WARRIOR REVIEW: Silangan Rev20 Tent

THIS IS THE TENT THAT took the Philippine outdoors community by storm in 2014. Presenting the Rev20 by Silangan Outdoor Equipment. How did I know that? Well, every camper in that year wanted a Rev20 and it had been talked about everywhere in social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and appeared in personal blogs. It became viral. Sort of.

Why? Because it performed like a branded tent and it is affordable. Really?

Curiosity got me interested on the Silangan Rev20 too. In late 2015, I got my own set. It is in red color. Too corporate. I cannot be choosy with colors that suit me. You cannot find a Rev20 in store shelves nor a just-completed set displayed in the factory for as long as 24 hours. Once people knew of its existence, it would be gone in a puff. Trust me. I snatched it the moment I knew one existed.

 

The Rev20 is packed tight inside its compression bag. Aluminum poles, along with metal pegs, are placed together inside in separate special pouches. I would use it when I have the time but foreign guests in my survival class did the honor in January 2016. I have not seen how it is set up nor generous of time to test it myself but it went well with my guests without any supervision at all from me, who was supposed to know his equipment well.

I got the chance to set up, use, habituate and sleep in my Rev20 for three days and two nights of August 2016 when I visited Guintarcan Island, in Northern Cebu. I now know that there are two components of the Rev20: the outer shell and the inner chamber. The main articulated pole would act as the backbone of the outer shell while the six pegs would secure that to the ground so it would stand rigid.

What about the other two short poles that are lumped together inside the pole bag? Are these replacement parts? My guests were quite puzzled when they found two extras. I would find out that soon once I proceed to integrate the inner chamber with the outer shell myself.

The Rev20 is so designed for camping in unfavorable weather conditions. In higher elevations, weather is unpredictable. Most conventional tents are erected first, with rain fly attached next, before you can place yourself and bag inside. When it is raining or when rain is fast approaching, you will be stressed out. You will have to prioritize a dry tent, leaving you and your bag at the mercy of the elements.

With the Rev20, you can set up the outer shell first, which is already rainproofed material, and squeeze through the door with your bag, completely shielding you from rain and wind chill as you work on the ground sheet and then attaching the PVC hooks of inner chamber to the rings found under the roof of the outer shell. There are two sets of three anchor points that are found on the roof and six anchor points on the ground. A vestibule would keep that bag out of the way as you pick yourself inside to stabilize your sleeping area.

The Rev20 is a three-season tent. It could stand a storm and a pouring rain. The aluminum pole, sections all linked together by a flexible cord, is strong enough to hurdle strong gusts of wind. The outer shell fabric is rain fly material that functions on equal footing against any of your favorite and very popular imported tents. The inner chamber’s footprint acts like a dry bath tub. It is also waterproofed material.

I have used, tested and slept inside a Rev20 on those adverse conditions on one stormy night of October 2016. We camped on a high bank beside the Cotcot River, on the side of Mulao, Liloan. It rained hard that night. The river rose and seemed to lip over the riverbank where I erected my tent. Everyone transferred to higher ground. I stayed. I was dry, except for moisture caused by condensation, and blissfully warm. In the morning, I found a remnant of a once-wide pool beside the Rev20.

As the Rev20 is very efficient in keeping you warm and dry, it has also its downside, although very tolerable. During warmer days, when tent is exposed to sunlight, or of stale nights without breeze, it is really uncomfortable to stay in there. You could alleviate that by rolling the door wide open so cool breeze could enter your sleeping chamber. The bug net, however, would protect you from mosquitoes, flies, hornets and crawling insects.

Now, what about those extra short aluminum poles? Found inside at each end of the outer shell are two sets of two tight sleeves which most likely could have been designed to accommodate those two extra poles. When I forced the poles inside each end – voila! – the Rev20 looked much better, unlike the time when my guests used it. The poles act as a frame to keep the outer shell from touching the inner fabric where toes and head are found. It would be challenging when installing it in darkness. Use a light then.

Because I was satisfied with the performance and the better design of my first Rev20, I acquired another one in December 2016. It is in yellow color. I do not care. All I want is function and comfort. I was able to snatch this when I learned of its availability. My apologies to those who tried hard to acquire a Rev20. I am not hoarding. I am investing for my outdoor classes where I am expected to accept guests who travel light.

The Silangan Rev20 weighs at 1.4 kilos, to include the poles and pegs. One person could sleep comfortably inside. It is 78” in length (72” inside), 40” at its widest and 33” ceiling space. A couple could sleep in there but it would be cramped. Currently, the maker is upgrading the Rev20 into the Rev20 + II. Aside from the Rev20 and Rev20 + II, Silangan Outdoor Equipment has other tent models like the Eis8, Amiel5, Dawn26 and the Santi13.

Should I rate the Rev20 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 as Poor and 5 as Excellent, I probably would have rated it, like some people would on most tents, by its different characteristics like Comfort, Space, Function, Weight, Design, Material, Cost and Camper Friendly, before I could give the final satisfaction rating average. Here is how I do it and please follow me down:

•         The Rev20 is a one-person tent. When you sleep in it through by what it was designed for, you get all the space you need and the comfort. Comfort is maximum at 5.

•         For a small tent, it still has a vestibule, which is kind of an extra. Even without that, you still got space for your things but the vestibule made the Rev20 a winner. Space is rated maximum at 5.

•         Minimum requirements of a shelter is that it should keep you dry in stormy weather and should protect you from the elements. The Rev20 have complied with that and this result to comfort. Space is an extra and made Rev20 very desirable. Function is max at 5.

