2022-009 | ADRENALINE ADVENTURE HIKE: SEGMENT VI-A

THIS PASSION BY TEAM Adrenaline Romance of walking the entire length of Cebu, in sub-segments, following in the wake of my epic Thruhike, which I did in 29 days of January and February 2017, have set them afire. They had crossed over the halfway mark of the Cebu Highlands Trail by finishing Segment V last May 24-25, 2019 and accumulated a thought-provoking 230.08 kilometers.

That is already a bragging right in itself that is very difficult to equal by even accomplished hikers, much more so, by their fellow bloggers. Gian Carlo and Sheila Mei, to include their friend Apol, are in a different level right now and I could feel the electricity running in their veins. They have adapted very well to the rigors of the CHT and developed that certain toughness of the mind that I had so recognized during my explorations of the routes.    

I was awakened by Gian Carlo calling me on an early morning of June 29, 2019. He, Sheila Mei and Apol were already in the Cebu North Bus Terminal. It was a shock for me since I always come first and, there, my client took the place of my alarm which I set at 04:00. Daylight already carved the dawn sky! How could that be? I take pride of always being the first to arrive. This time I was very sloppy. 

Anyway, I arrived blushing at 05:35 to the trio and offered my profound excuses. Without waiting for them to decide what would be next, I went straight to a waiting bus that would take us to Carmen. We arrived there at 07:30 and found a small eatery in the public market to take breakfast. We also bought extra food for our lunch which our itinerary says 12:00 at Agsuwao, Catmon. 

We hired motorcycles to bring us up to Caurasan, Carmen, which travel took more than an hour and, instantly, I set about my usual courtesy calls. The village officials expected our coming and it took just a few minutes. Then I proceed to the military detachment nearby and jotted the names of Sheila, Gian Carlo, Apol and mine. The military wished us well and would be monitoring our progress.

We left Caurasan at 09:20, by way of an unpaved road which were lined with flowering indigenous trees of all shapes and sizes. The rugged road becomes half-concrete prevalent on most found on most mountain villages of Cebu. It is just a set of narrow concrete ribbons that could accommodate one set of four wheels one way or a couple of motorcycles each going the other way. 

I walked point retrieving information from memory. The entirety of the CHT was never created with the efficiency of a radionavigation system, which could have produced waypoints, but by the quirks of traditional navigation. It was these invisible routes that my memory tracked feverishly, sometimes placing a stress on my brain, leaving me mentally exhausted at times. 

When I walked, I watched out for the familiar. If I had some doubts, then I would consult the general directions of my compass. Since we were walking north, then north shall be the judge, come what may. My compass, an analog Suuntu A30 – now paired by a digital Casio Protrek sportswatch which I just used recently – had never let me down. 

Sometimes, I would rely with common sense where terrain is concerned. I would never choose a path that goes down, to my false security and comfort. On this moment, you would be tempted to the drift of just going down and, by that time, too much ground had been covered to offset an error. I would opt for higher ground instead and abandon it when the terrain rolled in my favor. 

I saw a trail that branched out of this road and I followed it uphill. At first I was in doubt but when it passes by a community, I began to like it since it looked familiar. I began to like it more when the trail went around the back of Mount Kapayas, whose peak is but a short detour for us if we choose to visit it. I was now in my groove and sniffed the path like a bloodhound.

This trail passed by swidden farms among forests and over beautiful meadows with coconut trees that afford limited views of a remote valley which places I would not want to be lost in. As I mentioned earlier, the drift of travel would somehow lull you into complacency until such time that you discover you are way off your general direction by several kilometers that rectifying it would need a lot of effort and energy. 

Both Segment IV and VI, thirty-five and twenty years ago, was a mass base of a political organization that was engaged in an armed struggle against the military and the overthrow of the government. Because of its remoteness, dotted with thick forests and so many hiding places, these places created a reputation of its own. It became “no man’s land” to the detriment of the residents. 

While I recognized its latent risks, I came with good intentions. These beautiful places cannot just live forever in their past. My introduction of adventure tourism through the CHT, carefully whetted to only a few hikers as possible, is meant to open up opportunities for these communities which difficulties caused by hostilities and distrust have left them with little or no options. 

