Unforgettable Moments in Mt. Banahaw

In September of 2007, I had the privilege of scaling the heights of Mt. Banahaw with our 4th Year students for their Outbound Education. I must say it was a once in a lifetime experience. What with the so many legends and stories of mysticism about the mountain.

Mt. Banahaw is located some 170 kilometers from Manila. If I am not mistaken, this is a part of Lucban, Quezon. Legends have it that a certain Agripino Lontok had a vision that the mountain was to become the New Jerusalem. Many believe that there is a certain mysterious energy that the mountain possesses that pilgrims claim they feel renewed and invigorated once they visit the mountain for a spiritual journey. In fact, we were oriented by our guides that many places afoot the mountain have been identified as puwesto, or "holy sites" which should not be desecrated. Allegedly, many religious cults or groups abound around the mountain.The names of these puwestos were given some biblical allusions like Kinabuhayan, Dolores, Santo Kalbaryo, Kweba ng Dios Ama and the famous Jacob’s Well. 

I remember, there was this water fall where the water practically descended from the thick roots of a particular vine. Our students were told that the water coming from the fall allegedly had healing powers. The guides called it Buhok ni Ina.

During Holy Week, pilgrims ascend to the mountain for spiritual reasons. Many would try to reach the crater rim peaks called Durungawan to relieve the passion and death of Jesus Christ. There, three crosses have been strategically planted to recreate the actual crucifixion scene. On Good Friday, however, the summit should be deserted, as the mystics believe that only God the Father may bear witness to His Son’s death.

When we went there, we hiked up the mountain with ample amount of water. We had to make sure our water supply would be able to carry us through. We were led to the cold running water of the creek. Then we scaled the heights 'til we found ourselves at the mouth of a very challenging crevice which the people call a cave. It was an exhilarating experience going through the dephts of the cave.

The greatest challenge was being able to reach the peak of the mountain where a large cross was planted. I think the people called it the Kalbaryo. Whoa! Trekking the heights almost made me give up. Thanks to my students who had always been with me. I especially took care of one of them, my ever sweet Jerrmaine de Jesus. Her father entrusted her to me prior to our trip to Mt. Banahaw.

Perhaps if I were to climb the mountain again, I would prefer it on a Holy Week so that I would really experience the mystical magic of the mountain.

Here were some of the unforgettable moments while we were in Mt. Banahaw.

At a UbD Seminar-Workshop

In the Philippines, the buzzwod in the basic education sector now is UbD, Understanding by Design. It is coming like a storm in the education circles as it had been rumored to be the next big thing that the Department of Education (DepED) will be implementing by 2010.

I happened to have attended an orientation workshop sponsored by Rex Bookstore, Inc. for the SPC Education Ministry in Alfonso, Cavite. No less than Mrs. Rita Atienza, the first ever Asian and a Filipino who has undergone an intensive training with one of the proponents of UbD, Dr. Grant Wiggins, conducted the workshop.

It made me rethink of our approaches in instruction. But I will delve deeper into its strengths later on in my coming entries for this blog. Meanwhile, may I share to you some captured moments.

Taking a pose during the conference

Doing a presentation of my UbD output

With colleagues from Surigao

Moments of sharing

With Rex Book Store, Inc. Vice President Don Timothy I. Buhain, my kumpare

People

I've met some famous personalities in the Philippine society at one time or another. I hardly could find some of my pics anymore with some of them. The problem sometimes with having your own camera is that you could hardly find someone to take your pic with them.

Here is the first installment of the pic files I was able to retrieve from my tons of collection in my hard disk.

With Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and wife Rep. Lani Cayetano of Taguig. This pic was taken a night before their garden wedding at the Manor Hotel in Baguio City. I was one of their ninongs. My ex-girlfriend was also one of the ninangs. Lani was in the Singles Ministry which we served as couple counselor for a year. Both of them are truly humble and simple. Alan was yet a congressman then.

With charismatic leader Isabela Governor Grace Padaca who spoke to the Civic Leaders of Bocaue for Progress Movement in May 2009.

With MMDA Chairman and Presidential aspirant Bayani Fernando who visited the St. Martin of Tours Parish during the Krus sa Wawa Festival in July 2009.

With the charismatic leader Bro. Bo Sanchez of Kerygma. With me was Mrs. Luzviminda Estrella, a Religious Education teacher. This was taken during the Kerygma Convention in November 2008 at the ULTRA in Pasig City.

