delivers the latest breaking news and info
Posted in
heaven on earth day spa,
jacque bermejo,
mall,
marathon,
Microsoft crazy facts,
mountain bike,
mountaneering,
rizal,
tagaytay,
Yahoo purple hunt,
Yahoo purple hunt purple hunt
|
Comment Now!
delivers the latest breaking news and info
philwebsupport.com
Amazing cycling race for Mt. Makiling rehab
By Maricar Cinco
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:40:00 11/25/2009
Filed Under: Cycling
EQUIPPED ONLY WITH A compass, biking enthusiasts pedaled through Mt. Makiling to complete the 15 pit stops in a 45-kilometer race up and down the summit.
Eleven pairs of mountain bikers from Manila, Bulacan, Cavite and Laguna joined the Maquiling Quest, an adventure competition that was started in 2002 by the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems-University of the Philippines Los Baños (MCME-UPLB) and the municipal government.
“We used to have celebrities and reporters in what was like an ‘Amazing Race’ (a popular reality game show) where they had to complete challenges before they could proceed to the next stop,” said organizer Roberto Cereno.
On Nov. 21, the race required not only stamina but also mental ability in a merger of mountain biking and orienteering. It also coincided with the 99th anniversary of the proclamation of Mt. Makiling as a forest reserve for science and research study.
Makiling, a potentially active volcano rising 1,090 meters above sea level and covering 4,244 hectares in the towns of Los Baños and Bay towns and Calamba City in Laguna and Sto. Tomas town in Batangas, is the only intact forest reserve in the country.
“We want to promote Mt. Makiling as an ecotourism destination, for hiking and bird-watching,” he added.
Makiling suffered grave damages wrought by Typhoon “Milenyo” (International name: Xangsane) in 2006. Fourteen people residing in the mountain died and the damaged trails have yet to be completely restored.
Cereno said Milenyo was considered the worst typhoon to hit Makiling, dumping 400 ml of rainfall in two hours. In September, Tropical Storm “Ondoy” (Ketsana) rained 400 ml of water in eight hours.
The normal rainfall there is only at 2,500 ml per year.
“With Ondoy, we have once again proven its worth as a forest reserve,” Cereno said.
The mountain acts like a sponge that absorbs the rainfall before the water is gradually released through the tributaries, thus preventing flash floods and landslides in the lower areas, he said.
If not for its presence, Los Baños and Bay towns, and Calamba would have been totally washed out at the onslaught of Ondoy.
“With these damages to Mt. Makiling that is already in its pristine state, how much more could have happened to other forests? That’s why we also want to create public awareness. While they’re enjoying nature, people are being educated [on forest preservation],” Cereno said.
The funds raised from the registration fees and sponsorships will be used to rehabilitate the mountain trails, he said.
The bikers also had their share of the task by each planting a tree sapling at the Agila base, the final pit stop closest to the highest peak, before heading back to the starting point at the UP College of Forestry and Natural Resources.
Overturns
The map was designed through a global positioning system with 15 control points designed by the UP Outdoor Recreation Group (UP ORG) and the UP Mountaineers.
In each stop, the bikers were only given the bearing, or clues indicating degrees and distance to the next control point. The control points or pit stops were placed at random spots.
“If they were good navigators, they could even find shortcuts,” said Dr. Abe Padilla, a professor at UP Manila and member of UP ORG.
Whreachelle Cordova, 27, and her male partner were the first to hit the finish line.
Cordova, who is from Manila, is a member of the Philippine Mountain Biking Forum. She regularly bikes since 2006.
“It was my first time [in Makiling and] I enjoyed it,” she said, despite stumbling as she sped down the rocky trail.
Padilla said the entire leg was expected to be completed in three hours, but the actual race took the participants six hours.
Only five teams completed the course. Organizers had to cut off the race at 3 p.m. as fog began to cloud the trail and dump rains.
Some bikers collapsed, while others got lost.
“We had overturns. We got lost in the second and third control points because we went to the opposite direction of the trail,” said Chris Paragas, 26, of the mountaineering group from Mapua Institute of Technology.
