04 January 2009 - General Meeting, VFP, Arroceros, Manila  - done

10 - 13 January 2009 - Mt. Pulag via Akiki-Tawangan - done

30 January 2009 - Blessed Trinity School (BTS) Boy Scouts of the Philippines
                             (BSP) Merit Badge Review Board  - done

01 February 2009          - General Meeting - done

07 - 08 February 2009 - BTC-A General - done

14 - 15 February 2009 - Mt. Manabo minor climb - cancelled

15 February 2009          - BTC-B Knots - done

20 - 21 February 2009 - BTS - BSP Advancement Camp, Brg. Upli, Alfonso, 
                                        Cavite - done

01 March 2009             - BTC-C Compass/Orienteering - done
                                     - General Meeting - done

08 March 2009             - BTC-E Topo-interpretation - done

14 - 16 March 2009     - Dr. Ray Pimentel Memorial Climb, Mt. Makiling via
                                        Sto. Tomas, Batangas to UP Los Baños - done

21 - 22 March 2009     - BRC - cancelled

28 - 29 March 2009     - BRC - cancelled

05 April 2009               - General Meeting - done

05 - 06 April 2009       - VFP Annual  Pilgrimage to Corregidor 
                                     - Technical Support - done

25 April 2009               - DRT Rock Rappel - cancelled

01 - 03 May 2009        - Isla Verde Outing - done

10 May 2009                - Special General Meeting - done

17 May 2009                - BTC-D Map Reading/Plotting - done

23 - 24 May 2009        - BTS BSP First Aid/AR/CPR training session

30 - 31 May 2009        - Basic Rappel Course
                                       Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan 
                                    - 0900-1700H open to non-members. 
                                       Contact Rey Cuyugan or Jon Rivera for details.

06-07 June 2009         - BTC-A General, VFP, Manila - 1000-1700H
                                       Open to non-members, pre-requisite for
                                       participation in Berlongo training climb.

07 June 2009               - General Meeting, 1700H

12 - 14 June 2009       - Berlongo training climb, Nasugbu, Batangas.
                                       Open only to those who have completed the
                                       BTC-A (recent or past sessions). 

05 July 2009                - BTC-B Knot-tying - 1000-1700H
                                       1700H - General Meeting

02 August 2009          - BTC - C Compass - 1000-1700H
                                      1700H - General Meeting

06 September 2009     - 1700H - General Meeting

19-21 September 2009  - Minor climb (to be announced)

04 October 2009            - General Meeting

04-06 November 2009  - First Aid/AR/CPR for Kabayan Mountain Guides

07 - 09 November 2009 - Mt. Timbac via Kabayan/Halsema

28 - 30 November 2009 - Isla Verde Outing

06 December 2009         - General Meeting

The following schedule of activities were arrived at during the meeting on 07 December 2008.  In attendance were Rey Cuyugan, Jon Rivera, Jigz Pabale and Ian Santos (this is Ian’s first attendance for over a year):

Jigz, Rey, Ian and Jon in what was supposed to be the year-end general meeting.

Rey Cuyugan together with Jon Rivera and Jhigs Pabale were invited to conduct knot-tying sessions for the Girl Scouts, Star Scouts (formerly called Brownies), Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of the Blessed Trinity School of Las Piñas City in Pilar Subdivision, Metro Manila. 

The sessions were held on the 15th of November 2008 at the school after the investiture ceremonies for new scouts.   A total of 76 scouts of various ages attended in eight groups.  The lessons were limited to eight basic knots, namely: overhand, figure-of-eight, sheet bend, square knot, bowline, timber hitch, two-half-hitches and fisherman’s knot. 

May Isabel B. Sanchez, Troop Leader,  invited the  group to handle the sessions.  Dr. Josefina A. Bunda-Beltran, Ph. D., is the School Directress and Principal.

Dr. Josefina A. Bunda-Beltran, School Directress & Principal (third from left) watches as inductees march in

The Boy Scouts in formation. Blind-folded Scouts are new inductees.

