Knowing there is something
we can do to help, we decided to act on our hopes for better lives for members
of these communities who have always been kind to us and lent new meanings to
our ascents to the summit.
It was not difficult finding
other people with the same love for nature and compassion for the kids living
in these mountains. In December 2007, we hiked on our new trail. We called our group TREK or TRails to Empower Kids.
From an initial group of
seven, a few more friends joined us in organizing the outreach and delivering
the donations. We also realized then
that there was no dearth of individuals, even organizations, who are willing to
help but finds it difficult to go out
there themselves. So, we do it for
them.
High-spirited and
lighthearted, we left Manila in the evening on
December 7, 2007, at 10:00 PM on board a
Victory Liner Bus. There were 12 of us in the group including the TREK founders
JP and Rex and our friends Frankie, Toby, Doc, Dennis, Kim, Boy, Jherwin,
and me. TREK founders Mimay and
Noel, together with Ipe of the Maria Aurora Outdoors Club (MAOC) joined us in
Baguio.
Itogon is located
approximately ten kilometers from Baguio City.
It is well-known because of its gold, rich land, and mountains. Among them is Mt. Ugo, a favorite for its
beautiful trails, stately pine tree forest,
and cool weather. Mt. Ugo is also the site
of three aircraft crashes. Its other
popular destinations are the Balatoc Mines and Binga Dam, which was included in
the first group's itinerary.
It was a nauseating ride for
me to the jump-off point, but our cheery welcome from the Barangay officials
got me excited, and it sustained me throughout the trek to Sitio Saybuan.
We skirted hillsides with
flowers blossoming on the trail; hanging bridges that are not for the
faint-hearted, the longest of which about 90 meters long, with spectacular
views of Agno River, the fifth largest river system in the country; and small
rice paddies.
 |
| The long trek to Saybuan |
We pitched our tents in
front of the school's lone classroom,
which serves students in grades one through four, and in the early morning, we
had little guests peeking, staring at their very first visitors.
 | ||
The kids excited and eager to welcome us
|
 |
| Preparing the meals with some community members |
Sitio Saybuan is home to members of the Ibaloi, Iwak, and Kalanguya cultural groups. The residents here farm and occasionally pan
for gold.
Members of the community
came to help us prepare our small feast. There was a lot of laughter, despite
all the language barriers.
The kids were very shy. When one of our volunteers, Toby, asked for a
kid’s name, he cried. However, that vanished
during playtime. The universal joy of games and laughter know no barrier and
right then, we could already feel the children warming up to us, holding our
hands and even giggling with us.
We also noticed how
different life is there. We played
popular tunes, but they only responded to country music. We served typical party fare, but it flopped. Those were such eye-openers.
When we started distributing
the donations to the children, we saw their little faces glow. It was so heartwarming. It was like how
stories describe Christmas mornings when kids find toys inside their socks
hanging on the chimney.
 |
| The kids showing their new educational materials from Diwa Learning Systems |
 |
| Our beneficiaries |
We said our goodbyes after,
some of us almost teary-eyed, especially after hearing the words of gratitude
from the members of the community. We spent such a short time there in the
village, yet we felt so sad leaving.
One of the village elders conveyed so much gratitude. In all her years,
that was the first time their village was visited. She also made a plea for us to help,
if we can, in the construction of the drainage near the school building.
 |
| The village elders |
We took a different route
back to the Barangay hall. It was a shorter but steeper route. We didn't mind,
with lighter hearts and tons of happy memories and lots of laughter.
We had time to reflect on
all our joys when we reached the top of an unnamed peak near the barangay hall
of Itogon. From here we see most of
Itogon's natural wonders, - its peaks, the river down below forming the shape
of the U and the barangay hall that brings us back to our own realities.
 |
| The TREK team |
That
peak was a witness of the fond memories we shared; of the moments that rendered
all our life concerns petty; of the times that brought us to realize the real
important things in life; of the newfound depth in the relationship we now share, and of the recognized willingness to
pursue this trail.
0 comments