Starting June 2009, the numbering system for probationary members was revised to conform with the straight serial numbering used for regular members.

The old pattern followed the format: SBPYYMMNN, where SBP indicated probationary status, YY was the last two digits of the year when probationary membership begun, MM was the numeric equivalent of the applicable month, and NN was a serial number that reverted to zero (0) for every change in month or year.

The new pattern follows the format SBPYYMMNNN.  The last three characters, now represented by NNN is a serial numbering system that does not revert to zero (0).

Probies accepted under the former numbering system retain their number until either they become regular members and are issued new numbers using the format SBYYMMNNN, or they are dropped and subsequently re-applies.  Issued numbers are not re-issued.

The SB indicates regular membership, YY and MM indicate the year and month, respectively,  when the member was awarded regular status. NNN is a straight serial numbering that began with ‘001.’

The first probationary member to be designated under the revised system was Ann Joan S. Aquino, who was designated proby No. SBP0905014.  The serial number 014 was an arbitrary number based on the headcount of probationaries who applied within the year, whether they were still active at the the time or not, and those who applied earlier and were still active at the time.  Ann Joan disappeared from the screen after joining the trek to Berlongo in 2009.  She has not responded to SMS messages.

Effective at about the same time, the Prexy started designating ‘inquirers’ using the pattern SBIYYMMNNN.  This was simply to give an idea as to how many telephone/cellphone/e-mail inquiries the club has received over time.  As of this writing, the count has reached SB1012026. Inquirers before the numbering system was adopted were not given any designation.  Only one of the inquirers (Ralph, SBI0911017)  has attended a meeting. He has not applied for membership but keeps in touch with the prexy.  

The latest batch of probies attended and completed the BTC-A class held from January 15 to 16, 2011 at the VFP premises.

Completing the course were Nica Albite, Wax Fabros, Gina and Bong Javier, Doc Ofi Ofilada and Tab Ramos,

Prexy Rey Cuyugan handled the sessions and was assisted by OM Jon Rivera.

Still high from the late-November Mt. Pulag traverse, six participants signed up with the club.  As of January 09, 2011, the following joined the ranks of probationary members:

1.    Rosshella  Rhesa ‘Nica’ Arguidas Albite, No. SBP1101019

2.    Joaquin Ireneo ‘Wax’ del Rosario, No. SBP1101020

3.    Bonifacio ‘Bong’ Mecena Javier, No. SBP1101021

4.    Ma. Regina Rosario ‘Gina’ Zalaybay Javier, No. SBP1101022

5.    Edmund Julian ‘Doc Ofi’ Lasquety Ofilada, No. SBP1101023

6.    Cristabelle ‘Tab’ Ortega Ramos. No. SBP1101024

Gina and Bong are married with two kids. All of the above-named are volunteers with the Rainbow Camp.

Those who joined the ranks of probationary members during the year 2010 are the following:

1.    Grace Felarca Bengco, No. SBP1003015

2.    ‘Marc’ Lionel Santos Gonzales, No. SBP1003016

3.    Lynniel ‘Niel’ Roa Valmoria,  No. SBP1008017

Old-timers will remember Grace  as the magazine writer who joined the 1995 commemoration of the ‘guerilla assault of Mt. Malepunyo.’

Marc is a brother of now Australia-based member Yonee Galindez.

Niel, on the other hand, is a balik-SB. He first applied for membership on November 03, 2005. He disappeared from the screen after completing a rappel class.  Contrary to speculation, he  was not scared away by the experience. He enjoyed it, but a new job at a Business Process Outsourcing company gave him little time for extra activities.  He is still with a BPO, but apparently now has more time for outside activities.

NOTE: The full list of current probies shall be updated after the February  2011 meeting.

 The following have converted to lifetime membership during the year 2010:

1.    Cristita ‘Tita’ B. Dimacali, member No. SB9402002

2.    Mariano ‘Jon’ V. Rivera, member No. SB0806040

3.    Jaime ‘Ian’ R. Santos, member No. SB9408010

The following formerly probationary members have been awarded regular membership, and have joined the ranks of lifetime members:

1.      Tommy ‘Tom’ O. Tan, member No. SB0906042, with the skills rank of GatTahak.

2.      Laila ‘Lhei’  E. Pineda Manila, member No. SB0906043, with the skills rank of GatTahak.

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Foreword: 2010 was a slow year for the club, activity-wise.  Attribute this to the fact that 2010 was an election year (national and local levels) in the Philippines.  Prexy Rey Cuyugan was requested by member Allan Monreal to assist in the local campaign of his mother-in-law and his wife, Tetet, for the mayoralty and vice mayoralty post, respectively, in the municipality of Bantayan, island of Bantayan, in Cebu province.  Rey spent most of March to mid-May in the municipality.

