It was exactly four months ago last Saturday since I underwent a quadruple bypass operation. I chose that day too to go back to Mt. Banahaw with a group of friends and my ex-students from the Young Journalists Association of Mandaluyong or YJAM.
After all, because of the pandemic plus my operation, it has been a year and a half that I have not set foot in my favorite mountain. Normally, I go there three to four times a year, bringing school supplies for local kids in the summer, and holding a party and gift-giving every Christmas, the latter for close to 20 years already.
Since I first went up there for a Victoria Court management team-building done by Frank Regis, I have fallen in love with this mystical mountain in Quezon and have been going back, even conducting my own adventure team-building there for the likes of the University of the East Lady Warriors, Centro Escolar University’s women’s basketball team and Foton in women’s volleyball, including Jaja Santiago and her sister Dindin Manabat.
Everyone I brought there wanted to go back and many of them have done so. In fact, sometime this October, UE coach Ai Lebornio wants to join me again in Banahaw.
So many times, so many memories, so many tales, and so many lives touched by their Banahaw experience, especially my YJAM students who now are working, but still joining me there for gift-giving, even giving their own personal money now.
And the reason why I went again there last weekend was to bring ayuda family packs to 70 families and toys for 35 kids. The kids’ gifts were a request from a local priest.
So with the help of Atty. Rob Avenida and his APO frat friends from the University of the Philippines; Nikki Santos and Reggie Ibon, who came with his daughter and staff; Fil-Japanese lady, Ai Nagasawa; and YJAM core group members Kim, Esme, and Melody, off we went last Saturday, bringing with us toys and grocery items.
When we arrived there, we bought additional rice, some 2kgs per family, and other groceries and veggies. We repacked them and waited for the family representatives to come and claim their packs. Local people helped us with the recipients’ list and we started giving out one by one.
For the toys, distribution was made by the priest the following day.
Saturday after lunch, we were done, it was time to see and appreciate Banahaw once more. Unfortunately, not for me yet as I did not want to overexert myself, so no caving and long treks, at least for now.
I had a guide (Carlos) bring Rob and his group to Kalbaryo, an uphill trek that rewards one with a beautiful vista from the top.
Sunday morning, we rented a jeepney to bring us to Kinabuhayan for a trek all the way to my favorite waterfalls there, but again not for me as I joined them only up to Eden, then waited for them to return, tired but refreshed.
The adventure was heightened for those who went and rode on top of the jeepney, shouting their hearts out on the downhill parts of the road.
Then, it was time for a hearty home-cooked lunch prepared by Robin Igno and his mother Mila, at their house, where we stayed overnight.
And with the local people happy with our ayuda and my group equally happy with the adventure, it was mission accomplished for me.
Until my next trip.