we were back in the jump-off already then we decided to drink some liquors to heat our already cold bodies.

It was after 5 pm, we decided to ride again the jeep that will take us back to Tungko. It was indeed a long and wet bus ride again to Batangas.

As I coiled to sleep, and recount the activities I had for the day. I confirmed that really “ Its not the destination that counts, It’s the journey, Its not how many mountains you had climbed, but its how many friends you gained along the way”.

 Will I joined them for the next climb? Definitely!