(Reissued. Tribute to Balisong and to Baba. At sa mga nagtatanong tungkol sa Ilihan)
Shared laughter creaks a bond of friendship. When people laugh together, they cease to be young and old, master and pupils, worker and driver. They have become a single group of human beings, enjoying their existence.
-W. Grant Lee
They said no other mountaineers have been there before
other than them, the Batangas Backpackers. They said only the residents of
Ilihan trek to this mountain range to harvest the local fruit atis during the
season like this August. Some adventurous males climb to catch the remaining
monkeys in the second or so generation forest cover. The daring ones upon
orders of the local government hunt and kill the snakes for the safety of the
barangay inhabitants. Kids and housewives wash laundry and dive at the
waterfalls near the mountain approach combining both leisure and work.
This place gained prominence when Shell Refinery
put up their facilities at this coastline property. Now it will gain greater
prominence when the National Power Plant Corporation completes its power plant
at the mountain ridge.
Ilihan is typical of the mountain ranges in the
southwestern side of Batangas as Mt. Tilos in Lobo near Malabrigo, Mt. Banoy
near the Smart Tower and Mt. Banay-banay. Common are: a second generation
forest line, small streams and waterfalls, gentle assaults, 500 to 700 meters
ASL altitude, cogon covered summits, abundance of fruit bearing trees as atis,
santol, guava at the mid range, full view of Mounts Halcon, Baco, Talipanan,
Malasimbo at the Southern Mindoro side, Malipunyo, Maculot, Banahaw, Cristobal,
Makiling at the other side.
The climb that Kurt AKA Phoebus and his group of
climbers staged was truly a fun climb, a climb filled with laughter contributed
by the Manila trekkers and the host climbers.
We were only too glad to meet Tirtir who was a
Brother for Singles for Christ when we were down and a macho dancer at the
"Bahay Na May Aso" rest stop while we were up. When asked how he can
reconcile, he simply said, when he sings for the church ministry, it needs
choreography.
What about Jederico Jose, a student of Batangas
University? Jeric for short is professed to be a good cook, the most kalog,
most naughty, reliable trekker. He hosted portions of the climb and the socials
as if he was in "Ang Dating Daan." His facial expression alone will
give Michael V. a stiff competition. Aarrre, aaarrre as he would shout
repeatedly in true Batangueño fashion. It was Jeric who pestered Kurt with the
question let's swim, play billiard, sing and drink at the Shell Refinery.
According to his friend JeBoy, his girlfriend left him. Even the rambutan
market vendor couldn't stand him. His favorite pastime with his backpacker
friends-nagpapalaki ng tiyan. It's easy he assures all of us, Val included.
The reason the socials held on from 11 PM to early
morning Sunday was Kurt's unending explanation as to why they turned left not
right and moved around and around midway in the trek. His famous lines,
"pagkahatid ko sa inyo, bababa ako para sundin ang mga MESAU"
elicited so much laughter from his co-founders. Kurt killed three hours
explaining to Val and to Jojoy the chemical composition of unleaded gas,
premium and velocity. Cui threw in this phone in question as to what will
happen to their vehicle meant for gas but was loaded with diesel. All rushed out
of the discussion hall except Val when Kurt was starting to explain technical
terms. Very MESAU I would say.
Why do you think was the group named
"Baba"? Because going up is not their specialty. Going down is. Ask
JoRam how many times we attempted to get back to the track.
Bakit JeBoy
ang name ng bagets climber? Kasi ng ipinanganak siya, namatay ang tatay ng
kapitbahay na JeBoy din ang pangalan. Ano ang relasyon? Itanong mo sa nanay
niya.
Bakit kulang
ang description ng Ayala print ad kay Regie Pablo, mountaineer, hiker, rock
climber, supervisor? Kasi walang tattoo, walang dark shades at walang hirap sa
wall. Ikaw ba yan Regie?
Bakit tuwang
tuwa si Cui sa climb na ito? Kasi hindi siya pinagsabihan ng "Taba,
Taba" ng bata. Dahil night trek na siya at nawala pa. Higit sa lahat kasi
nakasama siya. Ganoon din si Erwin.
Bakit deadma
si ET sa mga mga Ilihan sa pag-akyat niya? Kasi panay sigaw ng "Taba,
Taba" sa kanya ng bata.
Bakit Sound
of Silence ang kinanta ni Val sa Shell Country Videoke Canteen? Kasi walang
silence sa buhay niya sa katatanong niya.
Ano ang
hinahanap ni Regie nang nagluluto siya ng adobo? Suka, suka! Ano ang binigay sa
kanya ni Roderick, Kurt at Jessie sa umaga? Suka, suka!
Why should you avoid Jessie, the female male of
MESAU in the early mornings? Because she turns aggressive.
Why do you avoid Regie, the mountaineer,
supervisor, lover at early mornings? Because he turns passive. Sige na, pakawalan niyo na ako! Umaga na at
kagabi pa ako umiinom.
Some famous lines from our lead climbers: George nasaan ka? ani Rodel. The answer
is, Rodel nahan sa? ani George.
Famous beeps from Kurt at 9:30 PM, "Chito,
find us, we are getting lost."