Sunday Ombrob, 33, and his partner Edison Tesco, 41, who are members of the Makiling Campus Runners based in Los Baños, won third place despite using an old compass and a piece of paper as ruler that even astounded the organizers.
“This is not only a race, but it also has an environmental [advocacy],” said Padilla.
“We are joining again next year,” said Cordova, after beating the rest of the male
bikers.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
other related races:
other related links:
9th la routa
DUATHLON POWERADE PHILIPPINE
adidas marathon Philippines: 10K KOTR
Posted in
7-11 Eating Contest,
American Country Music Awards,
amsterdam,
Aquathlon,
asian,
BANGKOK,
cark,
china,
democracy,
JABBAWOCKEEZ,
Laguna 2009,
Los Baños,
Maquiling Quest,
Mayoyao,
mountaneering
|
Comment Now!
delivers the latest breaking news and info
MANILA to former first lady Imelda Marcos that was seized after her husband was deposed from the presidency in 1986.
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said on Monday that the government had not taken legal action to claim ownership of the jewellery.
"Evidently, Mrs. Marcos remains to be the legitimate owner of said prized jewellery," he said in a letter to the Presidential Commission on Good Government, the anti-graft agency, adding it was also not proved the items were ill-gotten.
Gonzalez said the state agency which aims to recover about $10 billion worth of alleged ill-gotten wealth of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his family failed to file a criminal or civil suit to claim the jewellery.
In 2006, the government tried to auction the jewellery collection, estimated to be worth 15 billion pesos , which has been kept in a vault at the Philippines' central bank since 1990.
Marcos, famous for her huge collection of shoes, jewellery and jetsetting lifestyle, went to a local court to stop the sale, arguing the gems were not acquired illegally using public funds.
"Thank God that after more than 23 years of relentless persecution and deprivation initiated by the government in 1986, President Gloria Arroyo's government has now started efforts for the Marcos' truth and justice to prevail," Marcos said in a statement issued through a spokeswoman.
"Many of those jewellery pieces were intended for religious images, like tiaras for the Blessed Virgin Mary."
The jewellery collections were seized at Malacanang Palace when the Marcoses fled the country in February 1986 after the dictator was toppled by a civilian-backed army coup.
Another set of jewellery was seized by U.S. authorities when the Marcoses settled in Hawaii, where the strongman died in 1989.
Imelda returned in the early 1990s and sought the presidency in 1992 but was defeated. She later won a congressional seat but gave it up after serving one three-year term.
Human rights advocates Rosetta Ann Rosales and Frank Chavez told reporters they would go to court to stop the government from returning the jewellery to the Marcoses, arguing about 10,000 victims of rights victims under Marcos' 20-year iron rule are still awaiting court-imposed compensation.
Posted in
audition,
Barack Obama,
CORDILLERA,
criminal threats,
dutch park,
heaven on earth day spa,
hot air balloon,
iraqui,
lamborghini,
Malaysia,
mountaneering,
North Korea,
running,
shoes
|
Comment Now!
delivers the latest breaking news and info
DESTINATION: MT GUITING-GUITING
LOCATION : Romblon Province
ELEVATION : 2058 meters above sea level
LEVEL : Major Climb, Level III, Strenuous
JUMP OFF POINTS : Sibuyan Island, Romblon
AVERAGE DAYS
REQUIRED : 7 Days (including travel time from Manila)
MINIMUM DAYS
REQUIRED : 6 Days (including travel time from Manila)
DISTINCT
CHARACTERISTICS : Knife-edged Ridges
LAST EDITED : 2001
INFORMATION
Viewing the mountain from the town proper, one would observe a jagged or saw-toothed outline,
creating an impression of a vast and challenging terrain. Guiting-Guiting actually means sawtoothed.
This is one of the few, if not the only mountain in the Philippines, where there are no
recorded conquests of natives or locals prior to the famous first conquest of mountaineers. During
that memorable day, the town of Magdiwang was on a festive mood, celebrating this magnificent
breakthrough. Ever since the locals became fond of mountaineers that they are extra-hospitable to
mountaineers who sets foot on the island. The local municipal library keeps scrapbooks of
mountaineers who have successfully scaled the summit. These include the first conquest of
mountaineers. Because of that, most sites or land marks in Guiting-Guiting where named after the
first explorers like Mayo’s peak and Bulod’s Spring. mayo is sir name of climbers from U.P.
