NAPO TO BABAG TALES XXVII: Jungle Wil

THERE IS A PROMISE of a hot day today, October 4, 2009, as me and my guest, Wil Rhys Davies aka CochiseRattlesnake, walked the concrete-and-asphalt road at 8:15 AM from Guadalupe to Napo. Will is a Welsh national who opted to live here in Cebu and put up an adventure-tour business – Jungle Wild Adventure, Inc. He had been living in Banilad since February and we crossed paths at the Tap Room of the Gustavian Restaurant on September 29 after he surfed and contacted me in the Internet in my dormant MyOpera blog and in my very active Blogger account.

We reached Napo at nine and crossed the first river crossing. Wil liked the idea of crossing streams stepping on stones placed across its width. “Only in the jungles will you find these”, he said and I surely agree with that. We both laughed. He is a good-natured guy and willing to take the risk of walking behind me along a trail that followed the bends and turns of the Sapangdaku River. He slowly learned a few Cebuano words of greeting from me and he waved and smiled as we meet locals going the other way. As we walked, I showed to him plants and fruit trees that are very useful for survival.

We rested after we made the second river crossing and Wil was sweating all over and was dripping with it – literally! His bush shirt and long walking pants were a mass of brine-soaked fabric and he kept wiping his face with a handkerchief. I drank from a nearby spring and filled my water bottle then we started to climb a trail passing along a small flower farm and into an upland community where we took another rest. It is so hot and I had been breathing hard. The shade from a mango tree where we sat is most welcome.

After a lengthy conversation, we left the place and climbed again passing a trail lined by ancient mango trees. This is mango country and their sweet yellow fruits have made Cebu famous internationally. I let him know that and he smiled. Along the way, we meet a couple with their little son clearing the trail of its already thick vegetation. Will gave away his new bolo to the husband who appreciated very much the gift. We climbed on until we reached the house of my young friend, Manwel Roble.

Jucel, Manwel's 3-year old brother, jumped up and down upon seeing me and I brought out my token of bread and gave it to him and he vanished inside his house giggling as he ate. That fattened my heart and Will appreciated very much my generosity to the kids. As we sat on the bamboo benches, I showed to him my home-made three-bladed dagger, my white-steeled Mantrack little machete and my tomahawk, the shaft of which I made and carved with my own hands.

Afterwards, Manwel arrived with four young coconuts and I helped him open the bottom end of the fruit with my own blade. God, it was sweet and Wil helped himself with his share of the coconuts. Well rested and fully nourished by the nutritious fruit, we climbed again at eleven going by way of the Babag East Ridge Pass. It is almost noon and the sun shone its hottest over this part of the globe and upon us and, soon enough, I struggled to keep my pace and gulped air as fast as I could exhale them.

I rested often feeling the heaviness of the load I carried. I looked over my shoulder and Wil seem to be not bothered a bit by the heat and the exertions. Saw him wipe his face, time and again, with his handkerchief and wring it and, besides that, he is uncomplaining. A true outdoorsman in the purest sense of the word. Slowly, we were able to reach Babag Ridge and rested at a store. We both drank soda drinks and I ate my hamburger lunch. Wil did not, the coconuts might have been enough for him.

After a half-hour of siesta, we started going downhill via Kahugan Trail. Retracing partly a trail where we had passed before, we came into a slippery slope along a forest of madre de cacao trees. Will was able to hold his balance well and both of us went through unscathed until we reached the community chapel and rested. It was in this interlude that Wil caught a good subject for his photo collection – an 81-year old woman carrying a heavy basket balanced on her head while smoking a home-made tobacco.

Satisfied with the picture shot, Wil took the lead in going down to the river crossing and greeted everybody he met on the trail until we reached Napo. From Napo we walked down for Guadalupe and everywhere people waved at him, happy to see a foreigner going backpacking in their place. It elated them so much to see Wil.

Finally, finally, we reached the church in Guadalupe and I invited Will to meet good friends Boy Toledo and Ernie Salomon waiting in V. Rama Avenue. Both were pleased to meet Wil and practiced their English in their hard Cebuano accent. We were able to finish one case – six one-liter bottles – of Red Horse Strong Beer and, by then, both Boy T and Ernie spoke in a slurred accent.

It was a good workout for Wil and a good introduction for him into the local trails here in Cebu. It also was an eye-opener for him to know the company I keep and how easy we make water out of beer. Just kidding.

Anyhow, Jungle Wil is now connected with the Trailhawk in Facebook and you will see more of him soon. Just keep that mouse handy and you'll get your fill of adventure.

Sign out!

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MANWEL ROBLE, THE BOY-GUIDE

I HAVE A NEW FRIEND. He may be about 12 or 13 years old and a sixth grader of Napo Elementary School, located in Sapangdaku, a mountain barangay of Cebu City. Everyday he wakes up at four of dawn to help his mother prepare breakfast and packed lunch for him and his younger sister. At half-light of 5:00 AM, he and his sister starts to go down the trail for Napo and reaches their school several minutes past six. Then they go home after five in the afternoon and reach their home in darkness at almost seven in the evening.

They do that five times a week of each month for nine months of a year and repeats the process until they have graduated from elementary. It is different though when it is raining in their area. They reach their destinations late and sometimes they skip their classes if the weather is found unfavorable for them.

In my new friend's case, hopefully, he will be graduating in March or April next year- 2009. I asked him where would he study high school after graduating? He shrugged his shoulders and, courageously holding back tears, he told me that his parents could not support his studies and it all depended upon his father if he could earn enough income from his farming. I was moved and I wished at that moment I am Bill Gates or John Gokongwei. But I am not.

For your information, my friend's house is located on a hill between the trailhead in Napo and the tower area in Mount Babag. It is in the middle of nowhere and nobody's going there except they and us backpackers. But only few city-dwellers have traveled by my friend's house for the trail that passed by there is not known yet to most of our weekend-strutting kind. The trail also happens to be the most challenging and most difficult trail around here. It is different from the numerous trails that criss-crossed at the back of the Guadalupe church.

Ernie Salomon led me and Boy Toledo to this trail and I named that trail “Ernie's Trail”. It is marked by very steep ascents and quite slippery when it is raining. I have made this trail as a training area and to keep fit everytime there is a lull in our mountaineering activities. Now, back to my friend. I would like to help him in my own little way by endorsing him in my weblog and other sites where, hopefully, like-minded individuals would extend their generosity to give my friend an opportunity to make a difference in his life.

In my friend's case, he do have a name and a face. His name is -

MANWEL ROBLE

A face:

And a contact number:

09285821157

It's a SMART number and SMART has a strong presence there being one of the relay steel towers found atop Mt. Babag. Call or text him. If you want him to respond immediately, pass a load to him through SMART Load or PasaLoad. If you prefer the latter, well and good. Just type his mobile number in your keypad, and a space and the amount (2, 5 or 10) you intended to pass (ex. 09285821157 10) and “Send” it to 808. Better yet, copy his number and save it in your cellphone directory and share it with others.

You see, everytime we climb Mt. Babag, Manwel would lend his knowledge and familiarity with the terrain and partly guide us. In return, we would give him a little amount. Or, at times, we would bring bread or snacks for them to eat. Or, sometimes, we gave away some canned goods, discarded textbooks and reading materials, used shoes and clothes. So, in this context, I would appreciate it if we give something back to our less-privileged brothers like Manwel here by hiring them as our “official” trail guides everytime we visit their area and give them something in return for their labor even if WE already know the way. For sure, we have other Manwels in our mind.

Right now, we'll start from here. Let's help Manwel.

God bless you all!

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