Since we had been walking for an hour, I picked a spot for rest, known by the locals as Lantawan, where there is an abandoned shelter littered by broken shells of cooked egg. It offered an unobstructed view of a valley and the hills across which belonged to the municipality of Tuburan. We stayed here for fifteen minutes and just enjoyed the landscape. 

We pursued the path once more with vigor, the trail now hugging the steep bulwarks of Mt. Kapayas. For once, it crossed over a steep farm and went down from a ridge grown with mahogany trees. Before me are two paths whose left fork I took during the seventeenth day of my thruhike in February 2017 which could have led me farther away from a path I fixed in my memory until a guardian angel led me to the right trail.

This time, I fixed it permanently. I took the right. The trail still hugged the steep mountain but, no sooner, I espied a concrete path up ahead complete with steel railings. Concrete pavements meant that motorcycles could now penetrate these once remote parts and that is good even when outdoor purists disdained the sight of it. It does not matter to me since it is made for walking just the same. 

I was happy at this path concreting project. Imagine the many years the residents have suffered from neglect of the government and the difficulties brought on by a foreign ideology upon their communities? The sight of this path, from the side of an adventure guide who relied on his memory for navigation, is heavenly! Even if it goes up for around 400 meters!   

We arrived on a small plateau where there is a small community. I followed the trail until we arrived at the house where I last slept in during my epic thruhike. It belonged to the former village chief of Bongyas, Catmon, Mr. Soping Branzuela. I gave him a certificate and left a loaf of bread as my appreciation for his kindness and hospitality. Bread is something of a luxury in these places. 

Since it is already 11:15, we decided to enjoy fifteen minute rest. Once done, we followed a trail down to the village center. I was expecting millet grown on their farms but I was in the wrong season. Only here and in a few adjoining villages where millet is grown. What was grown instead were corn. We arrived at the village center at 12:00 and decided to spend noonbreak here with cold soda drinks. 

At exactly 13:15, we resumed our foot journey. There is another road with a set of two narrow concrete pavements. It goes and it wind among farms, grassy meadows and more beautiful landscapes. While it was warm at that hour, breeze were plentiful and helped to our cause. There was not much traffic on the road except for a few motorcycles. 

At a spot where there is a beautiful small valley, I point to Team Adrenaline Romance the peak of Mt. Kapayas and its neighbor, Torre Peak, from a far distance. They were amazed at the progress we made for just half a day. Sooner, or tomorrow, this mountain would just be a speck just like the last time we saw it from Balamban.

We followed this half-paved road in the village of Agsuwao until it became unpaved, then full concrete for a time and then asphalt that is in need of new topping. A big concrete tablet showed that we are now in the village of Tabili, Catmon, but it would still be a long way to our campsite. At 16:00, we arrived at the home of the late village head, Mr. Danny Demana. His father-in-law replaced him and we were expected. 

I slept here twice: During the route exploration of Segment VI in February 2016, the time I befriended Mr. Demana, and Day 18 of my thruhike. We occupied the space at the back where there was a nursery, a shed and an outhouse. Both Apol and I claimed the shed with its four posts for our hammocks while Sheila Mei and Gian Carlo pitched their tent on open ground. 

Team Adrenaline Romance surprised me with a new aluminum pot. They were amused at the pot I brought last time in Bangkito, Tuburan during Segment IV. It had a hole which made the cooking of rice a lengthy task. This time, rice should be cooked effortlessly; which it did with my Trangia alcohol burner; causing thin streaks of soot to mark its bottom. 

During this time, we enjoyed tea served in small a ceramic kettle and cups which I carried. After supper, we hit the deck at 19:30. It rained hard that night. The roof above me had a leak and one line of drop fell on me. I had to shift position so water would not hit me dead center. I refused to let the rain steal away my sleep and sleep I had after a few wet moments of discomfort.     

We woke up early at 05:30 of September 30, 2019 and prepared ourselves an attire for swimming. We visited the Tinubdan Waterfalls of Tabili, Catmon guided by the teenaged son of the late Mr. Demana. We hopped on motorcycles for a short trip to the trailhead and walked a short path to the bathing area. This has gained popularity since it was featured in social media by vloggers. 

