FIFTY YEARS: The First National Convention of the Omega Pelta Kappa

I WALKED INTO A PLACE where the Omega Pelta Kappa Fraternity and Sorority are celebrating today, September 5, 2015, their 50th Anniversary - a golden – and their First National Convention. An event that comes once in a lifetime for everyone, including me. I would not see it happen again and I came to touch base, to see and shake hands with my long-lost fraternity brothers and sisters and to sing once more the Peltans Hymn.

I am a Peltano by virtue of surviving a rite of passage that my upperclassmen had willed on me in March 1981. I now claim that right and that seat assigned to me inside the Sacred Heart Center. Proudly, I wear my fraternity's commemorative black t-shirt for this occasion but I feel uneasy. Unsure. Faces whose names I had forgotten or whose name I cannot relate to someone else's face questions my confidence. Of my right to belong.

I see a small yellow paper on everyone's breast and it has their names. My tenseness is gone and my smile becomes loose and natural. Time to paste a yellow paper on myself also. The legendary banners of the original chapters are hung side by side with the recent ones. Alpha of the University of Cebu. Beta of the University of San Jose-Recoletos. Gamma of the University of San Carlos. Delta of the Cebu Institute of Technology.

Brod Jerome Noel of Beta Chapter is on the stage providing insight into this historic event as all ears are lent towards him. I walked proudly to the place of the Delta Chapter banner, which I belonged, when it was mentioned. It seems I am alone at first and I looked around the crowd to give me company when, at last, Brod Dondie Gabutan stood and walked to join me. Oh God, we are a dying breed and so most of the old chapters.

We need new blood to keep the flame burning. Here in Cebu, the place where OPK was founded, only the chapter of the University of Cebu in Lapulapu and Mandaue carried the torch of our existence but, even with that, it cannot hold even the smallest candle to what we once were, population-wise, during OPK's glory years. I am saddened at this thought. We cannot turn this tide unless OPK will reinvent itself to suit to the times.

I reminisced in my seat when OPK was a very vibrant fraternity of the early '80s. It was a time of the dictatorship and the rise of adrenaline was very much appreciated by the youths of our time by joining student organizations, legal or underground, and then engage in extracurricular activities. It was also a time of turmoil but youth militancy was at its height and my heart was swept onto its revolution.

OPK was part of my growth and had been part of the driving forces to what I am now and I never regret the process by which they had imposed on me, even with blindfolds. It may be harsh to most who had never ever been there but it is bittersweet and special for the few who dared. I am one of the few who can rightly say the “been there done that” phrase with credibility. Scotch on the rocks, please. And make that two. I believe, swapping stories with a peer are better with that.

I am with my contemporaries inside this big room. The alpha males and the alpha females of their time but now very docile and warm and aging. The youthness had surrendered to the grayness and the baldness and the accompanying body aches. The pillars of the OPK sat on the front table. The gatekeepers. Soon they will pass the shield to the Council of Elders that they will soon chose from among those who are fit to lead OPK to the next level.

On discussion is the official OPK Logo. Our Coat of Arms. Brod Edward Cilocilo (1977 UC) emphasized that all the chapter leaders and members should adhere to the original concept of the seal that the original founders had designed. Adding other details which does not pass the scrutiny of all chapters is hereby discouraged. The OPK identification tattoo, the whistle, the challenge-and-password system are also explained in great detail by this esteemed gentleman from the third generation.

The Omega Pelta Kappa may have had lost its zest and appeal to the younger generations as the anti-hazing law is implemented by the government to its fullest meaning which dealt the dearth of new blood through the traditional lines of recruitment, not only on us but on the rest of school organizations with Greek letters. Nevertheless, OPK will adapt to the times and it will have to undergo radical changes in its organizational structure, name, rituals and processes so it would survive and entice new members.

The only bright spot that OPK is enjoying right now are the chapters of Pi Alpha and of Zeta. The latter had metamorphosed into different sub-chapters that are distributed in Davao City, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental and, that is why, six slots are entitled to Mindanao to the Council of Elders. On the other hand, the chapter of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental is a force to reckon with, with two slots graciously assigned to them.

Saving face, because of its large alumni population, Cebu was able to snare two slots for the Council of Elders. Manila gets one, as a special concession to the efforts of Brod Rey Mabasag while Iloilo gets a slot, despite not being represented. The Council of Elders would formulate the drastic changes that Omega Pelta Kappa will have to painfully undergo in order to breathe above the water line. This would not be easy.