What is the most abused camping equipment in
Ilihan? The Balisong. Ask them. I wasn't in Maculot when the club was formed.
Bakit low bat
si Mitchen sa climb na ito? Kasi naubos ang batirya sa kahahanap ng trail. Ilan
ang flashlight nila? One for 3 climbers.
As in the past climbs, it appeared that Richard and
Erwin were the most behaved. Appearance lang. But Rodel, the long haired lead,
Rodel, the pamangkin ni Lola sa Ilihan, and Warren were really the most
behaved.
What era did we leave the waiting shed? The
Ferdinand Marcos era. And what era did we catch when we went back to the shed?
Still the Ferdinand Marcos era. O
dakilang ama, abangan niyo ang tulang ito.
Why do these crazy urban trekkers climb? They climb
for the same reason that they laugh. To quote an article in the Philippine
Daily Inquirer by H. D. Tacio on laughing and getting healthier " . . .
laughter is good for your health. Laughter reduces health-sapping tensions and
relaxes the tissues as well as exercises the most vital organs . . . even when
forced, it results in beneficial effect on us, both mentally and
physically."
"Laughter is one of the best stress relievers
in our society. It eliminates nervous tensions, which can definitely upset body
function and mental functions. It clears the mind by releasing stress and
tension" It is hard to feel annoyed and resentful when you are laughing.
After you've had a genuinely good laugh, you have a feeling of well-being, of
personal satisfaction, of contentment of happiness. If you want to feel happy more
often, try laughing more often. It is virtually impossible to laugh and cry at
the same time.
And if you want a fun climb, climb Ilihan with the
Batangas Backpackers. Make sure Chito, Cui and Regie are with you so you'll
find your way laughing at the top. Truly a laughing climb makes everyone one.
Val the inquisitive one blends with Regie, the sophisticated and the world renowned
one. JoRam, the non drinker survives with the MESAU drinker. Even Balisong was
made one with Baba only for the night. And Chito, the mature one manages with
the Makukulots and the Macuculits.
Why did we fail to identify the mountain? Because
it did not matter anymore to us because we were enjoying ourselves. Ang saya! Ang saya-saya!
-C. Razon 18 August 1999
From: Aye dela Cruz
Date: Wed Mar 24, 2004 10:51 pm
Subject:
[mfpi] The fun climb to Ilihan Batangas in a mountain we failed to identify
Sir Chito,
Salamat sa tribute! matagal na namin kayo di
nakakasama sa climb, miss na namin kayo, pati mga donation nyong alcohol sa
grupo. hehe.
BaBa is planning another Friendship climb this summer.
Invite ko kayo pag natuloy.
Thanks!
Aye,
BaBa
The Second Time Around (4-5 September 1999) at 745 M
ASL
Still it was fun
climb with louder and longer laughter. The presence of MESAU explorers in big
number did not stop the Baba from dominating the socials. Aside from Jederico,
Rodel too took the center stage. As if making up for the missed socials last
August, he commandeered the night activity which lasted from 11 PM to about 3
AM. He even solemnized the mock wedding to Jessie and Gilbert certainly more
romantic than the Beaver and Jackie ceremony. Ayi of Batangas Balisong added
spice and variation, Kurt with his dog Shadow, acted as marshal to ensure peace
and order.
The hit gag of
the night was the repetitive ritual of Jederico claiming back his lantern each
time his integrity was put in question. Where in the entire mountain ranges in
the Philippines have you spotted a rubberized lantern bouncing back and forth from
the lantern stand to the TNF tent of Roderick in on and off mode. Our count of
the repetition was over 20 times. A shocker was the reading of the first Ilijan
article during the socials with the reader demanding why the accounts of Efren “Bata”
were not in the journal. Simply. I said, my accounts compared to their stories.
Climb was sort
of a reunion of the MFPI Pinatubo climb and a re-staging of the energy level of
the post Deep Blue Sea lagoon concert. We again met the 4 past presidents of
MESAU: Richard, Ronald, Ronald and would you believe Jon who together were last
seen in Pinatubo. Adrenalin level raised that Saturday night almost matched the
level generated by the suspenseful movie premiere and the electrifying acts of The
Jerks, Romeo Lee, Ska and other artists last 30 August. Seeing Yay Ortega, Regie, Mitch, TJ, JoRam,
Hermes, Cui again in Ilijan would make you think the comedy show was an
extension of the concert.
While this
weekend was shorter than the first, it gave us a sneak preview of more
attractions to see. We explored the shoreline finding rock boulders perfect for
practice rock climbing. We were drawn to
the perpetual night flame of the Shell Refining and the lighted sights of the
industrial buildings on our night trip. We discovered on our own on the way
back the New Zealand pasture. This pasture put us at the edge of Batangas at a
waving distance to the ferries and boats that traverse from Mindoro to
Batangas. At the extreme deep end was a white lighthouse and at the sky were a
flock of big black birds preying over a group of smaller birds. All this
against the backdrop of the blue sea, layers of blue mountain ranges and
gushing cold wind engraved a mark in our memories.