May Isabel B. Sanchez, Troop Leader, assists a Scout in reading the Scout Oath

Rey Cuyugan and Scout Leader Anecito Sanchez on the stage as Boy Scouts perform their ceremonies

Girl Scouts trying their hands in knot-tying

Jon demonstrating a knot before a group of Girl Scouts

Jhigs guiding Scouts as they tie a knot

After the successful conduct of the first Basic First Aid for Mountaineers (BFAM)/ Artificial Respiration (AR)/ and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) outreach session, the club is now actively seeking sponsors, both private or corporate.  The help of sponsors should allow the club to expand the scope, reach and quality of the sessions.  These would also enable the club to provide assistance in setting up of emergency-first-aid stations in places such as the Duacan Visitor Center (currently operating more as a registration and fee-collection point).   The club has committed to help set up the visitor center as a First-Aid center, doubling as a guide-and-porter training center for the locals.

The mechanics of how the sponsors can assist and how they can be publicly acknowledged (unless they wish to remain incognito) is still being worked out.  These should not present any problem.

Among the items on the wish-list are the following: Prosthetic devices (artificial wounds, fractures and other simulated injuries) to make for more realistic trainings; large triangular bandages for use in cravat bandaging; disposable CPR masks (it would be nice to hand out one of each of the two preceeding items to each trainee); various portable audio visual aids.

During the meeting held 02 November it was proposed, and the members present approved that the Christmas outing to Isla Verde originally scheduled for 06 to 09 December be moved to 29 November to 01 December.  This is to take advantage of the 3-day holiday.  November 30 being an official holiday which falls on a Sunday thereby making the following day also a holiday.

As a result the regular monthly meeting reverts  to the first Sunday of December which falls on the 7th.

No special pre-climb meeting shall be held in preparation for the IV outing  Interested parties need only contact the president or the operations manager for details.

November 2             
Pilot training on ‘Survival Fire Starting’ at the VFP venue from 1000H to 1600H.  This activity is restricted to members only.  General Meeting follows from 1600H to 1900H.

November 4 – 5       
First Aid & CPR Training for Kabayan-based Mt. Pulag guides and porters.  The training is free-of-charge.  It shall be conducted by the President, Rey Cuyugan;  Vice President, Joey Jordan; Operations Manager, Jon Rivera;  and assisted by proby Jhigs Pabale.

Joey is a licensed EMT while Jon is a practicing paramedic with a volunteer fire brigade.

November 6 – 9      
Annual Mt. Pulag climb via Akiki-Akiki trail.  This climb is open to guests, but with restrictions as may be determined by the officers.  Interested participants are advised to attend the November 2nd meeting at the VFP venue at 1600H.

December 6 – 7     
Christmas outing at Isla Verde.  This will be the first time that most of the club members shall see and make use of the future club-sponsored medical clinic.  The facility is privately owned.

This activity is full open and without restrictions.  Interested parties are requested to attend the meeting on November 30th (in lieu of the first Sunday of December which falls on the 6th).  Same time and venue as above.

The following are the current probationary members as of 26 October 2008:

1. Tommy “Tom” Ong Tan - SBP060501
2. Edgar “Ed” A. Camit - SBP070401
3. Babylenn Christie “Lenn” M. Hernandez - SBP070601
4. Tricia “Trixie” M. Lopez - SBP070602
5. Rhoderick “Ejick” M. Moje - SBP070801
6. Angelita “Angel” G. Valencia - SBP080201
7. Jennifer “Jenn” A. Chan - SBP080601
8. Jenny Lou “Jhigs” S. Pabale - SBP080602
9. Laila “Lhei” E. Pineda - SBP080603
10. Redentor “Red” B. Gabatan - SBP080901

Welcome to Sikap Bundok Web log.

SIKAP-BUNDOK is the acronym for “SAMAHAN SA IKAUUNLAD NG KAPALIGIRAN, PAMAYANAN AT KABUNDUKAN.” Its official English name is MECSO, which is the acronym for its official English translation “Mountain, Environment and Community Service Organization.”

SIKAP-BUNDOK is a Philippine-based mountaineering-oriented outdoors club with strong environmental and service ethics. It also emphasizes internal discipline and skills training among its members in particular, and encourages the same among the local mountaineering community in general.