Unfortunately, the local Liberal Party team lost miserably (for many reasons not germaine to this blog).  However, as Rey openly forecasted early on, the candidate for President, P-Noy, won by a landslide in the whole island of Bantayan, and Cebu as well.  He garnered more votes than all the other presidential candidates combined, at least in Bantayan.

Also, unfortunate was the accident that befell proby Jhigs Pabale in March.  She has fully recovered.  A separate ‘ closure’ report shall be sent out to all members shortly.

THE ACTIVITIES (other than meetings)

Oct 10 - Run for Pasig River

Members Tita Dimacali, Brian Agana, Jon Rivera and Rey Cuyugan helped operate a first-aid station in support of the “Run for Pasig River.”   The run was a project of ABS-CBN.  The station was assigned to SARAGI (Search and Rescue Auxiliary Group, Inc.), which, in turn, is a civilian volunteer component of the 505th Air Rescue Group of the Philippine Air Force.

Tita and Rey are members of Batch-2 (1993) of SAR trainees.  Jon, who performed as principal first-aider, is a member of a more current batch.  Brian acted as an official photo-recorder for the activity.

Oct 30 – 31, Mt. Batulao Minor Climb

The Club led the members of Dra. Ambe Fernando-Catindig’s group, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, in their trek up Mt. Batulao. The first for all 17 participants from their group, Brian Agana, Jon Rivera and Rey Cuyugan provided support from SB. Proby Niel Valmoria had his first climb ever.

The “Adventure Camp” of the foundation is an annual event held for diabetic members above 17 years of age. Volunteers, including non-diabetics join in the activity. The club has previously provided team-building support for the “Rainbow Camp” of the foundation. This other annual event is held for diabetic beneficiaries aged 17 years and below.

Note: The club again tapped as local guides brothers VicMar and Angelo Villanueva. “Old-timers will remember VicMar as the little boy who supplied the group with water when they trekked up Mt. Batulao using the now-hardly-used original trail.

Nov. 26 – 28 Mt. Pulag Traverse, Ambangeg-Akiki-Duacan

This was the annual Pulag climb which was pushed back to accommodate the members of the “JDF Adventure Camp” who wanted to experience climbing Mt. Pulag. Also, to accommodate the group, SB agreed to use the nominally easier “Ambangeg-Akiki” route rather than the usual SB Akiki-Akiki ‘killer’ route.

Nine participants came from the ‘Adventure Camp’ group. Members Bingo Catindig, Brian Agana, Jon Rivera and Rey Cuyugan led. Proby Niel Valmoria had his first major-B climb.

Note: As a result of the experience, six ‘Adventure Camper’s have formally signed up as probationary members effective January 9^th, 2011. At least one more is expected to sign up by next month.

Also, the 2011 Adventure Camp has been scheduled for April. The trek shall use the Akiki-Akiki route. ‘Lolas’ among the group are expected to join.

Here it is! the photos from the recent walk to Mt. Pulog, January 2009.  These photos are compiled from Manny and Sheila.

(click on the image to view the photo gallery)

- manny

The club’s official T-shirt is now again available.  The stock of long-sleeved T-shirt with logo which was initially issued during the first year of the club has run out for three years now.  It is only lately that a new batch, now short-sleeved, became available.  As before, only regular members are allowed to purchase the T-shirt.  For the guidance of those who are interested to buy, the available sizes and SRP follows (note that the figures in parenthesis represent the shoulder measurements in inches):

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

In the first regular meeting for the year 2009 held on the 5th of January the prexy accepted and announced the application of Manny Perez as a regular  member.  Manny has been an associate member for several years now.  He has attended several club training activities as well as a couple of club-sponsored climbs.  His linkage with Sikap Bundok stems mostly from association with the CLEAR FORUM, KAMALAYSAYAN, and the aborted efforts to set up MOFE (Mountaineers for the Environment).  This last was an attempt to link individual mountaineers who are serious in the effort to protect the natural environment.  While in the Philippines Manny and wife, Olga, were among the leaders of UGAT, a local mountaineering group.  This club is now disbanded due to the diaspora of the members,  Manny and Olga among them.

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!