I believed there had been behind-the-scene debates regarding these. As always, there are the pros and the cons and there is communication and dialogue. A very long process but it came nevertheless on a silver platter. Never too late and never too early. It is aged. It is wise for its time. It is ripe enough for the picking on this 50th year. How appropriate. It has its rough edges but it will soon be smoothed soon to a shiny sheen. Trust that to the Council of Elders and to the Grand Chancellor.

Representing Mindanao are Brod Alandele Pacquen, Brod Romeo Uy, Brod Raymund Galot, Brod Daryll Huesca, a sister and another brother. Kabankalan City will have Brod Michel Miran and Brod Mark Dorado. Brod Jerome Noel and Brod Glyx Gallego represent Cebu while Manila will have its lone representative in Brod Rey Mabasag. Absent but highly recommended, is Brod Kenneth Apuhin, who would be Iloilo's own. Elected by this body as Grand Chancellor is Brod Jerome Noel. All would serve two years and shall be replaced (or could continue for another two years) on the next national convention, which will be hosted by Davao City.

Henceforth, the Omega Pelta Kappa Fraternity and Sorority will be given a legal personality with the creation of the Peltans International Society of Professionals Incorporated (PISPI), pending approval before the Securities and Exchange Commission. OPK shall remain as it is - as a fraternity - and would continue functioning in campuses and retain its identity, structure and a few revisions of its rituals. When a Peltan graduates from college and turn professional, his ties with his fraternity continues and that is where PISPI comes into play.

PISPI will oversee the operations of campus chapters and would guide and inspire the collegians to strive in their scholastic endeavours as well as paving the way for their integration into the professional world. PISPI provides them assistance and full support – as students and as professionals – and would function according to its mandates. PISPI would also accept neophytes directly from the professionals and there would be the mandatory requisites for full acceptance to brotherhood or sisterhood, which would deviate a little from those entering by way of OPK.

These are the ideas that OPK need to stave off extinction. We are, more or less, like the dinosaurs and most of our thoughts stuck to the past. Sentimental values. It is time to move on and accept change. The opportunity of being part of a new phase in the reorganization of OPK into PISPI gives me reason to hope, exult and wait for that day when I could enjoy the fruits of these outcomes that the Council of Elders would soon implement.

I have one concern though. Could we sing the Peltans Hymn better next time? And could we prepare a choir of Peltans to record this song so it would not deviate from its original form like what happened to our coat of arms? When transferred in MP3 format, singing our hymn would now be easy unlike the ones we did during the opening ceremonies where it sounded like the ones tuned in for funeral hearses.

Dinner is served courtesy of our more blessed fellow Peltans. Sharing a table with me is Sis Elsie Imanil of Gamma Chapter while on an adjoining table are my brothers from Pi Alpha and on another are the old stalwarts of Gamma. Everybody are joyful and expectant of things to happen that will solidify our existence and our bond. There is life for a Peltan after college, and after here, after all.

One of the things that PISPI will introduce is the Chamber of Commerce. This body will collect and collate all the members' profile, profession, skills, business and other information into one database, like those of a classified ads, and shall be available to all Peltans for referrals, networking and for other purposes. Literally, I have snared an opportunity at that moment as Brod Nick de los Santos of Alpha Chapter and the incumbent mayor of the Municipality of Alcoy, Cebu, asked of my number. A future project in the making!

As this national convention of old and new Peltans begins to show the forms of an adjournment, I slowly leave my table to shake hands, and bade goodbye, to any Peltan I happen to pass by as I take a subdued journey to the door. The grips are still firm, their smiles welcoming although a little sad at the corners, knowing that the opportunity for meetings like this would be two years from now. And we are not getting any younger. Two years! It is harsh on all of us but we have to surrender to that reality.

I would have wanted to extend my night hours into the morning to swap stories, to fill in the blanks of the gap of years and to unseal the enigma I might have projected to the rest of the Omega Pelta Kappa. Not tonight, please. I am overwhelmed by too much happiness to see so many Peltans in one place and in the creation of PISPI. I could have that in my own sweet time. Perhaps, in Davao. Why not? Davao is a special place for me and I have good memories there. Eating durian is one of them.