The thick forest cover offers sanctuary to mountaineers, loggers, animals, birds and insects.
Stopping and appreciating the rich bio-diversity of the area is a must. Closely observe the different
variety of trees and bushes as one nears the peak. Crossing the ridge is one of the highlights of the
climb. You will do a lot of scrambling, balancing, and leaping from boulder to boulder and a bit of
rock climbing. It is called Knife ridge because of the rocky path, which requires you to balance while
traversing it. There are ravines on both sides. If you happen to be welcomed by the winds on both
sides, take the opportunity to work on your acrobatic skills. Before scaling the knife Ridge, one must
be able to psyche oneself and discard any fear that might begin to set in. Some mountains are
challenging for their breadth, Guiting-Guiting is one mountain that calls your attention to the varied
faces of the earth. It "de-familiarizes" your mind and body with the usual climbing habits and poses
Mount Guiting-Guiting
new puzzles to solve until you realize you are interacting with the mountain as much as the mountain
interacting with you.
Sibuyan Island itself is a unique Philippine environment. It contains wide variety of endemic species
of plants and animals, which was due to the fact that this island has long been isolated from other
islands because of the deep seas that surrounds it. Compared to other Philippine Islands which was
a part of a big mass of interconnected island thousands of years ago.
LEGENDS
Last 1994; there was a group of mountaineers who have perished while scaling Mt. Guiting-Guitng.
They were trekking along a riverbed when suddenly; flashfloods came down cascading from the
mountains engulfing the group. Stories now circulate that there were times when the ghost of those
who perished makes their presence felt to hikers and mountaineers.
WHEN AND HOW TO GO
The best and safe time to go to Guiting-Guiting is during the late days of summer. Avoid the rainy
season so you will have good chance of reaching the summit. Otherwise the rocks may be too
slippery and dangerous. To get there, first you must check the schedule of the ferry that leaves for
Sibuyan, Romblon. There are regular trips at the Lucena and Batangas piers. The ferry from
Batangas takes around 18 hours to reach Magdiwang Port in Sibuyan, Romblon while the ones from
Lucena takes only about 14 hours. But the ferries from Batangas City are the Ro-Ro steel vessels
while those from Lucena are smaller wooden boats. If you want adventure, take the Lucena trip
instead. Dolphins usually bow-ride on small vessels. Upon arrival, try to pay courtesy call to the
Mayor of the town. From Magdiwang, hire a tricycle going to Barangay Tampayan. Look for Bulod or
Manong Lee to assist you in your pre-climb preparations as well as guide services. They allow only
one group at a time up in the mountains so better check schedules of other mountaineering groups
prior to you trip, if possible to avoid wasting time waiting for previous group to finish their expedition.
There are two challenging peaks to assault before reaching the summit. The first, Mayo’s Peak, is an
8-hour trek from the jump-off point. Four makeshift camp areas set up by the locals can be seen
along the trail. Be wary of time spent during rest periods. Reach the summit before night falls so you
can enjoy the view of the scissors-like edges of the other peaks across the saddle leading to the
summit. The second peak, called the peak of deception is truly deceiving. As one nears the summit,
one gets the notion that this is the peak of Mt. Guiting-Guiting. But upon reaching the peak, you will
discover that there is another peak to assault. It takes 4 hours from Mayo’s peak to reach the peak of
Mt. Guiting-Guting. You need to start early in order to reach the summit before noon and give ample
time for the trek back to base-camp. Fog descends quite rapidly and obscures visibility in the
afternoon. The condition of the terrain is completely different from the previous day’s hike. At this
point, you will be exposed to the scorching heat of the sun with no trees for cover traversing the
entire Knife-edge Ridge all throughout the day.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Sibuyan Island has a lot to offer. It has rustic beaches ideal for snorkeling and swimming. But the
main attraction of the island is its waterfalls. It was once called the land of waterfalls due to the
number of waterfalls it has to offer. Cawa-cawa falls, Lagting Falls, Cataja Falls, and Lambingan
Falls are some of the popular tourist attractions. Besides that, there are other falls waiting to be
explored. In planning your trip to Sibuyan, it is advisable to allocate extra time to explore this island.
