Planing a company outing, barkada get-away or traveling in a group and you don't have a suitable and comfy vehicle for it? I highly recommend KING YANG Events and Transport Co. 

 They have a garage of comfy, high class and well maintained tour buses. They may also assign a well trained tour guides when need. They are regular service provider for exclusive schools in the Metro and nearby provinces.

 Love karaoke? No problem! The bus is equipped with a DVD player, 32 inch LCD screen, stereo, videoke system, bottle cooler, thermos, larger luggage rack, a microphone, Insurance on-board and a professional driver. The cheerful coach captain (bus driver) is more willing to make you make shine, singing!

 I had fun riding on this bus.  This is really a high-end tourist bus. Honestly, this is one of the best bus for long travel.

 This is their contact number, and tell them Lance Pacio referred you to get a discount.
                Mobile: 0917 8822727 (Globe)
                           0932 8822727 (Sun)                
               Phone: (632) 710 9159
                            (632) 671 0010

BOSTON in Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States. The word was shocked with the bombing of a century old event.

The event is truimphed by hundreds of runners from around the world of different nationality. The first explotion was around four hours after race culminated, just the time when a huge number of runners coming before the finish line.

Hundreds were injured and three other died. CNN said that "at least 144 people were hospitalized, with at least 17 in critical condition and 25 in serious condition, officials said. At least eight of the patients are children".

Philippines is an easy target for such terroristic attack. There are fun climbs, fun runs, marathons and "FOR A CAUSE" events almost weekly. This is a call for being vigilant. Philippine authorities said that there is no plot in the country after the Boston bombing.

  The family of Victor Joel Ayson, the outdoorsman who had a fatal fall at Mt. Maculot, Batangas,  had finally found his remains. He was cremated for his remains are in its decomposition state and may not viewed on a coffin for its health hazard state. 

 

The late Victor Joel Ayson in one of his journeys.

  We were in Mt. Batulao last March 29 and 30 for our family's overnight outdoor trip. I keep on staring at a scooped ice cream like land formation adjacent to Mt. Batulao. It is the well known Mt. Maculot. I have not experienced the trails of this haven.

  When we got back to Manila, we were saddened to learn that a fellow enthusiasts ( although we don't know him personally) is missing. I felt goosebumps, for I know how dangerous the hobby is. Posts on a social networking site hinted me that its getting serious and might be another hot topic on a Philippine online group.

  A lot of things come to my mind. Well, I planned to explore this mountain with my one-year old daughter and my wife. After seeing a suspected site in the news where Victor might have tripped, I felt thankful for not pushing the exploration.

  The Pinoys are more outgoing nowadays. I started trekking when Sir Romy Garduce succeeded Mt. Everest. It is true that I have named myself  "A MOUNTAINEER" after descending my first climb. As I climb and explore different trek destinations, I got more acquainted with the trend and different idealism of this hobby. The danger, creepiness, and hardship stories were shared on camp socials. Some stories flared up the desire of getting into the dangerous leisure despite of its unfortunate stories.

  Some of the stories were of Roly Fabro who died in Mt. Mayon, the search,  rescue and retrieval in Mt. Halcon, the campers in Buruwisan falls in Mt. Romelo, the drowning in flash floods and boat wreck, the creepy stories of enchanted rivers and mountains who took lives as sacrifice, spirit sightings, and many more. 

  I would like to salute those who were lost and joined our creator in paradise. I also lost a sibling ( but not in the same manner - he was murdered ) whom I carry along in my heart where ever my itchy feet takes me.   

A groupmate in Bagwis Outdoors wanted to share his food creations on his guideship package. He is Jan Layag, a very energetic educator and a tourist guide. He is a hero to our local Dumagat brothers for his never ending and unpublished outreach activities.

Sierra Madre is the ancestral domain of the Dumagats. Sir Jan is very much particular to Mt. Balagbag - Maranat complex. Ask him what trail to use, and he knows even he's asleep. Kidding aside, he is a very down to earth person, who is willing to give himself to others. I admire him for that.

He allowed me to share this foods that he cooked for his clients, and friends. Since I haven't asked him names for his masterpiece, well, I took the advantage to name those.

Dinakdakan?

Kangkong with Pritong Isda

Fritata

Pulutan y Sisig

Special Rice

American Breakfast - Filipino Version

Porkchop

Best Tuyo in Town

If you want to help the dumagats or trek Mt. Maranat, Sir Jan is the best guide. You may reach him thru 0935 538 5946.

Here are some sneakpeaks of Mt. Maranat:

 

Mt. Maranat

Panintingan's "Blue Lagoon"








He is also hosting climbs in Mt. Siam & Mt. Oriod.