•         Weight is the most obtrusive feature why people think twice of bringing a tent. Tents are heavy hardware and weight could make or unmake a major climb. For a one-person tent, the 1.4 kilos that Rev20 packed are tolerable. Weight caused it a notch down though at 4.

•         This is not an original design but the manufacturer tweaked and added their own for copyright considerations, much like the Israelis tweaking an American warbird to a better clone. The design made the Rev20 viral in 2014. Design is good at 5.

•         Choice of material for the Rev20 is very important. Silangan Outdoor Equipment source only the best for their tents and, where available, they sell as much as they make. Material is first class and are the same with what you saw on expensive brands. Material is fine at 5.

•         At P3,600, do I need to explain the price? Cost is best at 5.

•         This is where the Rev20 is not at its best moment. The single pole setup means that it could not stand on its own. You need metal pegs to keep it erect. That would have been fine but stand alone tents are much desired by most people. The tunnel pockets for the two extra poles found at each end are just too tight. In darkness, on all your fours, that would be taxing. Camper Friendly is 3.

Overall, the Silangan Rev20 Single-Person Tent has a Satisfaction Rating Average of 4.65, which is surprisingly high, considering that it is a local product. Personally, this is an excellent tent to acquire and camp with, notwithstanding its two extra poles. Or you could do without it and you could increase your satisfaction by a tenth.

 

Silangan Outdoor Equipment is an independent manufacturer built around 100 percent Filipino capital with office address at Green Meadows Subdivision, Tabunok, City of Talisay, Cebu, Philippines. Their products are all made in Cebu using local labor. You may call or send an SMS to Mr. Jay Servano at 977-216-6606 for orders and inquiries. You may also contact them on their page in Facebook.

All their products are tested in different locations, environments and activities. They accept suggestions and improvements and also accepts product customization according to the needs of the customer. They are also into production of outdoor apparels, sleeping bags, hammocks, fly sheets, dry bags, backpacks, purses, pouches, digital printing, embroideries and corporate giveaways.

Document done in LibreOffice 5.3 Writer

CAMINO CEBU JOURNAL: Day Seven

DAY SEVEN :::: I HAD TROUBLE SLEEPING after being awakened by my right forearm touching the cold floor at 23:00 last night. I did not notice icy fingers of wind slipping through opened spaces between glass blades of the jalousie windows while I was asleep. The curtains quivered a bit as the breeze work their way inside, bringing with it mists which now occupy my special sleeping space underneath the long table. Suddenly, the dining room looked so small in the dark but, fortunately, for me I have no fear of closed spaces.

In my half-conscious state, I tried to relax my mind so I could sleep but, it seemed, the more I tried, the more elusive it became. Then I heard the crowing of the cocks heralding the arrival of dawn and it sounds like I have just been cheated of sleep. Then the curtains showed faint light from outside. This time I was able to catch Lady Starlight when the temperature was just about right but the brush of slippers on floor awakened me. Too late for me to dream of sleep.

I have to surrender to the reality of the coming day’s business. The kitchen is now lighted and the staff of Rev. Fr. Bernardo Oyao woke up early for this occasion to cook breakfast for us pilgrims. They had been instructed to keep us comfortable and well-fed in his absence. The familiar smell of camphor still float around the rectory in the early hours of the day. It went with us since Day Two when it was generously smeared on sore muscles and aching joints and is an accepted presence.

 

I went to the bathroom and, fortunately, it was open and empty. Just as I sat on the seat, someone from outside tried to push the door open. I locked it from the inside, of course. Who could that “unlucky” soul be? Yesterday’s dining became history and is flushed down the drain and now I am ready to accept another set of menu. Preferably warm. The few minutes inside the bath let me enjoy warmth but as soon as I opened the door, the cool atmosphere slapped my face and my wet hand.

I went outside of the rectory to inhale the cold air. The mountain air is clear while the hills are verdant. Sunrise had not yet hurdled past the crests of the Babag Mountain Range but its golden fingers of light are now beginning to reclaim its space and should be intense in an hour. The St. John the Baptist Quasi-Parish sits on a high plateau beside the bald peak of Mount Tabla, in the village of Sudlon I, Cebu City. Fr. Bernard would arrive today but not early.

Meanwhile, Rev. Fr. Scipio “Jojo” Deligero of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Señor Santiago de Apostol, our chaplain for this first-ever pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago in Cebu, is all set to resume the journey today, July 12, 2017, for the next parish but we need to freshen ourselves first. The other pilgrims are busy with themselves, most of them braving the morning cold, taking a bath. I just wiped myself with my wet face towel and I am set to face the rest of the day.

When all were done, breakfast is served. Joining Fr. Jojo and me on the table is Mayor Joel Quiño of the Municipality of Compostela, the couple Jemmelyn and Roderick Montesclaros, Mizar Bacalla, Roger Montecino, Alvie Rey Ramirez and Jonathaniel Apurado. Omelet, hotdogs, fried rice and a leftover soup from last night’s dinner is our food. All had the same appetite as yesterday’s and are extremely motivated by the knowledge of being nearer to Compostela than ever before in this pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago.

We left at exactly 08:00 after thanking the staff of the St. John the Baptist Quasi-Parish. We retrace our route towards a street corner where we found the directional signage for the church. It is a long walk among highland farms and small valleys, going up and down, twisting among lonely hills. Mizar led again the prayer of the Holy Rosary while the rest answered with the usual Hail Marys. Jonathan took the rear, camera in hand, as I walked hearing distance forward of them.