After an hour enjoying the coolness of an early morning bath in Tinubdan Waterfalls, we returned to our campsite and prepared breakfast. After another round of tea in style, we broke camp. By 08:00, we gave thanks to our host and proceed to a stream that separates Catmon from Sogod. The stream is called Bawo Creek. The day is cloudy but humid owing to last night’s rain. 

After a half hour of asphalt road, we took an unpaved road and, up to a certain point, we took a trail that led us to the stream. It is a beautiful countryside with orchards dotting the landscape. The water was not high and we crossed it without having to remove shoes and socks. There were dry parts necessitating just a little effort to leap over. 

I followed a path through head-high cornstalks until such time we were in open places. I looked back from where we came from and it was a beautiful sight. Farther away, Mt. Kapayas reduced in size to bigger than a speck and Team Adrenaline Romance could still not believe that they placed so much distance from it in a day. The trail has to climb over a ridge that now belonged to Sogod. 

Huffing and puffing, we made it to the ridge. It was as if we climbed a mountain but this was no mountain. It was a plateau of small Chocolate Hills-like mounds, which were farmed by locals in delicate terraces. We were in the village of Cabalawan, Sogod. Further ahead is the village center and the road. We followed this dirt road and turned left on another dirt road at the first corner. 

The road went straight to a large hill planted with mangoes but bent to the left and then to the right until we arrived at a bridge. Beyond this bridge was a trail that traversed over farms and orchards and communities until we arrived at an unnamed creek which I believed to be that of Putat River which spews out its contents to the Tañon Strait.

We crossed the stream without too much effort and crossed another tributary and we followed another trail that led us to an asphalt pavement. Finding a store, we decided to stop for noonbreak since it was already 11:15. The owner welcomed us and we were allowed to cook rice, boil water for coffee, sit in the shade and use the bathroom.

We left at 12:30 after paying for what we consumed and our profound thanks for the hospitality. The road was abandoned at this hour, the nearby Mangadlaw Elementary School is devoid of children and teachers since it was a Sunday. The road was lined by several communities and solitary houses. By 13:30, we took a courtesy call on the village of Cabangahan, Sogod, scribbling our names on their visitor’s log. 

We resumed our walk on a beautiful stretch of road which has limestone forests on both sides and tell-tale signs of karst cave formations. This was an enjoyable walk because, somewhere up ahead, lay the village of Bagakay, Sogod and their well-kept secret, the Dau Cave, named after a large dau tree (English: Pacific walnut) growing near its entrance. 

We arrived there at 14:15 and made a courtesy call. The accommodating village official offered to guide us to Dau Cave and they have taken considerable effort to clear the vegetation at its approach. After the brief excursion, I retrieved a certificate and bestowed it to the village of Bagakay in appreciation for their assistance in completing the CHT and the success of the Thruhike. 

We bade goodbye at 15:00 and proceed to walk the last kilometers of our journey. Our destination is the village of Mohon, Sogod. On that place is a highway that traversed northern Cebu from Borbon to Tabuelan. We need to be there before dusk and hopefully catch a bus to Mandaue City.

Everyone were suffering from fatigue; walking for hours even though we have enough rest; and completely hydrated. The feet soles were complaining and during this stretch we rest when we could. Although the day’s warmth was decreasing at that hour, aided by shades of trees and hills, we were sweating very much. At 16:30, exactly on the itinerary, we arrived at the road corner. 

This was just the first half of Segment VI and Team Adrenaline Romance chalked up an additional 32.3 kilometers on their mileage, and upped their total to 262.11 kilometers. There was no rush and we made it exactly at what was stated in our itinerary, except on the first day where we did not make it to Agsuwao, Catmon for our noonbreak. This was an exception for I was late at the meetup area.    

Please stay tuned for more adventures of Team Adrenaline Romance in the next month as they try to complete Segment VI by trailing this blogger to Ilihan, Tabogon. How many kilometers would they add to their current total? Expect you to follow their campaign and read Adrenaline Adventure Hike: Segment VI-B. Make your presence felt by giving a comment. Thank you!

2022-005 | ADRENALINE ADVENTURE HIKE: SEGMENT V

TEAM ADRENALINE ROMANCE have walked the entirety of the first half of the Cebu Highlands Trail before 2018 ended. For the last four sets of weekends, Gian Carlo, Sheila Mei and their friend, Apol, have crossed over “no man’s land” from Mount Manunggal, Balamban to Caurasan, Carmen, leaving nothing but goodwill and the thawing away of distrust that locals usually heaped on strangers.