The trip around the island itself is an interesting experience. On your way home via Batangas Pier,
the bigger ships passes by the island of Romblon which is famous for it’s marbles and marble
products. The ship will give you enough time to stroll around this place. It also passes by San
Agustin before continuing to Batangas City
Mount Guiting-Guiting
SUGGESTED ITINERARY
DAY 1
09:00 - Assembly at LRT buendia Station. Take a bus bound for Batangas pier
(Batangas City) (Batangas - Romblon = 18 hours) (You may take the Lucena
bus bound to Lucena pier with shorter time travel (Lucena - Romblon = 14
hours) but fewer vessels available and sometimes limited to the Kalayaan
vessels (smaller wooden vessels - scary & inconvenient but more exciting
especially when the dolphins accompany your travel compared to the VIVA
ships of Batangas City))
09:30 - ETD from buendia
12:00 - ETA at Batangas pier. Take your Lunch
13:00 - All aboard! To the island of Romblon
(Note: If you can check departure time of vessels beforehand- the more exact the itinerary
will be.)
DAY 2
07:00 - ETA Magdiwang pier, Magdiwang Sibuyan Romblon.
(Romblon has 3 major Islands - Romblon, Tablas and Sibuyan)
(Sibuyan has 3 towns - Magdiwang, San Fernando and Cajidiocan)
07:30 - Breakfast; go to town proper from pier via tricycle and have a courtesy call to
the mayor of Magdiwang. Also don't fail to visit the public library for more info
on Guting Guiting.
08:30 - Go to the house of Manong Lee for registration as well as arrangements for
guides. It is advisable to start trek the following day. Spend the rest of the
day going on to other beautiful places along the island (Lambingan falls,
pristine beaches, town proper).
DAY 3
06:00 - Breakfast and final preparations.
06:30 - ETD from Manong Lee's house to the jump off point.
07:00 - ETA Jump off point.
07:15 - Start of Trek. (Lunch on Trail 12:00 PM)
17:00 - ETA Mayo's Peak. Set camp.
DAY 4
06:00 - Breakfast and preparations for summit assault. Bring with you some snacks,
packed lunch, water (for a day's consumption) and rain protection gears.
Remember the lighter the easier for you to climb on rock formations along the
cliffs.
12:00 - Lunch break!
Mount Guiting-Guiting
13:00 - ETA summit. (If you are not able to reach summit by 1:00, abort the assault
so that you will not be caught off by night on the dangerous trail. Never drink
on pitcher plants!)
13:15 - ETD summit.
17:00 - ETA Camp site. Prepare for dinner.
DAY 5
06:00 - Breakfast.
07:00 - Break Camp.
07:30 - ETD Camp site (Lunch on trail).
15:00 - ETA Manong Lee's house.
DAY 6
07:00 - Breakfast.
08:00 - ETD From Manong Lee's house.
09:00 - ETA Magdiwang Pier, All aboard!
10:00 - ETD Sibuyan Romblon.
DAY 7
03:00 - ETA Batangas Pier.
03:30 - ETD Batangas pier to Manila.
06:00 - ETA Manila. Home Sweet Home!
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS IN CLIMBING
Water source called Bulod’s spring is about 30 minutes away from the peak. It is advisable to spend
the first day touring around Sibuyan before starting the expedition on the second day. You can stay
at the school premises courtesy of Manong Lee during your stay at the lowlands. During the summit
bid, wear protective clothing since the rocks are sharp. Long pants, long sleeved shirt and gloves are
advisable. Trail is also exposed so prepare for the sun’s heat. Bring enough water for there are no
more water source from Mayo’s Peak to Summit. During the second day, it’s advisable to use
daypacks instead of the heavy backpacks. Registration is required prior to climbing and is done
through the house of Manong Lee.
from mms
Posted in
mitmc,
mountain,
mountaineer,
mountaneering
|
Comment Now!