Profusely sweating and extremely excited caused by the walk on rolling terrain on an early morning, the pilgrims paused for a while to eat rice pudding (Local name: bibingka) cooked and sold on that street corner. While still warm, it is a meal good enough to give energy to farmers working on their fields. I brought three palm-sized ones with me, intending to eat it further up ahead. I eat all three when I reached a crossroad where there is a police detachment. I was minutes ahead and I was alone under a shed waiting for the pilgrims.

One road goes all the way to the next village of Sudlon II while another one goes down the Bonbon River Valley. It is all downhill and it is beautiful to walk where it is most moderate but rather painful for the soles and the knees where it is most steep. It is a long downhill walk and it would be harder if you do a reverse here. I have not done it here yet but the mere thought of that gave me a frown. I hope I do not but locals used this road to go places whether uphill or down the valley.

I am worried about Fr. Jojo. I looked back many times to observe his gait. The walking aid we picked up in the forests of Sohoton, Badian is still with him and it is most useful here. That stick, if ever it is not laid or thrown aside or if ever Fr. Jojo survives this Camino with it, will become an object of reverence. Without it, Fr. Jojo’s misery would have been intense and grave but, with that, he looked like Zato Ichi – the blind swordsman.

We reached the village of Bonbon at 12:00 and grabbed lunch inside a food store. The day is very warm made more warm by the concrete road bouncing off heat to us. I choose the farthest recesses of the wooden structure and ate in silence amid the exchange of tales between pilgrims. Oh God, do they ever tire? Cold soda drinks washed away the dust down my throat and kept my sanity checked. I opt for another cold glass and it settled my body’s state of affairs.

After an hour, we proceed and walked the paved road going to the Trans-Central Highway. While doing so, Fr. Bernard arrived alone with his pickup and stopped for a while for a short conversation with Fr. Jojo. He was shopping for grocery and for other needs of his parish. His back seat were full of these goods and a few were placed on the cargo space. We thanked him for his kindness and bade goodbye to him as he sped away to fulfill his sacred office. May God bless him!

By 14:00, we arrived at the St. John Marie Vianney Quasi-Parish. I always passed by this place and sometimes stopped to perform genuflection. Today, I stayed a little longer. We looked around but it was closed. We rest for five minutes here and, after that short inactivity, we returned to the hard concrete road once again that goes up from the valley. We were relieved to reach the Trans-Central Highway after an hour or so and doused our thirst with cold soda drinks.

It is now less than two hours of daylight before dusk will overcome us and Fr. Jojo does not know where to stop. Neither am I but I remembered a monastery along the way near where there is a chapel on a hill. We walk towards there and I find it strange that it is fenced off. The place seemed abandoned and I hollered towards a closed door 25 meters away. A resident living across the place came to investigate our presence and I explained it to him in explicit detail.

 

Fortunately for us, the local personally knew Mayor Joel and he helped us find a place for the night’s rest stop. We found it inside a covered court that had been converted into a chapel. It sits on the border of the villages of Malubog and Pung-ol Sibugay. The two villages have been at odds with each other as to the location of the basketball court and the proceeds of its use and so have agreed to use it into a chapel instead. There are wooden benches, monobloc chairs and thick plyboards to make impromptu beds. It is 17:30.

The caretaker of the government building happened to be our guide’s uncle and welcomed us to use the temporary chapel. For water, we only have to go out of the back entrance into his house to fetch it. The same with using a washroom, only you would have to adapt how mountain folks answer the call of nature. For the first time of our journey, we cooked our supply of food. That means the weight of a kilo of rice and four pieces of Korean spicy noodles, along with 250 milliliters of denatured alcohol, will be permanently removed from the spaces of my High Sierra Titan and that of Jonathan’s.

The spartan comforts of our night’s stopover are good enough to give us a place to consolidate our ebbing strength that we expended during the whole of the day and the rest is sufficient to prepare us for tomorrow’s journey. Fr. Jojo gave his wooden staff to Roger for safekeeping as he lay prone to accommodate once more a generous amount of efficascent oil on his calves and thighs, on his upper body and torso, and on his biceps and forearms. I removed my shoes and socks and the blisters on my toes seemed to be healing faster than I have expected it to be.

We have covered seven days of hiking into some of the most rugged places of Cebu and it is now history. That leaves us three days more to complete the first, and real, Camino de Santiago of Cebu, probably, in the Philippines, before we could lay claim that we really were the first. As I have said before, the Camino could be everywhere and in everybody’s heart, but a Camino which we now have walked more than a hundred kilometers in length; in an island which host rugged mountain ranges and clime that is harsh already before the advent of global warming is legit. And bittersweet. 

What would be the kind of reception the townsfolk of Compostela be upon us? This is a strange undertaking understood only by a few Roman Catholics. Mostly, the upper class of society and the clergy have the capacity and the means to undertake this in Spain. The Camino is not exclusive to them and this same Camino which has its origin from there does not discriminate the poor from engaging their own Camino de Santiago. The far provinces of the Roman Catholic faith should not be deprived of such privileges.

One by one, the bright lights of the covered court are switched off. In the late evening hours, few motorcycles would speed by on the Trans-Central Highway and brought with it  annoyance and cursing but, once the road is silent, crickets claimed the night air and it is most sweet to the ears. Under a lone light, I sat studying my maps. Tomorrow’s route would be my first time there. My skill in navigation would be tested once more and I accept any challenge.

Walking the rugged spines of Cebu has never been a problem with me. Local acceptance is. Ignorance, for most of the time, make interactions complicated. Sometimes, political partisanship during an election period. Armed rebellion is now absent in most of the places I know in Cebu. What is left are just residues of distrust and a bad memory. I see people smiling again. Watch when they get used to the Camino of Cebu, their places will brighten and they, themselves, engage their own spiritual journey. Would you not be happy with that?