After nailing Segment IV, they had consciously and purposely accumulated a total of 207.39 kilometers, a modest achievement but which, nevertheless, will increase, as their sights are now focused on the snaring of this great prize which only two people have so far achieved. The CHT is a difficult challenge and hard to wrestle. As 2019 entered, their plans of finishing the CHT are on due course. 

At 05:00 of January 12, 2019, we all met at the Cebu South Bus Terminal. The bus left Cebu City at 05:30 for Dalaguete. We dropped off at the road corner at 07:45 where we found a restaurant. At 08:30, we rode on motorcycles-for-hire bound for the village of Mantalongon, Dalaguete. We arrived at 9:15 and set about buying the needs for our meals which we would consume along Segment V. 

Segment V starts here in Mantalongon and terminate at Upper Beceril, Boljoon. This is two days with Nug-as, Alcoy as our resting place in between. Mantalongon has a huge public market where all the vegetables grown from around here are sold which is then distributed to the cities, towns and supermarkets. When we have bought enough vegetables and spices, we start our journey to the south at 09:30.

We left the very busy vegetable market and followed an asphalt pavement that became concrete. This is the other side of Mantalongon that barely had a visit by tourists. Mantalongon is also famous for being the jump-off point to Osmeña Peak, Cebu’s highest point. In the old days we walked from the market to the campsite which took us three hours. Nowadays, the trailhead is just a fifteen minute walk. 

The features you see around Osmeña Peak are everywhere even on this farm road, but much closer. Big baskets full of cabbages over the brim, some standing four feet high, are whisked from farms to the markets on motorcycles, a basket rigged on each side with ropes. It passes by you with the driver in full concentration on the road and his balance. Many such baskets wait for their turn beside the road. 

We pass by the village of Langkas, Dalaguete at 10:00 and we get to see the different crops grown on the many farms. It came out of the earth on all forms: cabbage, vegetable pear, spring onions, eggplant, bitter gourd, sponge gourd, string beans, mung beans, sweet potato, turnips, spinach vines, lemon grass, ginger, squash, taro, turmeric, breadfruit, lime, pepper, coconut hearts, bananas and their blossoms and many more. Such bounties earned the high Mantalongon Valley as “Cebu’s Breadbasket”.  

It was more of the same in the village of Nalhub, Dalaguete at 10:45 where we took a rest at a bakery to gulp down cold soda drinks to beat the humidity. After 15 minutes, we resumed our walk, oblivious of the motorcycles and baskets, full and empty, speeding by you on this narrow vegetable highway. At 12:00 we enjoyed noonbreak somewhere in the village of Catolohan, Dalaguete.

After an hour of rest, it was time to go. The narrow asphalt roads became a wide concreted highway. We are now entering the outskirts of the village of Nug-as, Alcoy, famous for its last stand of original forest cover. Along the way, we get to see some of this remaining forest, in pockets, as the land around it were trimmed to introduce farming. It is in Nug-as where people embrace tree farming. 

By 14:00 we arrived at the village center and did a courtesy call on their village council for a place to stay. Our arrival, however, was already expected by virtue of my liaisons with the Office of the Governor and the Cebu Police Provincial Office. Their multi-purpose building was made available for our use. After a very savory dinner, lights out came so early. Then it rained very hard!

We woke up to a very cold morning of January 14. The village and the whole landscape were swathed in fog. Even so, we have to keep the fire burning. On the stove, I meant. Under the comforts of a roof and a wall, cooking was seamless. After breakfast, we repacked our things inside our backpacks. We left Nug-as at 08:00 under a heavy downpour. The road was wet but it was wetter where there were puddles.

On this stretch of the road where there used to be a big coffee farm, the robusta shrubs were cut to make way for a fighting cock farm. What madness sometimes people inherit? Beyond the game cocks, the earth was turned inside out to the whims of another fake landscaping in progress. What got my ire is the building of a road into the last stand of the original forest of Cebu! I walked with a heavy heart for the government could do nothing with this madness! 