Mt. Siam

Mt. Oriod

He is a very good friend of mine, and a trusted one. I wouldn't recommend him if I doubt in his capabilities.

See you soon readers! Happy climbing!

  It's election period again in the Philippines. New public servants will be elected with the use of PCOS (Precint Count Optical Scan) machine. The battle have started with trash talks and politicking.

 A common candidate is here again proclaiming that he is the best so the nation should vote for him. He is Mr. Wisely.

 Elections after elections we could hear his name in the news and even on Meeting de Avance. All the parties are endorsing him. Though he is so popular, he don't even got the chance to be voted even once.

  Summer! It's too hot in Philippines especially if you are in the city jungle. Sometimes I feel delirious of dipping my body on a streams of water.

My kid had slept and I got bored so I browsed some of my pictures in the computer. I saw our pictures in one of the spots in Tanay, Rizal.

Our family really loved a falls in here. After going under a cave, we trek for a couple of minutes and camp or take a dip on a small falls under a balete tree. After the cool down, we resume our trek down the Batlag falls where you can find a big tree in the middle of a pool like down stream.

It's the same tree I visit every time I got the chance to get wet with the cold water of the falls. The tree is still there, I just got older and fatter.

If you want to get out of Manila to take a dip on a cold fresh water, try visiting Tanay, Rizal and swim on either Batlag or the famous Daranak Falls. Or you may also try Daraitan and Daong river for more adventure spirited people.

From the past few days, up until today, the heat is undeniably terrible. You can take a bath 2 to 3 times a day, but that wouldn't be enough, I guess!

Here is an updated list from GMA News' article about Metro Manila's Swimming Pools. I have added some of the swimming pools that I know, that is open to public.

Ace Water Spa

with indoor, heated pools

Quezon City

399 Del Monte Avenue (near cor. Banaue St.) SFDM, Quezon City

Trunkline: (02) 367-8040 to 41 / (02) 3678061 to 62

Pasig City

United St., cor. Brixton St. near Pioneer, Pasig City

Trunkline: (02) 4511111 / 902) 5825754

Customer Hotline:  (02) 3307776 / (02) 4049995

Sundays to Thurdays - 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Fridays to Saturdays - 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Rates (valid for 4 hours)

Adults - P550

Kids 4 feet and below - P250

Amoranto Sports Complex

Don Alejandro Roces Avenue, Quezon City

E-mail: amoranto@quezoncity.gov.ph

Phone: (02) 3742524 or (02) 3742586 or (02) 3742587 or (02) 3742593

Rate (adult): P50 (closed on Mondays)

Ateneo de Manila University

open to the public on weekends only

Loyola Heights, Diliman, Quezon City

Telephone: (02) 4266001

Hours
7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Rates
P60 per head 

Auroraville Resort

Private pool, outdoor. Reservations required.

Carreon Village, San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City

Phone: (02) 9305980, (02) 9366475, 09193515173, 09205075950 (Ms. Ritz)

Hours

Day - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Night - 7 a.m.-4 a.m. 

Rates

P200 per head

Century Park Hotel

Two heated pools for laps and play, jacuzzi
includes towel and locker; free for hotel guests

599 P. Ocampo St., Malate, Manila

Phone: (02) 528-8888; (02) 528-2424

E-mail: information@centurypark.com.ph

Hours
6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Rates

Adults - P450

Kids - P250

Flamingoes Garden Resort

239 Gen. Ordoñez St. (Molave), Marikina Heights, Marikina City

Phone: (02) 9330047

Hours

Day - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Night - 5 p.m. to 12 midnight

Overnight - 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Rates

Adults - P100 (day)/ P120 (night)/ P150 (overnight)

Kids - P60 (day)/ P70 (night)/ P90 (overnight)

Time to bring out the swimming gear.

FSS Place Resort

Outdoor pool

23 Pines St. Tierra Evelina, Quezon City

Phone: (02) 9518085, (02) 6647546, (02) 3313354; (0922) 8202474

Website: http://www.poolparty.intissimo.de/

Email: poolparty@fss-resort.com

Hours

Day - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Night - 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Rates 

P250 per head

As the email address suggests, the place is available for private pool parties. 