Total Distance Walked: 14.93 kilometers.

  Highest Elevation Gained: 2,449 feet. 

 

Document done in LibreOffice 5.3 Writer

TACS EXPO CEBU 2018 IS NOW OPEN

THE BEST TACTICAL, SURVIVAL AND ARMS EXPO in the country opened its doors to the public, here in Cebu, and to the rest of the Visayas and Southern Philippines as well, on June 15, 2018 at the Cebu Trade Hall, SM City Cebu. Despite an online registration arrangement that was instantly filled in by a lot of people, yet there still was a long line of people who registered on the actual site.

 

Of course, most people came to process or renew their firearms registration and individual licenses to own and operate a firearm and, to some extent, their license to carry outside of their residence, which the Philippine National Police (PNP), through the Firearms Explosives Office (FEO), is accepting for processing at the TACS EXPO CEBU. It is a One-Stop Shop for present gun owners and for future ones. You do not need to travel from one office to another as it is all there.

You can take the drug test, neuro-psychiatric examination, notarial services, copier services, photo booth, NBI clearance, Director for Intelligence clearance, gun safety seminar and everything relating to documentation about firearm ownership. It is all there except gun proficiency, which is held at the indoor firing range of ARMSCOR Global Defense Inc. in D. Jakosalem Street, a distance of about 10 minutes on a fine day. Coaster vehicles are made available for free for such contingency to ferry all gun ownership applicants.

 

 

TACS EXPO is an original concept of ARMSCOR Global Defense which they started last year in the National Capital Region to increase awareness on self-defense, self-reliance and preparedness. This year, they have calendared it in three installments: twice at NCR in February and November and, for the first time, in Cebu on this month. Actually, the February episode was a success that a mini TACS EXPO was immediately organized in April which was held at Camp Crame. Certainly, for TACS EXPO, Cebu was a good choice.  

On the first day of TACS EXPO CEBU, no other than the Chief of the PNP, Director General Oscar Albayalde, came to grace the opening. He was assisted by ARMSCOR chief executives led by its President, Martin Tuason. Rock Island Armory, the main product line of ARMSCOR Global Defense, took up the center booth along with its subsidiary, Squires Bingham International Inc.

 

Other exhibitors came to put up their products on display either as profit-oriented establishments or as partners of TACS EXPO 2018:

•         Thiago Military Supply

•         Forge Philippines

•         Alpha Zero

•         QBC Sporting Supplies

•         True Weight Inc.

•         Gibrosen General Merchandise

•         Mamot

•         Preppers Point Cebu

•         Makati Medical Foundation/Steramist

•         Bul Ltd.

• HL Health Center Inc.
• Sightron

•         Philippine Air Force

•         Philippine Army

•         Philippine Navy

•         Philippine Coast Guard

•         Cebu City Police Office

•         Office of the Civil Defense Central Visayas

•         Philippine Red Cross Cebu Chapter

•         Disaster and Emergency Responders International

•         Camp Red Bushcraft and Survival Guild

There were also resource speakers touching on relevant topics and interactive workshops starting early afternoon. The first topic was about “Improvised Rescue Techniques Using Common Household Materials” by Joebert Tolentino of DERIN-CERT; Following that is the “FAQs on Firearms Ownership” by the PNP-FEO. This author came next with “Adventure Travel: The Lure of the Long Trails”; and then “Urban Survival After a Disaster” by Per Christian Thrane Neis of FAMC Motorcycle Rescue Foundation.

 

After a short break, “READY 101: Family Preparedness” gets discussed by an emergency management consultant, Martin Aguda; before the day ends, it gets capped by this blogger with his favorite topic of “Knife Carry Rights and Ethics”. For the first time, the general public gets to learn about knife ethics and the many influences of their right of ownership and to carry are subjected to which may turn out good or bad for them.

This author is officially participating in the TACS EXPO CEBU 2018 as an event blogger and as resource speaker. That participation extends to my organization – the Camp Red Bushcraft and Survival Guild – wherein the organizers provided us the free use of a booth to display our love of our craft and our love of bladed tools with which privilege is not given en gratis to any Cebu-based outdoors leisure and hobby group.

 

The TACS EXPO CEBU will stay up to June 18, 2018. Please visit the Cebu Trade Hall of SM City Cebu and register on site. Avail of the PNP-FEO One-Stop Shop for firearms ownership offered by the TACS EXPO CEBU on spaces provided for that. While waiting for approval of your LTOP or your PTCFOR, explore the booths for everyday carry items and gun accessories or you may sit in a good spot and listen to topics discussed by people who are the best in their fields. What are you waiting for?     

Document done in LibreOffice 5.3 Writer

Photo number 10 by Silverio Tolitol Jr

Photo number 11 by Dennis Chiong

CAMINO CEBU JOURNAL: Day Five and Day Six

DAY FIVE :::: THE STAY INSIDE THE HIDDEN Valley Mountain Resort, in Lamac, Pinamungahan, last night had taken away the burrs of fatigue and emotional torment that the pilgrims have unconditionally accepted in return for that rare privilege of walking the Camino de Santiago – their own Camino – for the past four days. The cool night bath, repeated again this early morning, had freshened up the tired bunch. The soft bed, well received by a sore body last night, became an object that we found again hard to leave behind. 

