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

The club was tapped by Mark Penado of Golden Mile Travel & Tours to conduct a rappel session for 380 students of Espiritu Santo Catholic School of Sta. Cruz, Manila.    It was held at the Sacramento Adventure Resort in Tanay, Rizal, on September 23 , 2008.

Rey Cuyugan and Jon Rivera headed the technical team as chief jumpmasters.  Assisting as jumpmasters were Tita Dimacali,  Chie Muncal, Carl Somera, and Jhigs Pabale.  Volunteers from the fire brigades of Jon and Jhigs were tapped to provide additional technical manpower to the group.

The president has proposed that Ayet Jordan, wife of Joey Jordan, be accepted as an Associate Member in the same category as his wife, Josephine.  The proposal stems from the fact that Ayet can actively assist Joey in preparing club documents and communications,  much as Jo  does for Rey.

Ayet, just like Jo, is not in a position to join as a regular member, but can help in the documentation processes as they have been doing.

Comments from regular members are invited.

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.

Thanks to the efforts of proby Jhigs Pabale, we finally have our trekking ID’s.  First to use their ID’s were Jhigs, Jon, Rey, and Laila when they joined  the annual Mt. Pulag climb.

Ready for issuance are the ID’s of Jing Ordoña, Lenn Hernandez and that of Brian Agana.  The rest of the Philippine-based, up-to-date members shall be issued their ID’s soon as they submit their ID sized pictures and their complete information sheets to Jhigs.

Jhigs shall be in touch with the webmaster to secure the current e-mail addresses of foreign-based members.  She shall also send the proforma information sheet from which ID data shall be based.  Foreign-based members are requested to complete their respective information sheets and submit these to Jhigs together with their digitized ID pictures.  If they prefer, the ID’s can be printed and sent to them without their pictures.  They can attach the pictures, sign and have these laminated once received.

We shall work on the wallet-size ID’s for lifetime members after all the trekking ID’s are all issued to qualified members.  Note that trekking ID’s for probationaries and non-lifetime members have expiry dates.  The first issuances will all expire on February 16, 2010.

In what has become an annual activity for the club, the group climbed Mt. Pulag via the Akiki-Akiki trail from November 6 to 8, 2008.  Participating were Rey Cuyugan, Jon Rivera, Jhigs Pabale, Brian Agana, Angel Valencia and Laila Pineda. 

The first day’s camp was set up at the Eddet River area.  Rey, Jon and Jhigs proceeded to the site after the BFAM  practicum.  Brian, Angel and Laila who came from Manila Wednesday night arrived at the site by 1700H of Thursday, the 6th.  They were met at the jump-off point by guide Pepito Bastian.

The group started up the Akiki trail at 0730H on Friday, the 7th, and reached the Marlboro campsite at 1200H.  After reviewing the pace and performance of the joining probationary members Rey, Brian and Jon decided to set up camp in this area rather than attempt to camp at the saddle area as originally planned.  At 1405H the group proceeded on day packs.  Brian and Jhigs opted to stay in camp due to aching muscles. 

By 1715H the trekkers have reached the peak of Jr. Pulag.  The EL, Rey Cuyugan decided to abort the climb.  Visibility at this time was very poor, the trail was wet and darkness was setting in.  They figured that with no view from the peak there was no ample reward to justify the risk of continuing under the situation.   The group was back in camp by 1920H.  It was very cold that night and the wind was howling.  Luckily the wind carried no rain and the group woke up to find their tents wind-dried on the morning of the 8th.

By 0930H on Saturday, they were going down the Akiki trail.   They met with a group of 20 mountaineers from PLDT who were on the way up and taking the Akiki-Ambangeg trail.  By 1130H they were back at the river camp area where they had lunch, dipped in the cold waters of the Eddet River and rested.  At 1430H they were back on the trail.  They reached Duacan, the jump-off point at 1730H.  They were invited to spend the night at the residence of Leonard Aguinse, where they were served pinikpikan (a local specialty) native chicken, dinuguan and chicken adobo.  Here they had the chance to chat and bond with some of the trainees before calling it a night by 2200H. 