La Mesa Ecopark
East Fairview Subdivision, in Fairview, QC

Hours

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Rates 

Park Admission - P50

Swimming Pool - P80

Marikina Sports Park

Sumulong Highway, Bgy. Sto. Niño, Marikina City

Phone: (02) 6461635

Rates

Park entrance fee - P10

Swimming fee - P40

Pasay City Sports Complex

Arnaiz Avenue, Pasay City

Outdoor

Rates

Pasay residents

Adults - P40

Kids - P25

Senior Citizens - P32

Non-Pasay residents

Adults - P50

Kids - P35

Pasig City Rainforest Park

F. Legaspi Ave. Maybunga, Pasig City

Phone: (02) 6284291; (02) 6425280

Hours
7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Rates
Pasig residents 

Adults - P80 

Kids 3 feet and below - P40 pesos 

Non-Pasig residents

Adults - P150 

Kids - P100 

All swimmers must be in proper swimming attire.

Platinum Executive Gym (formerly Premiere City Club)

Indoor lap pool

First Street, near Broadway Centrum and New Manila, Quezon City

Phone: (02) 4103370 or 4114772

Hours
6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Rates
P500 per visit or P10,500 for three months

An afternoon of swimming keeps the kids happy.

Richmonde Hotel Manila

Indoor pool

21 San Miguel Avenue Ortigas Center, Pasig City

Phone: (02) 6387777

Hours

6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Rates

Adult - P500 / four hours; free for hotel guests and children 7 and below

Rizal Memorial Sports Complex

Outdoor

Vito Cruz, Malate, Manila (across Harrison Plaza)

Phone: (02) 5252171

Rates
Tuesday to Friday: P40

Saturday to Sunday: P55

Secret Garden

Reservations required. Packages available.

Seiko St. Interville 3, Novaliches. Quezon City

Phone: (02) 9358195 / (02) 4754276 / 09179557977

Email: info@secretgarden.ph

Hours

Day - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Night - 5 p.m. – 12 midnight

Rates

Adult - P250 (day)/ P300 (night)

Kids - P200 (Day)/ P250 (night)

University of the Philippines Diliman

University Swimming Pool beside the UP Chapel

open to the public on Sundays and holidays

Website: 

Phone: Tel. No. (02) 9296033 or (02) 9818500 local 4136

Contact Person: Ms. Elena B. Sabeniano, CHK Administrative officer

Rates
P100/hour

Those who wish to use the swimming pool can get a P150 user’s card at the College of Human Kinetics (CHK) office located at the second floor of the CHK building besides the Gymnasium.

Ultra at the Philippine Sports Commission

Agustin Building, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City

Phone: (02) 6350105

Hours

Morning - 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 

Afternoon - 1:00 to 4:30 p.m.
closed on Mondays

Rates
P60

Makati Aquatic Sports Arena (MASA)

Beside Makati Park & Garden along J.P. Rizal Extension, West Rembo, Makati City

Phone: (02) 728-0381

Olympic size pool for adults at MASA

Hours
9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Closed every Monday

Rates
Makati residents 

Adults - P50

Kids 3 feet and below - FREE

Non-Makati residents

Adults - P100-150

All swimmers must be in proper swimming attire. Swimming caps required for women.

Mt. Gulugod Baboy is in Mabini, Batangas.

It's my brother's vacation. Being a OFW, he missed camping out. So long before he arrive I have searched great mountains to trek. 

Just a few hours from Manila we rode buses and P.U. jeeps to reach the town. We went to the market and purchased foods for the camp.

Along trail were makeshift stores of local summer delicacies called halo-halo (I believe that it is a Filipino version of baobing), a cow, forked footpaths, and houses of local residents. A couple of hours of steep hike and we reach the camp site. To our dismay, there's a community just beside the camp and there's a road for 4 wheeled vehicles.

We descended the day after and hit the concrete road searching for a beach resort to stay. We had a decent air conditioned room with a comfort room, of course. The night came and a mini-feast was celebrated. We had couple of drinks in the shore enjoying the starry skies.

We enjoyed the beach seeing some school of fish and beautiful ladies on their swim wear.

Akyat Aral Org. would like to thank the people who gave donations for their upcoming outreach this May. Akyat Aral Org. is a group of outdoors people who have the same desire of helping our native brothers and sisters in the mountains. The organization is well managed by professionals alienating politics and greed. They teach and give small tokens to the community expecting nothing but smiles and the pleasure of sharing. 

" Napuno si Elf Truck! We as a team are very surprised of what we received yesterday.. Seriously We didn't expect this! Salamat po sa mga nag-donate and nag-share ng blessings para sa Back to School Project! We still have a long LONG way to go to reach our goal. We still need number of noodles, canned goods, old clothes, biscuits, cupcakes, milo, milk and the like to fill 150 ECOBAGS!:) " Avie Chua of Akyat Aral Org. the woman behind the viral pose.