The last two days of walking I found unbelievable. 53.33 kilometers! Can you dig that? It simply defied reality and a long argument between the numbers and my own calculations took place and the numbers were winning. That in just a total of 21 hours walk! How could that be? Of course, we rode a patrol jeep on Day Three for around 45 minutes at Libo, Sibonga to Dakit, Barili, and that would be 4 to 5 hours walking for the same distance but, would that made a difference to the journey? For me it did not. The load I carried since Day One are still the same. It should have lightened up if we follow our food plan.

Today, July 10, 2017, is Day Five of the pilgrimage. We lived on the generosity of the parishes that hosted dinners for us for four nights and breakfasts too. That also include a bath and a cozy place under the protection of a roof. Probably, another parish this night would open its sacred doors for us. Fr. Scipio “Jojo” Deligero seemed to be in a different mood today. He fully knows that the most challenging “principalities” are beginning to lose its grip on us as we crept slowly closer and closer to our destination north.

But there is one thing that kept tearing at my mind. Yesterday’s ride. The offer of conveyance from the cops of Sibonga was hard to refuse and it seemed like it came from heaven. I tried to protest the free ride but who am I to question Providence? Like I said, there is a parallel universe in the heavens for navigating the Camino de Santiago. If it benefited the pilgrims, it would, perhaps, benefit me. I hope it would. I still carry our food supply in its untouched state, you know.

Rev. Fr. Wilfredo Genelazo, our host, came to fetch us and brought us all back to the San  Isidro Labrador Parish for breakfast. His parish exists from modest contributions of the communities he served. These are just small tokens and for as long as he respect the other faiths of his part-time parishioners. These other faiths are a conundrum of mixed Christian and indigenous beliefs which survived in the village of Lamac and these have influence on the affairs of people’s lives there. All told there are 27 different pseudo-Christian sects competing with the Roman Catholic faith and Protestant churches for the salvation of souls. A stronghold.

We leave at 09:00 and my second, Jonathaniel Apurado, is good for another long walk behind the last of the pilgrims and he seemed to enjoy the company of Roman Catholics. He is a Protestant and he does not mind. It is all about the soul, you see. The Camino de Santiago does not discriminate. It is open to all who has an open mind and a humble heart. When we had overcome the last rise, Mizar Bacalla begins the rosary while Fr. Jojo, Mayor Joel Quiño, the couple Roderick and Jemmelyn Montesclaros, Roger Montecino and Alvie Rey Ramirez, replied with a string of Hail Marys. We are now entering Toledo City.

Mayor Joel is the incumbent mayor of the Municipality of Compostela, from where all the pilgrims came from, except me and Jon. His participation is a commitment for the future of Compostela. Its being a namesake of the original Compostela of Spain is something that should not be left to the mercy of the four winds. Nor its favorable position in sharing the same patron saint and a relic which originally came from there. The town has to rise from the trivial and the idea of introducing the Camino de Santiago to Asia is well received by many of the faithful.

The Camino does not deprive the far provinces of the faith and to those who cannot afford the expensive travel to Spain. The Camino could be everywhere and could be in anybody’s heart. Tangible steps have to be made to establish one in Cebu and our Fr. Jojo and Mayor Joel crossed that line of the impossibility. I, too, shared in that idea. I have a great purpose in participating this pilgrimage which could have been predetermined when I was still in the womb of my mother. In all my life before this, the Camino or its equivalent takes up some of my reflection time.

I am not toying with obsession. I could have but I am humble enough to recognize that I do not have the resources to engage in it nor the skill to fleece people’s money so I could proceed there. I am just a servant and discernment of invisible messages is my eternal task. I move in God’s own time and so here I am in Cebu’s version of the Camino de Santiago. It overlapped my own creation – the Cebu Highlands Trail – which I walked and finished in 29 days last February 2017. Never did it occurred to me that I would walk this same route again in a span of six months, this time for the Camino.

 

My 55-liter High Sierra Titan backpack is heavy as was the first day. My most important cargoes are my original Camino passport now stamped with five seals from five different parishes, a bleached scallop from Compostela, Spain with a red-painted St. James cross and a pebble from my doorstep. I may add a fossilized scallop I found in Dagatan, Badian. A camera would have been useful to document what I saw and discovered but I trust Jon and Alvie to share me what photos they took afterwards. The photos guide me in my writings of my online journal and blog contents. I am the author of this 10-year old blog.

By this time, the effects of two multivitamins a day and a capsule of Natural Raw Guarana would work on the stamina of the pilgrims. I used this same formula during the Thruhike and I know the day when it would finally fill your body system and give you that much needed boost to push ahead day in and day out. The day is warm. It would only slow them but it would not tire them. The road bounced the sun’s heat to our faces and bodies and there are a few shady places. For want of that, I increased my pace and arrive at the village of Bunga at 10:30. Another waiting game.

For sure, they would have passed by a roadside stall selling jackfruits and beside it is another stall selling food. Cooked warm food. I would have stopped there earlier but the glare was too much and the heat radiates from the paved road. I am sitting in a very cool place munching on my energy bar and Titay’s Rosquillos and sipping a cold Coca Cola. After an hour of waiting, they finally passed and I rejoined them. We reached the Naga-Toledo National Road and we opt to bypass the big village of Don Andres Soriano by walking on the same highway.

A strong storm overtook us and we decide to take shelter under whatever awnings we could find. We just stood there for around twenty minutes or so to wait out the rain. It was already 12:30 when we lurched forward for our destination of the day: the San Pedro Calungsod Parish, in the village of Cantabaco, Toledo City. The abrupt change in the weather system have made walking on the road better. We arrive at the parish at 14:25 and Rev. Fr. Armando Orehuela is very accommodating and showed us the rooms to spend the night.