It was a long walk to the next village of Nangka, Boljoon which we reached at 09:15. The road narrowed into another concrete pavement. Farms and forested hills clasped each other perfectly to the joys of a passersby, seeing all these so close to the road. It was just beautiful and a balm for the soul tormented by the sight he previously saw and protested to the four winds.

The skies cleared for a while of raindrops as we approach the village of San Antonio, Boljoon at 10:45. Here we stopped at a community store to enjoy another round of cold soda drinks. It was at this time when a fellow hiker stopped by and introduced himself to us. He is Ronald Villanueva and he is the tourism officer of the Municipality of Boljoon. He invited us to visit Dayhag Waterfalls and he will be waiting for us. 

Naturally, we disengaged abruptly from our rest and hastened our pace, hoping that we would arrive there before noon. The waterfalls would be found at the village of Upper Beceril, Boljoon, and it was very far from San Antonio. We could never close the distance with the way Mr. Villanueva was moving. He was running, but we could try in our own pace. 

The road started to cant favorably for us and we arrived at a road corner leading to Dayhag Waterfalls. We have arrived at the terminus of Segment V. It is 11:30 and just a few minutes more we would be at this local resort. I have never been here but I found it, aided by signposts and a big welcome sign on its entrance. Entrance fee was waived because it was closed on Sundays.

Mr. Villanueva welcomed us and assigned a gazebo for us and, immediately, Sheila Mei and Apol changed clothes for bathing. Gian Carlo too. I followed them after I had rested for about 20 minutes but they were on the other waterfalls. There were seven. I did not stay long in the water. There was a slight drizzle and I need to dry my undershorts. I did not carry a spare. 

Mr. Villanueva surprised us with a free lunch courtesy of his office. It was black chicken (Local name: dongkoy) soup, grilled free-rein chicken, boiled bananas and unlimited milled corn. The food, except the soup, were splayed on banana leaves above a bamboo table. Meal was hand to mouth, literally, and it was deliciously cooked, especially the dongkoy. 

This was a real surprise on all of us, to be invited for a free meal and free use of this LGU-ran enterprise. But our unexpected visit in Boljoon was an opportunity also for Mr. Villanueva to take advantage of, upon knowing that Gian Carlo and Sheila Mei were genuine travel bloggers; while I, for my part is some sort of blogger and could bring clients here. It was, so to speak, a perfect exchange deal.

We said goodbye and many thank yous to Mr. Villanueva and his team for their hospitality. We found motorcycles-for-hire and we reached the highway at 15:30. Buses were full but we hopped onto one that was not full at 16:00. It would be a long way to Cebu City and the long day made us drowsy. It was perfect for the bus was airconditioned. 

Team Adrenaline Romance in their high momentum of adventure on this southern jaunt have acquired another 22.35 kilometers after snatching another segment of the CHT. They now have a total mileage of 229.74 kilometers and they are hot on the heels of the last three segments which they vowed to finish before the end of 2019.  

Gian Carlo and Sheila Mei wrote about their Segment V experience on the Adrenaline Romance Blog under two installments plus an extra on Dayhag Falls: 

Cebu Highlands Trail Segment V: Mantalongon, Dalaguete to Nug-as, Alcoy.

Cebu Highlands Trail Segment V: Nug-as, Alcoy to Upper Beceril, Boljoon.

Dayhag Falls: An Unexpected Surprise Down South.

2022-002 | ADRENALINE ADVENTURE HIKE: SEGMENT IV-B

TEAM ADRENALINE ROMANCE HAD walked through the first half of Segment IV and came out stuffed with better appreciation of the Cebu Highlands Trail. The challenges of the fresh sceneries that the “no man’s land” route provided have excited Team Adrenaline Romance so much so that they filed a leave of absence the soonest time possible.

 

When we breezed past Mount Manunggal on our way to Lawaan, Danao City the last time, they begun to enjoy the landscapes of their backtrail and picked off the familiar landmarks which had given their confidence a shaky ground to stand on. The second part of Segment IV – Segment IV-B – has different difficulties than the first and it offers another different side of Cebu. This is still a “no man’s land”. 