At 0400H of Sunday they were all up and by 0500H were already at the roadside waiting for the first trip back to Baguio.  By 1000H they were back in the city.  From there,  Brian and Angel took the first trip available to Manila while Jon, Jhigs and Lai went marketing.  Rey took the 1140H bus.  By 2245H all were back in their respective residences.  Jon Rivera was the last to confirm safe arrival.  It was a good climb!

As scheduled the club held a pro-bono training in Basic First Aid for Mountaineers, Artificial Respiration and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation for Kabayan-based Mt. Pulag guides and porters.  The training was held from the afternoon of Tuesday, 04 November to mid-day of Thursday, 06 November.  A total of 16 attended led by Leonard Aguinse,  the new Park Ranger assigned to the Duacan jump-off point. 

The first day session delved on wounds and  injuries common to mountaineers.  The 2nd day session covered emergency bandaging, artificial respiration,   cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, and emergency field evacuation.  The training made use of the CPR dummies which the Sikap Bundok President bought with his personal funds for club training purposes.  The 3rd session was a field practicum designed to test their absorption of the classroom lessons. 

Handling the sessions as chief instructor was Jon Rivera assisted by Rey Cuyugan and Jhigs Pabale. 

The group held a feedback session at the end of the practicum.  The attendees expressed their appreciation for the training conducted by the group as well as their hope that a repeat session can be held within at least a year’s time.  A participant based on the Ambangeg side expressed the wish that a similar session can be held for them.  The trainers all agreed that the practicum showed how well the participants had absorbed the lessons given.  They advised the participants to continue practising and simulating first aid situations even in the absence of the trainers.  They  even advised the trainees to simulate CPR using pillows for form-practice.

The following attended subject training:

1.    Leonard T. Aguinse (Park Station Ranger)
2.    Pepito A. Bastian
3.    James A. Bastian
4.    Sales L. Calos
5.    Alex L. Wakit
6.    Teddy T. Aguinse
7.    Orlando L. Cal-is
8.    Crispin L. Libag
9.    Sanyo N. Cadpino
10.  Abel T. Aguinse
11.  Marso N. Pokias
12.  Rosario S. Catumpang
13.  Soriano T. Aguinse
14.  Timmy G. Camso
15.  Julio D. Pokias
16.  July D. Pokias

Jon demonstrates self-administered elbow bandaging

How to make an arm sling with cravat bandages

Making a body splint to stabilize an injured arm using cravat bandages

No, Jhigs is not hugging Jon. She is demonstrating the Heimlich manuever to dislodge an object stuck in the throat.

The trainees practising how to do the Heimlich manuever.

Rose successfully starts a good blaze

As scheduled, the club held the first pilot session on ‘Survival Fire-starting.’  Four members attended:  Jon Rivera, Jhigs Pabale, Tom Tan and Rose Lacson.  Rey Cuyugan conducted the session. 

The first item was easy which was to start a good fire using only up to three match sticks.  Rose, Jhigs and Rey made it in one try.  Tom used up 2 match sticks, while Jon failed to make it in 2 tries for a total of 6 sticks used up.

 

 

 The next item made use of commercially purchased and prepared tinder and flint striker.  Rose, Jhigs, Tom and Rey all managed to create good fires without using up the tinder.  Again, Jon failed to develop a good fire.  The group commented that the fire spirits were getting back at Jon, he being a volunteer fire fighter of long-standing. 

Tom makes it in two

The group failed to start any fire using magnifying glasses.  Perhaps this was due to the sun continually being  covered by the clouds.  The group also failed at their attempts to produce fire using wood friction.  Rey and Rose committed to conduct their own attempts at home.  They shall report to the group once they achieve success.

Rey makes it with one matchstick

Sorry Jon, the fire spirits are having their revenge on you

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.