After refreshments and snacks, some of the pilgrims took a bath and washed their clothes at the back of the rectory, trying to take advantage of our early arrival and enough time to do chores which were denied them for the past four days. I would take a bath early morning tomorrow but, for now, I joined Fr. Jojo and Fr. Arman in a discussion about the latter’s aquarium containing riverine vegetation. Then I found out that I got blisters on my toes. I let it be and tomorrow it will be dressed. A bottle of cold beer came my way and I cannot refuse.

DAY SIX :::: WE ARE NOW ON THE second half of the Camino de Santiago today, July 11, 2017. Day One to Five was now history and the worries that hound me for the past five days are still there, although a bit slighted by the idea of hurdling only five days more. I am refreshed by the early morning bath and I am now plugging my blisters with Band-Aids. I checked on the other pilgrims’ toes and theirs are not too good either. Jemmelyn has all ten of her toes bedecked with Band-Aids. The petroleum jellies I bought as part of our first-aid supply would now be most useful. They ignored it when their toes were healthy then.

The next vulnerable part – the inner thighs – have not been affected. I also bought three pairs each of elastic undershorts for each pilgrim. It is quite amusing to see Fr. Jojo trying one and he found it unmanly at first but soon found out that it is more comfortable than wearing a brief. You know how older guys are, especially those who are brought up in a traditional environment tend to accept change in the way of how they think, feel and look but, once the undershorts were worn, they began to like it. Just like tinkering a smartphone. That goes for Roger and Mizar too and maybe Mayor Joel. They changed one everyday and washed the worn pair to remove abrasive salt crystals.

After a lovely breakfast and the stamping of the passports with the sixth seal, we say goodbye to Fr. Arman at 08:45. Fr. Arman instructed me the way to the next parish, which would now be in the highlands of Cebu City. It would be very enticing for me since I have not been there before. We follow the road once more but the temperature is cooler here, maybe because of the presence of a man-made forest which we get to pass at the village of Camp 7, of the municipality of Minglanilla. The pilgrims’ stamina have now increased and are now used to the abrupt changes in terrain difficulty and weather.

We stop by at a small store in Lantawan, in the village of Sinsin, Cebu City. With cold soda drinks, they finally munch on their energy bars, Titay’s rosquillos and biscuits. Fr. Jojo complained as he felt something unfulfilling inside. He eats another bar. He does not know how energy bars work. It works the same like the altar bread when introduced with water. It bloats inside your stomach. After an hour, we proceed. We passed by the famous Sinsin Ridge that stalled American forces during their campaign to take the Katipunero stronghold of Sudlon. It has a narrow passage that is now heavily eroded caused by heavy usage of quarry trucks.

The road begins to ascend and ascend and ascend like it is going to heaven. It is concrete but the roadsides are thickly vegetated, giving you enough shade. There are many places here where you could establish campsites. The Sudlon Mountain Range is a place that exudes an aura of mystery and most of its trails and remote peaks beyond the habitations had not been visited by urban hikers.  Slowly, inch by inch, we are now in the village of Sudlon I. Sudlon hosts a large community of an indigenous cult that is a mix of Christianity and spirit worship. It was established by the late mystic, Hilario Moncado.

The climate begins to go cooler as we reach higher elevations. The heat of the sun do not bother us anymore. We are sweating hard because of the effort yet we were not tired. We reach a very populated community where a road sign says, with an arrow for emphasis, that we are on the right direction to the St. John the Baptist Quasi-Parish. We arrive there at 16:45 and, just a few minutes after, thick fogs cover us and the church. I am a bit disoriented by its sudden appearance. I could not relish anymore the beauty of the landscape that I saw a few minutes ago.

 

The parish priest, Rev. Fr. Bernardo Oyao, was not present. He was on a personal errand and has to travel downtown. Anyway, his staff expected our coming and welcomed us inside. The rectory, which doubled as the living quarters of the priest, shielded us from wind chill. Fr. Jojo and Mayor Joel used the room of the absent Fr. Bernard while the office was now the refuge of the Montesclaros couple. Despite the cold weather, a few bold pilgrims took a bath. I would have but I decide not to at the last minute. Perhaps, I would have that tomorrow morning.

The parish is made of concrete, painted white, with the bell tower located on top of the main door. It is facing a deep valley and the faraway Babag Mountain Range, with its distinct feature of one peak crowned with many telecommunication and television towers. That range is my playground and I have not seen it from the vantage of Mount Tabla, a peak that is 2,342 feet above sea level, where I am standing beside. I asked Fr. Jojo about the difference of a parish from a “quasi-parish”, but it is still God’s Country, nevertheless.

Meanwhile, the helpful staff of Fr. Bernard cooked a very enticing brew: a steaming broth of pork knuckles. Despite the cooler climate, I could feel minute fingers of sweat streaming slowly down my temples as the soup warmed up my body. Outside, the wind howled and it would be foolish for me to sleep outside. After that very filling dinner, I found the dining table a very good place to stretch for the night. Not on the table top but underneath it. I unrolled my Therm-a-Rest sleeping pad on the cold tiled floor and inspected my bruised toes before saying goodnight at a late hour of 20:30. 

Total Distance Walked: 24.38 kilometers.

  Highest Elevation Gained: 2,342 feet. 

Document done in LibreOffice 5.3 Writer

CAMINO CEBU JOURNAL: Day Three and Day Four

DAY THREE :::: HIS STRONG FAITH, CARRIED HIM to two days of difficult terrain, a blunder on the first day, extreme pain, unrelenting fatigue, fear of heights and a disdain of early morning baths. Rev. Fr. Scipio “Jojo” Deligero, suffering from problematic gout on both ankles, remained unshaken. If he dropped out on the first day, the first Camino de Santiago in Cebu would have been placed in a shaky debut. But the devil cannot have his party yet. We are still in the game. 