See you in September 9, 2017 then my brothers and sisters. ¡Hasta siempre Peltanos y Peltanas! Peltans Forever!

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Photos by Brod Rod Cumba and Sis Elsie Imanil

NAPO TO BABAG TALES CI: Ever Fearless

I HAVE TAKEN TO a liking of the route that passes over Tagaytay Ridge which links up with the main ridge of the Babag Mountain Range. Going to the Caburnay homestead, which sits before Babag Ridge takes about three to four hours, so you can prepare a meal, is a perfect option. Water is nearby which actually is sourced afar. Besides it is shady there too.

I am going there again today, August 23, 2015, to loosen up some muscles so I could prepare myself for that very difficult Segment IV of the Cebu Highlands Trail Project, which is in October. Coming with me are my adherents from the Camp Red Bushcraft and Survival Guild namely Jonathan Apurado, Justin Abella, Faith Gomez, Richie Quijano and Nelson Tan.

I have last walked here in July 19. Jonathan and Richie were with me then. It had rained for many days but today it had not but I am quite sure the ground would be wet and vegetation would be thick. Once we cross the footbridge, we begin the ascent. Manggapares Trail is an old forgotten route which I began to revive when I rediscovered it in 2013.

I am wearing my worn-out 5.11 Tactical Series Shoes. It is almost disintegrating but I choose where I step and I have to be very careful. Upward we go into the back of the ridge yet it is very shady, almost gloomy. I have not met other hikers here except by a very few locals. I am following a fresh set of spoors made by a pair of rubber boots. Reading trail signs gives a different dimension on my purpose here and my mind work out the puzzles left by somebody.

I meet a mother and a daughter in their Sunday's best of clothes going downhill. Both carried baskets of mangoes above their head and both were sweating. Familiar faces and they were both smiling despite the toils they are having. I give them the privilege of the trail and on they would go to Guadalupe to hear mass. Me and my friends still have a long way to go.

We reach the first tower after an hour. We have started our walk at 07:30 and it is a good pace. For now. We will soon be exposed to sunlight but we will have a good view of the countryside scenery that goes beyond the coast and the harbour channel. The second tower stands very imposing at a higher height and I wish the clouds stayed as they had been when we started our climb.

We take a short rest after hurdling the second tower and our sights gaze on to the next three, which are not that difficult anymore. The relic of a backhoe is still there and I am quite surprised that people had not cannibalized the abandoned heavy equipment. So be it and I hope it shall remain as part of the landscape.

There is a trail up ahead that veer to the right and I go down to follow it then take another branch on its left. The second trail is very difficult to discover unless you are now very familiar to it as I am now or you know your lessons well in trail sign reading as I had done some eons ago. This is the Liboron Trail and I shudder at it everytime it becomes soft and muddy. But today it is not despite the heavy rain of yesterday.

I hear noises below us, some human activities. I hope it is not Timoteo Gabasan because I am waiting for him to make good his threats. I follow Liboron Trail as it weave itself in and out of the lower contours of Tagaytay Ridge until I come upon the hidden coconut plantation where there is level ground.

I saw a young man and I noticed that he showed fear and anxiety upon seeing us. I smiled and gave a morning greeting and walked directly to a tree full of ripe Chinese currants (Local name: bugnay) hanging down in its dark purple and red splendor. His tenseness is gone when he saw me and us as harmless and he smiled a little. He is with an old woman, who hid among tall grass. I wonder why they acted so strangely?

All of us plucked the ripe fruits of the Chinese currant tree and indulge at its tart sweetness. I wished Jhurds Neo was here. He would have brought all of the tree to town. We had a happy disposition when we enjoyed the fruit. It has dissipated our fatigue and little stress that we felt when we climbed up Manggapares Trail. When we were done with that we proceed to the Caburnay homestead.

There is warmth as we climb up a hill overgrown with waist-high grass. Once we top it, the path would swing down onto a couple of sentry groves of bamboo and then up another hill where the homestead is located. Along the way I foraged the driest tinder I could find so we could start our cooking fire. Julio Caburnay is around and he welcomed us into his humble place.

When we have settled our bags we begin the fire with the sparks of the ferro rod. Although we have matchsticks and lighters, it boosted our confidence to start a fire with the rod. It might be unnecessary but, when you are outdoors, you take that chance. Some sort of training. Everybody then pooled their hands in the preparation of our food.