With TV personality and broadcaster Mari Kaimo of both RPN Channel 9 and GMA Channel 7. He is no longer as active as before as a news anchor. We've met him in Antipolo City at the Our Lady of Chartres Convent.

With the child wonder now UP professor Mikaela Irene Fudolig. She graduated summa cum laude in BS Physics from the University of the Philippines Diliman with a general weighted average of 1.099. She entered as a college student at the age of 11. She was our guest during the 2008 SPC Educators' Congress.

With The Philippine Star editorial cartoonist Mr. Dominic Dumaraos. He gave a lecture in cartooning during the 3rd Asian Journalism Seminar in Pasig City.

With Miss Melclaire Delfin, news reporter of GMA 7. She delivered news writing during the 3rd Asian Journalism Seminar in Pasig City.

At the GMA 7

We went to GMA Channel 7 for a Studio Tour.

We were brought around by Lottie Joya, whom I learned later from her that she was a Paulinian of St. Paul University Quezon city. She gave us Kapuso pins for us to wear while inside the GMA premises, and as a souvenir. Lottie played an AVP of the Kapuso network as part of the orientation. She also gave us a copy of the GMA Kapuso Magazine which featured the inauguration of the state-of-the-art studios.

Lottie showed us Studio 3 where the newscasts are usually shot. The studio is small yet very much stuffed with state-of-the-art broadcasting equipment. A teleprompter with a hidden camera behind the see-through screen guides the newsreader, read: newscaster, on the exact words and cues while on the air. A green monochromatic background gives a transparent effect for superimposed images on screen, like the shots for newsflash where the reporter seems to be broadcasting just at the newsroom.

Klieg lights are everywhere. Wide-angled cameras are used to make the studio appear so large on screen. Camera tricks, so to speak.

We also saw the Studio where talk shows are done. Not much to see but merely space. The sets, I learned, are changed and removed regularly. No studio is occupied exclusively by one show. Cameras do the trick of making them appear so beautifully decorated on screen.

The DZBB, the flagship AM radio station of GMA 7 is located in one of the oldest buildings of the company. The station is just small, with the announcer's booth just big enough to accommodate featured visitors.

Barangay LS 97.1 FM is a much better place. Papa Bodgie, one of the DJs, was at the anchor when we were there. We had the opportunity of having a pic with him.

GMA boasts of having the best equipment in the broadcast industry in the Philippines. It has maintained its number one stature in the more prestigious AGB Nielsen surveying firm for patronage, statistics shows.

At the Pinoy Big Brother House

No. We did not enter the house. We just stayed outside. Just for fun. Haha!

We were not starstruck either. No one was there except the guard who refused kindly our promptings of letting us in. So we contended ourselves taking pics right there at the gate.

Manila Ocean Park

My ex-girlfriend and I had the opportunity of going to the Manila Ocean Park yesterday.

The Manila Ocean Park is the first ever oceanarium in the country. I had been to Ocean Adventure in Subic, Zambales which features dolphins, but the M.O.P. offers a different exciting stuff. The fish are segregated into several tanks. The corals are shown live and soft. The collection presents various kinds of fish.

What captured my attention was the tank where the green mussels and barnacles were housed. The water comes unfiltered from the Manila Bay itself. Though not murky in appearance, one could see how dirty the water is. Yet, it is where the green mussel or tahong thrives best. They like the dirt. It must be food for them. It made me rethink my fondness of the tahong.

This was not my first time to have seen the Manila Ocean Park. I was expecting for additional features and improvements. But it seemed to me that only the restaurants and some shopping stalls were the new ones. Same tanks. Same layout. Same features. I haven't noticed any big change after 2 years. The roots of the vines grew longer, though.

Here are a few shots we had.

The Teddy Stallard Story

I stumbled upon this beautiful and touching story of a teacher who made a difference on the life a boy. The story is heart-rending and even brought tears down my eyes the first time I viewed it.

I showed the clip to a group of college deans and basic education corrdinators and principals in a seminar that I had given in Olongapo City last month. It touched us and made us rethink of our profession again as teachers. Watch it and you'll realize why.

The original is found in this site: http://www.makeadifferencemovie.com/. Thanks to the makers of this touching film clip.

Teachers, please pay attention...