We have churned a total of 38.80 kilometers in 26 hours of walking spread in two days and that is unbelievable, considering that the people I led barely walked outside of their homes and workplaces. The long hours were caused by a controlled pace I imposed to keep Fr. Jojo in the flow. Let us see how the pilgrims would fare in Day Three? The worst happened in Day One. It is the crucible, the deciding moment, if ever a pilgrim should abandon or proceed with his pilgrimage.

Today, July 8, 2017, is part of the dance with destiny which started two days ago. Not just for me and the rest of the pilgrims but also for the Archdiocese of Cebu, the Province of Cebu, the Municipality of Compostela and the Archdiocesan Shrine of Señor Santiago de Apostol, the parish for which Fr. Jojo is performing his sacerdotal duty. To walk it is a sacred undertaking where your soul would benefit. Yes, it is a spiritual journey.

The Camino de Santiago is a route in Spain which is more than a thousand years old and is walked by millions of pilgrims to through so many generations. It follows the route of St. James the Apostle when he left Jerusalem to fulfill his vows as one of the chosen twelve. The journey starts from your doorsteps and ultimately wind up at Compostela, a place in Galicia, where our own Compostela in Cebu got its name. Fr. Jojo wanted a Camino here.

 

My pilgrimage indeed started two days ago from my home and I am now awoken by my preset alarm in the compound of the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Parish, here in the village of Colawin, Municipality of Argao. After I had bathed, I am all set to hear an early morning mass to be celebrated together by Rev. Fr. Mario Villacastin and Fr. Jojo. I feel blessed to hear concelebrated masses for three straight days. 

One of those who walked his own Camino is the incumbent mayor of the Municipality of Compostela – Hon. Joel Quiño. Mayor Joel have prepared himself for this occasion. He would surely be missed behind his desk, along with those volumes of documents which need to be scrutinized, re-studied and signed. But where communication signals are present, he cannot escape answering the mobile phone.

The rest of the pilgrims are the couple Jemmelyn and Roderick Montesclaros, Mizar Bacalla, Roger Montecino, Alvie Rey Ramirez and Jonathaniel Apurado, who is my subaltern and is assigned to sweep the rear. Jon have fulfilled that task during that historic Thruhike of the Cebu Highlands Trail which we did in 27 days and 400+ kilometers from Liloan Point, Santander to Bulalaque Point, Daanbantayan.

This was the Thruhike that caught the attention of Fr. Jojo from which this Camino de Santiago is now being walked after being hatched just 3 months ago. This pilgrimage route here in Cebu, would start from the St. James the Apostle Parish in Badian and would end at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Señor Santiago de Apostol in Compostela. It would follow some stretch of the CHT which would be rugged, undulating and scenic. Instead of among bushes, we would sleep in rectories.

So there is no need really to carry those bulky tents but all of us have hammocks and tarpaulin sheets. Then again, I am beginning to question myself of the wisdom of bringing these hammock sets with them? The mountain parishes can accommodate any number of pilgrims in their rectories and where space is wanting they can always knock on the kindness of their parishioners.

If and when Cebu’s Camino de Santiago would become established and be renowned, the influx of pilgrims would create an economy which would favor the mountain communities found along the route. Mountain parishes are lonely and remote for any priest to be stationed in and can bring about the best in their sacred office or, hopefully, not their worst. A visit from people outside their places would lighten up their faces and break the tedium of everyday living in far-out locations.

I believed Fr. Jojo had foreseen all these things and it is his mission, a divine one, in spite of the physical pain he is enduring day in and day out. After our provisional passports were stamped by Fr. Mario, we left his parish at 08:00, walking up the road towards the next stop. The day is sunny and warm. In a few more hours, this warmth would be intense and would bore into each pilgrim’s resolve.

 

I am used to extremes of weather and the harshness of the mountain terrain but I cannot comprehend how they could still keep up with my pace, even if I deliberately controlled it. At this moment, pain would be most felt. Are they hiding something? I see now. They carried less. The heaviest would be water and those hammock sets. They need not worry about their food. Jonathan and I carried it all and there is no sign that the supply will ever be consumed. That would be less weight, if ever. But when?

The “Vegetable Highway” brought us to the village of Bae, in the Municipality of Sibonga. I sent a text message to the Sibonga Police Station about our presence. After more kilometers of walking and I did not see them anymore when I looked back. This road twisted among and along hills and valleys. I arrive at the village of Libo at 10:30 and waited for them. It is not difficult to find their way to where I am for there are habitations lining along the route where they could just ask directions.

After 15 minutes of waiting, I sent a text message to Jon. Signal is erratic and I gave up. 30 minutes became 90 minutes and my furrows are now deep. Just when I went back to find them, I saw them midway inside a police patrol jeep laughing. Policemen were dispatched by their station to provide security and assist us if need be. They already had and are now reluctant to drop them all here. I loath joining them in a free ride. An hour of ride would be about 4-5 hours of walking in the same distance.

I just hope that nobody would see us or understood what we were doing. That idea have not come of age yet but, to my conscience, that is cheating. Forget it. I am thinking like a human again. Leave that to God’s hand. I cannot question Fr. Jojo’s wisdom. His thoughts are much deeper than mine. I am just the pathfinder and the terrestrial navigator. Interpreting divine interventions are beyond my understanding. Navigation, it seems to me, has a parallel universe in the heavens.