Leaving
Ilijan, we appreciated the company who hosted us and the company we brought in
with us. It was enough. Seeing all the sights and the wonders of the sea,
river, mountain and space, we wondered why we were still returning back to the
city. Maybe to tell the rest of the world that combining people and nature is
intoxicating. We had an overdose.
(Ilijan is
about 35 kms. South of Batangas City, less than an hour jeepney ride from the
Batangas market.)
Memories of a Ilijan ,Batangas Climb in
August 1999
with chuasanz@netasia.net, mitch@solidbank.com.ph, mtj@mail.com,
phoebus.b.minada@shell.com.ph, semher@yahoo (68)
ILIJAN, BATANGAS
Hello there,
Ching.
What a weekend
at Mt. Ilijan! We started very confident that it will be a fun climb - a two to
three hour trek. Our jump off site was from a house cum sari-sari store right
on the beach. The house belongs to a relative of one of our host climbers. The
view itself from the beach was fantastic. Visible were the islands off Batangas
like Verde Island and Mindoro. That
Saturday, the outline of Mt. Halcon could also be seen. As we went up the
trail, the view even grew more fantastic. Since our host climbers - the
Batangas Backpackers (or BaBa for short) - had been there only once before, the
group lost its way by taking wrong turns at trail forks. As I recall, we not only
did it once but thrice. Three times, we took a wrong turn. Three times, we
backtracked to establish our bearing. Plus, we had to be extra careful for we
were told by local folks that snakes abound in the area. True enough, we
encountered one on a rock by the trail. The lead man tried scaring the snake
away. But for some time, the snake would not moved from its position. It
slithered deeper into its hiding place in the rock. We were quite apprehensive
of resuming our trek for fear that the snake may come out of its hole to nick
one of us with its kiss of death.
Getting lost
and the snake encounter caused us to be significantly delayed in our trek. In
all, it took us five hours to our campsite. We were hoping of reaching the
campsite before sundown to witness the setting of the sun. It turned out that
we couldn't camp at the summit because of tall cogon grass. A lead group
scouted the top and came down to warn us of this situation. In the end, we
settled for a camp about fifteen to twenty minutes away from the summit. Not a
bad accomplishment for a loosely organized group. (I wonder if we can consider
ourselves organized at the time. Frankly, the ants there seemed more
organized.)
The night
socials were spent on a drinking binge. I turned in very early for the night
without having dinner. From inside my tent and fast approaching the REM phase
of sleep, I could very easily hear the constant drunken laughter of people.
Late into the night, I could intermittently hear people throwing up here and
there. I was really concerned that just maybe somebody would be really wasted
that my tent would get showered with vomit and urine. Not really a nice way to
spend the night with vomit and urine flowing down my tent's rainfly. At first
light, I slithered out of my tent to check if anything disgusting had flowed
down my rainfly. It turned out to be a lucky night out there for me - the
rainfly escaped being splattered with human waste products.
Those who were
drunk had difficulties getting themselves together that following Sunday
morning. The group ended up breaking camp quite late in the morning. Eventually,
we made our way down. We stopped by a small waterfall. Some decided to take a
dip on the stream fed by the waterfall. It was quite a quick trek on the way
down. Even though we broke camp quite late, we got down quite early to have
lunch where our jump-off was.
After lunch,
we continued the socials by trooping all the way to the Shell Sports Complex.
We spent late Sunday afternoon enjoying the confines of the swimming pool. Of
course, more beer and laughter for the fellows. Soon after, we transferred to
the Videoke lounge of the Sports Complex with more beer and laughter. This time
the fellows tried outdoing each other with their singing prowess by trying to
score the highest on the score keeping sound system. Chito mesmerized the group
with his rendition of a medieval Tagalog ballad "Kastilyong
Buhangin." Val scored very well singing the song "Sound of
Silence." This merrymaking continued on into the evening until such time that
we have to catch the last bus to Manila.
Our host
climbers were a tremendous bunch of happy chaps - very accommodating and nice
to be with when sober. Well, even if totally wasted as long as they keep their
waste products to themselves. I enjoyed the climb more because of their zest
for life. The hospitality of our host climbers was first-rate. It was difficult
parting ways with them. We bid our goodbyes hoping for a next time.
How about you?
How was your climb?
ciao, JOJO.
Hey, Chito.
Any narratives from your end? Perhaps, a more colorful angle?
He recalled way back in 1987, while looking for an alternative initiation climb for Famy and Maculot, he and Timmy Toledo stumbled into Laiya as an isolated lost paradise with pristine beauty. There were no resorts-only a handful of bancas. With just a map and the drive for something new as an operations manager for the club, they discovered Mt. Catmon after traveling for two hours in a Toyota 4X4 landcruiser from San Juan Batangas. Today Laiya is a mere two and a half hour drive away from EDSA via Lipa.
John in the late 70's. Banny in the 80's. Us now in the 21st century. Three generations that span decades of climbing. They thread on new grounds searching. While the discovery in itself is satisfying, the fulfillment is in letting others follow. We who are threading through the paths established pay our tribute to them quoting the philosopher Homer, "a guest never forgets the host who had treated him kindly." Thank you for opening these places to us.