Their 2nd pick up schedule is on May 4... :) Those who would like to share any kind of help to the Mangyan community can send your donations thru Akyat Aral Org.

 As the keyboard of my computer ticks I sing a common song "Magic Penny"..

 

The holy week has passed again. I am very much sure that Mt. Banahaw is once again raped by pilgrims and the like.

Nature can rejuvenate by herself but she cannot remove the unnecessary and foreign things on her skin. So we, (if ever I got a financial sponsor for the event.. haha) the outdoor enthusiast, got to help her clean her and make her breathe better.

It's been a year and so since I joined the crusade . Experiencing hardship and pleasure together makes me a better person.

Such activity may help you deal with your emotional ordeal.

World War III coming?

Powerful countries are now at their highest alert against each other and we are in the middle of it. What are they fighting for? Fame? Resources? Power tripping?

It will only take a missile to be erase Philippines from the world map. All of her beauty will be liquified. Though we are not part of the rage, stray missiles and radiation might hit our country.

Let's just pray that the tension subside before souls will be sacrificed.  

April 4, 2013 -- Updated 0317 GMT (1117 HKT)

The United States Geological Survey said that a 5.3-magnitude earthquake 

struck the northeastern part of the Philippines.

No immediate reports of casuality.

The quake had a depth of 23 miles, 100 miles northeast of Manila.

-Source: CNN.com

I'm still a newbie to Philippine Outdoors. A backpacker who wants to stroll around nearby provinces to get wet and muddy.

 

There's a debate on what term to use for fanatics like us. Is it mountaineer, trekker, backpacker or climber? For me, I don't care.

What ever term you use to name me, I just want to be known as disciplined outdoors man.

On my previous trips, I encounter drunk campers shouting, having quarrels and even having a fist fight while having socials after a heated argument on certain topics. When the sun rises, bottles of hard liquors is scattered all around the camp. Seems that that they brought the bar to the campsite.

 

What does the HOBBY taught me? Appreciation of nature, people and friendship. Specially when you reach the top, seeing the things around created by a divine master.

On my first climb, I realized that the mountains can heal or tear a heart. I've seen heartbreak. I've known love stories bounded and sewn by the mountains. While on trail, I pick-up the broken me unknowingly. I just knew it when I got back to the city jungle. The hobby taught me to reduce trash literally and mentally.

The cold streams on trail washes away the hurt and tears that eventually healed the wounds of a lost angel. Wounded by his desire to change and try a different trail knowing that he's not equipped to surpass the assault.

You could clearly see the true image of a good samaritan. True friendship. Love. Faith. Courage.

So whenever I may, I carry my pack and explore.

Mi senyorita, mi amor..
Mi senyorita, mi amor..
Esposa, amiga mi, mi corazon, mi mundo!

She was still studying when I invited her to try my hobby. Hesitant at first, but eventually enjoyed the hardship ( I guess she don't have a choice but to love it, haha). 

 

 

 

 

There is a saying, that if you want to know the true attitude of a girl, take her to the mountains. No make-ups, no kikay kit and goodbye vanity. Just the pure human that she is.

When we first climbed together, I'm worried that she may not like it. She might complain, but I was wrong. It seems that she's just strolling around the mall carrying bottles of water. And when the call of nature came, she just hid herself behind the bush and do her deed with ants on her feet.

I was pretty amazed, (and even until now on her little gestures), that we really did it.

Why was I hooked to trekking? Well, it's really a story to tell.

When I was on my primary school days I used to be a patrol leader of Boy Scout.

 ASEAN Jamboree

 Boy Scouts of the Year. The other one is Victor Cabrera, my classmate.

 Boy Scout camping in Baguio

Knot Tying Lecture - Patrol Leaders' Training Course

So, I was introduced to camping at an early age. I enjoyed camping at Mount Makiling, Baguio and Mount Arayat.

Years after, I got excited after learning that my siblings will go camping. I thought it will be the same camping that I used to join when I was a kid, but no I was a newbie (until now) to the term they call MOUNTAINEERING.

So I packed my bag, stuffed with kikay kit and toiletries. Some candies and cookies, clothes, camera and whatever I can put into my backpack.

 On a buko shop. I have my own rain cover made of trash bag.

On the camp, we live the old fashioned way. No stove and flash light. We cooked using woods, lights using "gasera". We slept on a ten-person tent. We call it cathedral tent nowadays.   

 The STOKWAs

Machete - Wannabe 

 Spa, anyone?

The Neophyte

Those were the days. There are more stories on that trip. I'd love to share it on my succeeding blogs but for now join me as I look back and have a nostalgic scenes of childhood and first climb. 

Comment and share your story.