The patrol jeep drop us finally at the village of Dakit, in the Municipality of Barili. They took a longer route. Of course, the policemen could not drive over a trackless mountain direct to the village of Mantalongon. It would need feet to do that on a trail that is still in my memory. Oh yes, I just navigate by memory. The CHT was explored, completed and hiked through without the aid of satellite navigation systems. I preferred traditional means.

We walk the Carcar-Barili Road until we reach Mantalongon at 15:02. This village hosted me and Jon last January during the Thruhike and it was not difficult to find the location of the San Isidro Labrador Parish here. Rev. Fr. Dennis James Acedo welcomed us to his parish and hosted a dinner later on our behalf. We stayed in the old rectory for the night and the rest was most welcome.

DAY FOUR :::: I WOKE UP THE WAY I liked it to be, earlier than 05:00, as is printed on the itinerary today, July 9, 2018. After taking our baths and breakfast, we left the San Isidro Labrador Parish at 06:42. But not after our provisional passports were stamped with the parish seal by Fr. Dennis himself. I was amused at the good priest doing everything beyond priestly duties to keep his parish afloat in such difficult times and it would be best I not tell you. The stay has given us plenary indulgence since it is the jubilee year of the church. 

We followed the highway going to the boundary of Carcar City. An unpaved road to the left would be our route to the next stop tonight. The pilgrims start to recite the rosary on its third day while I sent a text message to the Carcar City Police Station. We are now on the approaches of the village of Valencia and there is a brand new concrete road. It is a warm day and the weight carried inside my 55-liter High Sierra Titan had not changed since Day One.

When you are on concrete pavement you tend to walk faster. Your mind is analyzing the length and angle of the shadows. The sooner you get out from there, the better. Valencia is a highly populated semi-urban setting and that scene would repeat itself as we walk into the next village of Buenavista. Roderick, Jem and I waited for them in a small parish of  Santo Niño de Cebu. The shady trees on the patio shielded us from the heat of the 10 o’clock sun.

 

A text message from Jon woke up my Cherry Mobile U2. They were looking for us. I gave them my direction but they interpreted it through another route. Jesus, they took the wrong way and they are a half hour ahead. I did not retrace my steps but proceed on where one of these roads would lead us. I increased my pace and the couple Roderick and Jemmelyn are game enough to increase theirs. We crossed a big bridge and we are now on the village of Calidngan. 

My group arrive first at the San Isidro Labrador Parish at 11:30. After an exchange of text messages with Jonathan, they finally found their way and reach the parish at 11:40. Rev. Fr. Benjie Contapay arrived from his sacerdotal visits in one of the villages at 11:45. He welcomed us all and gathered his staff to prepare food for us. Just lying down on the bare tiled floor under the shade of a roof is most welcome. Siesta before a meal. Whatever. My body direly needed it.

We get to take lunch at 12:30. I took many servings. We like it. For this day, nobody touched their energy bars. Warm food is better. By miles. After the fulfilling meal and the cold refreshments, the temptation to go horizontal again is so strong but we have a long way to go. By 13:00, we say goodbye to Fr. Benjie and his staff and took to the rough roads once more and encountered our first rain. In an hour, we were now crossing over to the village of Balungag, Municipality of San Fernando and I immediately dispatched a text message to their police station.

At 16:00, we are now at the village of Tubod. A free-flowing natural spring refreshed us and we topped off our water bottles. From hereon, we would be traversing over the “carabao highway” towards the next Municipality of Pinamungahan. This is a trail that had been carved deep by many carabao sleds over the years and today I have seen and walked it for the very first time in its muddy state. It is quite nasty and tricky. I can hear angry and excited voices behind me. I slipped once but I cannot know of how many times each pilgrim had.

The slow progress carried us till dusk. By the time we reach a road it was already 18:00 but the presence of a store selling cold drinks brought back the pilgrims’ strength and composure. Across us is another trail, downhill and rocky. In daylight, you could see the Lamac Valley but it is better to negotiate it at nighttime with Fr. Jojo. He just cannot stand looking from a high place. He can never be a saint. You see, saints are placed on a high pedestal on the highest places outside of a church facade. Haha! Just joking.     

 

Guided by lights and by helping hands, Fr. Jojo made it safely down to the village of Sibago, in Pinamungahan. It is 19:45 and the other pilgrims kept asking me how far the village of Lamac is. Signs of fatigue and pain. They now felt it all. Who would not. I felt it too and the pain on both my feet are great as well as on my shoulders where the pads of my heavy backpack rubbed. We are now walking on dirt road and I was hoping to find a motorcycle for Fr. Jojo. It never came and, in these places at these hours, everything stops to a standstill.

Stepping on a concrete road raised everyone’s morale. A few houses still have lights and then, after more walking, the first local seen outside a house. We asked when there is someone out there. Nobody trusts people who travel in darkness. Everyone is suspicious of us even though we have a Roman Catholic priest and a municipal mayor in our midst. Of course, we do not advertise that with banners and megaphones. We are just pilgrims walking on the Camino de Santiago. We liked it that nobody shows interest on what we do. The hinterlands are quite different from urban areas.

At 21:00, after negotiating a few streets, we arrive at the San Isidro Labrador Parish of Lamac. Rev. Fr. Wilfredo “Boy” Genelazo welcomed us with a case of cold beer, cold lemon juice and a warm dinner since he knew of our coming. After almost an hour of happy conversations, Fr. Boy facilitated for our free stay inside the Hidden Valley Mountain Resort. As soon as I got settled for a half hour, I took a bathe. Dreamland automatically took over.

Total Distance Walked: 53.33 kilometers.

  Highest Elevation Gained: 1,961 feet. 

 

Document done in LibreOffice 5.3 Writer