We choose the Cebu North Bus Terminal as our meeting place on October 13, 2018. Gian Carlo and Sheila Mei arrived first. Later, Apol came, and we found an empty bus bound for Danao City. The bus left Mandaue City at 05:30 and arrived at Danao at 06:45 and we found a small eatery to take breakfast. We also bought extra food for our lunch which our itinerary says 12:30 at Mount Mago. 

We left the busy city center at 07:30, each astride in tandem on a motorcycle-for-hire, bound for the village of Lawaan, our last place of engagement two weeks ago. We arrived there at 09:10 when the motorcycle I rode conked out and we waited for another. We hit the trail at 09:15. We were following a paved road that was quite shady and very peaceful. We faced a road junction and followed the one on the left.

 

The road rose in elevation and we were now exposed to the morning sun. As we walked over a ridge, we saw Mt. Kalabasa of Danao City; Garces Peak of Asturias; Mt. Matun-og, Mt. Mauyog and Mt. Manunggal, all in Balamban; and – surprise! – Mt. Babag, Cebu City. These were the great landmarks that we saw on our northerly quest that created furrows on our foreheads. As we checked our backtrails, these were now just drops of water in a pail. 

Walking on, we passed by a farmer harvesting pomelo from his fruit-laden trees and gave us two which Sheila Mei and Apol devoured without a trace and brought another with us. We walked on and we arrived on the trailhead in the village of Pili, Danao City. There is a trail that goes to Mt. Mago but I have to make a courtesy call first to a military detachment located nearby. 

After my business with the authorities, we pushed north at 10:20, following the trail that go over the ridges of this unnamed mountain range. The path is soft earth blazed by generations of feet while all around us are green meadows. It is rolling terrain without forest cover. On a rise, I read an elevation of 755 meters from my Casio Pro Trek.

 

We still brought a pair of Versa Quicktalk Go UHF/FRS transceivers which we used for our communications in Segment IV-A. While I took the point, Gian Carlo swept last and Apol and Sheila Mei in between. We used the radio to check each other out when visibility is hampered by rolling terrain or when a branch of a trail placed Gian Carlo in a bind. 

We arrived at the camping grounds of Mt. Mago at 12:40 and quite famished. We spent noonbreak here under the shade of one puny tree, enjoying lunch from food we bought earlier and finishing the one last pomelo for dessert. I noticed a pond. It had always been there the two times I was here. I excused myself and made a brief inspection. 

I found out that it is a seep that overflowed to a very tiny brook. I deduced that it became a small stream, ultimately dividing Carmen from Tuburan, until it became a river that flows out to the Camotes Sea. This unassuming pond could be the headwater of the Panalipan River! We took water from the pond and washed our plates, spoons and forks from twenty meters away dowhill.

 

We left Mt. Mago when dark clouds appeared with the clap of thunder and followed a trail in a forested area. The ground is dry and plenty of loose soil and pebbles. We came upon a very steep part which was kind of tricky. This path is so enchantingly silent that only locals know and, of course, me. Overnight campers would never go beyond Mt. Mago. We rested after that descent and rehydrated. 

From then on it would be rolling terrain once more, passing by solitary houses and farms and, sometimes, a family of cows blocking the way. The trail goes down to the remote village of Bangkito, Tuburan. We passed by a public school, going into their center where there was a basketball game in progress. Everyone stopped playing and looked at us. 

This was one of the critical areas during the insurgency problem in the ‘80s until the early years of the third millennia and everyone wanted to make sure that we were not armed. When they resumed their game, I released a sigh of relief. Then and there, I did a courtesy call to their village council while Team Adrenaline Romance stayed behind to fill water from a water reservoir.

 

On the way back, I brought a cold big bottle of Coke. We emptied it fast and we hoped we could produce another one later. We prepared our campsite and then our dinner. When the food was almost cooked, I went back to the community store to buy another cold big bottle of Coke. But it was the last they sold to me earlier. 

We had our dinner and pairing it with warm Coke was not bad after all. That night there was another basketball game and there were many onlookers from the different places. After the game there was a disco. The noise interfered in our quest to snatch that sleep. Motorcycles would park nearby and leave. Nevertheless, it did stop at 03:00 of the next day, October 14. 

