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

(click on the image to view the photo gallery)

- manny

Joey, Ayette, JV and Akira

Our Babies

Crispa brand:      Small  (16″)        -  P240.00  (one available)
                           X-Large  (20.5″) - P260 (one available)
                           2X-L   (21′)        - P270 (two available)

Binondo-made:   Small  (14.5″)     -  P140.00  (six available)
                           Medium (15″)     -  P150.00 (eight available)
                           X-Large  (18″)    - P160.00  (seven available)
                           2X-L   (20′)        - P170 (three available)

Note:  1.  Crispa brand is no longer available in the market.
          2.  Colors are yellow with the Crispa brand in slightly darker shade.
          3.  All the T-shirts are made in RP.
          4.  The SRP does not include shipping charges, if applicable.

Rey Cuyugan (two mediums)  and Manny Perez (one large) made the first purchases from the new batch.  They both got the only available pieces of the Crispa branded medium and large sizes.

NOTE:  Inventory updated as of 15 January 2009

Several years ago Olga, a registered nurse, accepted employment in the United Kingdom.  Manny soon followed.  While there, Manny joined and was active with the British Mountaineering Council.  He maintains his membership with this group up to this time.   All this time, he has maintained contact with the organization via the website and directly with the president.

Two years ago they moved to New South Wales, Australia, where they now  stay.  Manny is now a member of the Sydney Bushwalkers.  He is also an active volunteer in the state disaster response organization.  To support his activities he has to earn his keep.  Therefore, he signed in as a web designer for Greenpeace Australia Pacific. 

The prexy announced the approval  of his regularization sans the usual  six months probationary period and completion of the BTC module.  He explained the waiver of the probationary period by way of citing the association with him as mentioned above.  Not only has he attended some training activities of Sikap Bundok,  he was also the principal trainer of his previous local club.  His credential as environmentalist  is unquestionable.

Manny is now Member No. SB0901041, meaning he is the 41st regular member, with the rank of Lakay-Bundok (Senior Mountaineer).  Having immediately paid his life-time fee, he joins the rank of Life-time Members.

Welcome to the club, Manny!

Jen, Lhei, Jo and Dia onboard M/B St. Paul on the way to Isla Verde

Isla Verde in sight after rounding Matuko Point

The resthouse is shown in the middle

Anyway, the trip pushed through Saturday, November 29th to Sunday, the 30th. The planned lechon (spit roasted pig) and Kalderetang Kambing (goat meat cooked a particular way with sauce) were cancelled earlier.  Luckily, the prexy had not made any firm arrangements during his earlier trips to the island, otherwise, the five of them would have had lechon and kaldereta running out of their ears.  Of course, the neighborhood friends would have liked it.

As usual, the group had packed-lunch on day one, soon after arriving on the island just after 1100H.  Rey, Jo and Dia set up a summer-type gazebo-tent at the still roofless extension to the future ‘clinic’ and vacation house owned by the couple, while Lhei and Jen set up their shared dome-type tent at the open space between the room and the breakwater.  At the time, these seemed like good moves: the sound of the waves, the cool breeze, and the open sky.

Tent set up by Lhei and Jiggs

After lunch, the ladies went to the beach area accompanied by local friends Linda and Lita.  Rey had arranged for Lita to provide kitchen services for the group.  Rey stayed behind to putter around.

For dinner, they had pork adobo prepared at home by Jo, and charcoal broiled eggplants with sauteed bagoong (tiny krills in fermented paste form).  The adobo, two kilos of it, were meant only for D-1 dinner.  It lasted well until breakfast the next day, with enough to share with the families of Linda and Lita.

Bedtime in the island, as in all rural areas in the country, comes early.  What with the barangay operated generator providing electricity only from 1800H to 2100H.  When the club first started visiting, the only power came from solar panels for those lucky enough to have afforded these (P14K back in the early 90’s, now at least P60K for the bare system).

The first night started out real cozy, with the stars showing and the strong breeze refreshing.  By midnight, occasional wind-driven shower fell and the roar of the breakers came louder.  By 0200H, the shower had changed into a continuous drizzle, the winds had grown stronger, and splash of the breakers were forcing seawater into Lhei and Jen’s tent.  Amazingly, Jen managed to stay asleep until woken up by Lhei.  Rey, Jo and Dia were getting wet under the flimsy summer-gazebo.  By 0300H, succor came.  Couples Luteng and Linda came to ask the group to move over to their place, thinking, correctly, that the group must be getting wet.  Only Dia and Jen managed to sleep through till daybreak.  Lhei, Jo and Rey waited it out conversing with Linda.

The relocated dining area

The gazebo after the evacuation

Day-two, Sunday, was overcast and drizzly, but the ladies managed to go into water, go paddling,  and, later in the day, visit inner parts of the island. Jen and Lhei went into a spending spree, buying local products: buri woven mats and bags, and pakaskas. 

The last item is a sweet product made from the cooked sap of the buri palm.  Isla Verde is one of the few places where the product is still made. Children love to eat this by scrapping off the sweet (’kaskas’ means to scrape off) from the container using their teeth.  Except for the bit of plastic twine used to secure the cylinder-shaped container, everything in the product comes from the buri palm tree.