Julio offered us his organically-grown little bananas, which everybody relished very much, and his red dragonfruit. We reserve the dragonfruit to Nelson. His wife is expecting their first baby and it would be good for the wife – and the child – to get some nutrients from this exotic fruit which had adapted well in our environment. Julio also parted a bunch of his recently-harvested corn.

Jonathan takes charge of the cooking. What's cooking then? We got rice, yes. Then that sweet smell of pork adobao wafted by your nostrils, while the rest help themselves in cooking the corn on naked embers. We got a treat, wow! Then you add a pre-cooked “pancit guisado” (Local noodles) that Faith and Justin brought and our lunch takes on a different dimension.

I keep a share for Julio and his wife plus sachets of coffee, sugar, salt, vinegar, soy sauce and a can of unopened tuna flakes which I intentionally brought for their consumption. After staying for more than two hours we are now ready to take on the rest of our journey. Before we leave, Julio gave me six stems of his prized dragonfruits so I could propagate it. I could give it to anyone interested.

It is cloudy and that is fine with us as we negotiate the last part of Tagaytay Ridge before it joins the main ridge of the Babag Mountain Range. The path is now thick with overgrown shrubs and cane grass and I unsheathed my AJF Gahum for this clearing work. A tree had fallen between today and the last time I passed by here and it blocked the path. I have to do a little detour and slash more shrubs and those hardy crawling bamboos (Local name: bokawe).

I follow the Babag Ridge Trail – a very fine old trail – which I lost long ago and rediscovered it in January 2013. I always love this stretch. It gave me serenity by just walking on it. This is a good place to reflect on things and too few locals come here. Unfortunately, off-road motorcycles and their riders pass by here every so often disturbing the calmness and the sanctity of the ridge leaving ugly furrows on the path.

More disturbing, is the presence of a habitation located before the old campsite. It had cleared vegetation along its premises for a small farm and it may expand soon when no one from the DENR is checking. I do not want this to become another “Forbidden Farm” which one homestead is claiming and blocking a route as theirs when you climb Mount Babag from Napo.

This is a historical place. Small battles were fought here between the local resistance and against succeeding colonizers from Spain, the United States and Japan. Then a bigger battle between Japanese defenders against the American liberation forces have made this mountain range famous. It is still home to an artery of war-time tunnels that had been exhaustively explored by crazy treasure seekers.

We are now going down a ravine because fences have blocked access to the rest of the ridge by one family who claimed a part of the path as theirs by mere possession of a tax declaration. This is government land classified as timberland and inalienable and the DENR is an inutile institution. These documents came from them and they cannot regulate the recipients who have been using their privileges the wrong way, blocking access to water sources and rights of way.

We climbed up from the ravine and continue on the rest of the trail. Before reaching the tower area, we slip down the East Ridge Pass to the Upper Kahugan Spring where there is a water source and where “Forbidden Farm” is located. Then we continue until we reach the abandoned homestead of Fele and Tonia Roble, where their children Manwel, Juliet and Josel used to live and play and study at Napo and at Guadalupe.

It is now silent except for a PVC pipe which pour water that is channeled from the Upper Kahugan Spring. Fele's brothers, Zene and Roger still clung to the place in constant fear of Timoteo Gabasan, who have been discovered to have prowled their place at nighttime by neighbors, still hoping to finish off the absent Fele. Anyway, I part a gift for Zene, courtesy of the guys from Camp Red, and two of the dragonfruit stems.

My pair of turkeys have successfully laid another generation of young ones but all died. I could do nothing more about it except wish that Zene and his wife focus more attention to caring for the chicks. I have given them the opportunity to gain from it but their half-hearted attitudes on the turkeys gets into my nerves to the brink of sheer disappointment. I am tired of giving the best advice and seeing the same results. I am tired of seeing this place!

The afternoon is getting late and it seems I have no more business here. I look at the unfinished house and it begets a frown and an anger from me at the sight of this failed project. I have involved many people and I was very optimistic about this when that tragedy on Fele struck. Because of overconsumption of alcoholic drinks which led one bad thing to another like the burning of their home. It destroyed the children's future and my hopes for them.

Yes, I have no business here. I just hope the dragonfruit stems would be taken cared of and bear fruit. That would be a good reason to inflame back a dying ember that I have felt of this place. If not, I leave the dust of my shoes and take my kindness elsewhere.

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