We woke up collectively at 05:30 with eyes that hungered for more sleep. We prepared breakfast and, after eating, we broke camp. I went back to the village center to give the village council my appreciation of thanks in the form of a certificate, as I did yesterday with the villages of Pili and Lawaan. This was for their hospitality in accepting us in their localities and aiding me and my team during the exploration phase of the CHT and that epic Thruhike.

 

We left Bangkito and went east for that deep valley under the shadow of another mountain range found across us: Ngipon-sa-Ilaga. I almost missed a trail were it not for a girl who was observing us. After asking her directions, we followed the trail down the deep valley of Anahawan. It would twist and wind its way among the lower foothills of Mt. Mago. 

Cows and carabaos were tethered along trails and we have to make wide detours. When we reach a stream we rest for a while from the brunt of the morning sun. This was the same stream that I suspected to have originated from that small pond at Mt. Mago and this could be the upper portions of the Panalipan River. Downstream of me are small waterfalls and Team Adrenaline Romance had to change to Project BLUE t-shirts for a photo ops.     

After a generous rest of thirty minutes, we resumed our journey. The trails pass by meadows and farms and a very old oleander-leafed euphorbia (Local name: soro-soro). The biggest I have seen. This marked the start of the ascent to Taguini. The trail is well beaten and easy to follow.

 

We arrived at Taguini so early at 10:00 but it was empty of people and traders. I expected a market fair. I missed by a day! Anyway, we are two hours early for a noonbreak and we decide to have that at the village of Caurasan, Carmen instead. So we spent rest here and bought locally-baked bread and paired it with cold soda drinks. 

After twenty minutes, we resumed the last few kilometers of Segment IV-B. Team Adrenaline Romance, perhaps, assured that the last half of the CHT was about to end, walked with a confident and springy stride this time. We reached Caurasan at 12:30 and checked in at their village center with our identification cards with a civilian interloper who insisted on voter’s ID! 

After that, I did another courtesy call on a military detachment nearby and then we ate lunch there. We left Caurasan for the town market of Carmen astride motorcycles-for-hire. The ride down to town was a long one and we arrived at 14:00, time good enough to take it easy for our return to Cebu City. Team Adrenaline Romance celebrated their feat with an early dinner in a Japanese restaurant inside SM City.

Team Adrenaline Romance had achieved one-half of the CHT by finishing Segment IV-B, which was 17.68 kilometers in length. With that, they extended their mileage total to 207.73 kilometers which was quite impressive! They had adapted to the rigors of what it was like when walking a long trail like the CHT which is partly wild, very humid, unimaginable difficulty in terrain and somewhat dangerous!  

The lands we passed by in all of Segment IV, to include parts of Segments I, II and III, were indeed very dangerous if we walked it in another time, say 1987 or 1995. That is the reason why adventure tourism and outdoors leisure activities did not grew beyond the known safe havens. Many have tried to open these corridors among Cebu’s mountains but it never prospered. 

The exploration of the CHT and its opening to the public as a guided adventure hiking tour came at a favorable time when such threats and troubles to foot travel have disappeared although residues of it remained which comes in the form of suspicion and distrust. By and by, people will come to terms with their past and embrace change which is harmless, fun and productive.  

Gian Carlo and Sheila Mei wrote about their Segment IV-B experience on the Adrenaline Romance Blog under two installments: 

Cebu Highlands Trail Segment IV-B: Lawaan, Danao to Bangkito, Tuburan.

Cebu Highlands Trail Segment IV-B: Bangkito, Tuburan to Caurasan, Carmen.

2021-048 | OUTDOORS SAFETY & CULTURAL SENSITIVITY

OUTDOORS COMMON SENSE TIPS: Respect our Local Communities.

First seen in Facebook

August 7, 2018 

=> => => o0o <= <= <=

 

I AM REPOSTING VERBATIM an article by ADRENALINE ROMANCE about cultural sensitivity, which the blog attribute to expedition and wilderness emergency services physician, Dr. Ted Esguerra, and adventure guru, Ramon “Jay Z” Jorge. Read and overcome your short attention span and learn from these experienced travelers.

THE DO’S 

1. Study the place, its culture, and political and economic setup where you will pass by or immerse.

2. Be courteous to anyone you meet along the trail.

3. Upon arrival, signify the intention of your visit to the chieftain, elder, tribal council, or barangay captain of the community.