The rubber boat comes in. Girl in the water is Mai-mai, Dia in the boat and Jo standing by on the left.

Lhei and Jen in a borrowed 'parao' trying their hands at paddling. Elbert, son of Luteng and Linda, keeping them company.

Jo and Dia after trying the rubber boat.

Lunch was rice with tinolang manok-Tagalog.  This is native chicken cooked in broth with green papaya cubes.  Since Rey had long arranged for two native chickens, there was enough to last till dinner-time again and still give portions to the same families.  For merienda (afternoon snacks) they had tamales (local version of the Mexican tamales) and suman-sa-lihiya (glutinous rice soaked in water with lye extracted from wood ash, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled in water for four to five hours) sweetend with latik (syrup made from coconut milk and brown sugar, or preferably muscovado).  The tamales came from the Batangas City public market, while the suman were earlier ordered by Rey and made by Linda and Lita.

After a day of swimming, snorkeling and looking around, the group had fried, freshly caught alumahan (a variety of mackerel) and more of the tinola for dinner.  Since the sun never really showed up the whole day, the group decided to break ’camp’ and spend the last night at Luteng and Linda’s place.

Early Monday, 1st of December, the group was up by 0320H, had early breakfast of bread, cheese and coffee (except Dia who had choco-drink). By 0430H, they were at Mahabang Buhangin (literally ‘long stretch of sand’) waiting for the motor boat St. Paul which arrived at around 0510H.  By 0610H, they were back at the docking area in Tabangao, and were soon on the way home.  Rey, Jo and Dia were home before 1000H.  Lhei reported getting home before 1030H. 

Jen and Lhei waiting for St. Paul in the early morning. Linda and Lita keeping them company

Jo and Dia sit out the wait

 Despite the early morning evacuation, the group enjoyed their stay in the island.

 Note:  All photos were taken by Rey Cuyugan which explains why he is not in any of the pictures.

Tita’s mother, Hermogena Biglang-awa Dimacali, passed away at the age of 88 on the night of the 23rd from complications of old age.  Her remains lie in state at their residence in 387 Villa Tres Maria, Deparo, Caloocan City.  Interment will be held  on Thursday,  November 27, 2008,  2:00 p.m. at the Holy Cross Memorial Park.

DR. JAY SUNTAY IN AN ACCIDENT

Dr. Jose Javier ‘Jay’ J. Suntay, a friend of the club and a one-time probationary member, met a vehicular accident early morning on Saturday, November 22.  He did not survive.

Per information received from the Perpetual Help Medical Center, Dr. Jay was cremated last Monday, 24th at the Holy Trinity Memorial Chapel in Sucat Road, Parañaque City.

Dr. Jay was an Orthopedic Surgeon connected with the Philippine General Hospital and the Perpetual Help Medical Center.  He was 51 years old.

Some people touch your life in a very personal way.  A Friend you reach for in times of problems.  A specialist you consult for your medical needs.  Such a friend is Dr. Jose Javier Suntay, or better known to us as Doc J.

We met in a medical mission held in Mindanao many years past.  I,  together with my teammates, provided technical assistance to the mission.  Teamed with some medical personnel and staffers of the PAL Foundation, we flew to South Cotabato for a medical mission in the Tiboli area, which was recently  devastated by water rushing from a breached natural dam. 

Doc J volunteered to us his professional services for free.  I even consulted  him concerning some of my medical problems then.  What makes it memorable was that we always met at the tennis court behind PGH, never in his clinic.  We also went out with our fellow missionaries for food and night-life.  The best physical description of him which we can came up with was, “the Al Tantay of Orthopedic, and Judas look-alike during lenten season”.  He was a most eligible bachelor then.  I do not  know if he finally settled down.

As I surfed the net looking for news of Doc J, one can’t help but notice his colorful credentials.  There were many thing I did’t know about him. But what I do know is that he was a good friend not only to me, but also to others.

Early in the evening of Monday the 24th news came to me from a friend, that the Doc J we knew already passed away during the weekend in a terrible car accident.  I can’t help but put my fingers to my keyboard and surf the net for news articles to verify my doubts.  It took me only a moment to confirm the bad news.  An Old Friend is really dead.

He slammed into an electrical post while avoiding a early warning device poorly-placed on the road by some electric contractors.  Early warning devices, properly placed, should save lives.  The irony of ironies  what was supposed to warn people of danger caused the loss of his life.

I am writting this article to commemorate his colorful life and also to mourn for an old friend and a friend of Sikap-Bundok, Dr. Jose Javier J. Suntay.

- Ian Santos

p.s.

news article link . . .

http://archive.inquirer.net/view.php?db=1&story_id=173697

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20081121-173575/Makati-Med-surgeon-dies-in-car-crash

May was Vice President of the PHCMC before she was hired by the John Hopkins Medical Center of  Baltimore, Maryland.  She has since moved to a private hospital after completing her contract with the former.  This was her second visit to the Philippines.

Rey, May and Tita