4. Stay in one place where you can be seen by the majority of the community members or elders.

5. If you intend to hire porters/beasts of burden, deal only with the community coordinator.

6. Accept food offerings of the community with expressions of gratitude.

7. Ask permission to any community member when doing/asking something (e.g. ask to fetch water in a well).

8. Treat mountains, caves, rivers, etc. as sacred places. Most of the resident tribal communities consider these places as gods, havens of the gods, or holy grounds.

9. Join community gatherings, activities, and celebrations only if invited to do so.

10. If you are invited to teach, teach only what can be appreciated by the community.

11. Respond appropriately to friendly gestures.

12. Respect their beliefs and superstitions.

13. Observe silence. These folks enjoy the tranquility and peace of their environment.

THE DONT’S 

1. Don’t drink alcohol, take drugs, or make revelries in tribal areas. This is common sense, but you’ll be surprised as to how many visitors would do this.

2. Don’t expect luxuries. Accept and appreciate what they have.

3. Don’t ask for anything. The problem with social climbers/trekkers is that they ask for conveniences—their conveniences.

4. Don’t be boisterous, arrogant, vulgar, or rude. Be polite.

5. Don’t wear indecent or offensive clothes.

6. Don’t show off gadgets, cell phones, jewelry, or other items that are alien to the community.

7. Don’t do these things without asking permission first:

    ~ taking photos

    ~ approach women, children, and old people

    ~ visiting ritual sites and burial grounds

    ~ enter homes and properties

    ~ touch ornaments. They may be sacred items for the community.

8. Don’t correct or make fun of their beliefs. Each community has its own distinct and unique beliefs.

9. Don’t comment or show disapproval to some “grotesque” rituals such as breaking of chicken’s neck in a tribal dance.

10. Don’t kiss, hug, or do indecent acts in front of a community member.

11. Don’t laugh or giggle in front of the community. That’s because even if you didn’t mean anything, they might assume that you’re making fun of them.

12. Don’t leave trash behind, whether biodegradable or non-biodegradable.

13. Don’t pollute rivers, creeks, wells, and other water sources.

14. Don’t vandalize such as etching your name on artifacts or rock walls.

15. Don’t destroy traps set by community hunters. Don’t hunt!

PREVENTING CULTURAL CONTAMINATION

1. Pay the local only the amount that was agreed upon. Do not bribe or give tips. When you introduce the concept of bribing or tipping to a normally honest community, you change their idea about money. This later manifests to exorbitant rates and questionable fees, which we all complain about.

2. Don’t visit a remote community as a large group. Remember that these people are wary of single strangers, so you can imagine what they are thinking if they see a group of strangers.

3. When taking photos, be unobtrusive. Don’t ask people to pose for you. Keep a distance between you and the subject that you’re shooting.

4. Avoid teaching things or giving stuff that the community doesn’t need.

5. Avoid showing interest in buying items from the community. Never establish trade without the knowledge of the elders.

6. Don’t introduce another paradigm that is alien to the community such as playing loud disco music in a community that values their own music.

7. Never assure the community that your knowledge, medicine, food, equipment, tools, etc. are better than theirs.

8. Tribal communities are fond of communal eating. Don’t eat separately from a family or a group.

 

The most meaningful travel happens when you go down deep, listen to the stories, and immerse in the ways of life of these wonderful people. It’s incredibly inspiring to see how they value their environment and culture. 

However, you should remember that you are just a visitor. No matter how you think highly of yourself, you are the odd person out. As thus, you should leave as little trace as possible, whether it be on the environment or with the cultural practice of the people. 

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WARRIOR PILGRIMAGE BLOG, personified by this writer, is synonymous with the Outdoors, since Bushcraft and Survival is its niche. Safety and Security are its bedrock when it ventured into organizing outdoor events that involved people as in adventure/pilgrimage guideships and seminars; and explorations and expeditions. 

Through tutorship, experience, folk knowledge and good old common sense, this writer was able to collect useful information which he is currently documenting in a book titled, ETHICAL BUSHCRAFT. He shares some of this information and knowledge in his training sessions; in his social-media account; and in this blog.

Screened shot photo and quotes, in italics, attributed to Adrenaline Romance, with permission.