Buscalan, Kalinga is fast becoming a popular
destination in the Philippines. It has a rich unexplored beauty, including
majestic rice terraces, and is home to tattooed women and warriors. People come here to get inked by Apo
Whang-Od, a mambabatok or traditional
tattooist.
However, despite the influx of tourists, there were
still lots of aids needed for the kids.
So, we decided to help them.
Our group, TRails to Empower Kids, helped three schools – Buscalan Elementary
School, Southern Tinglayan High School, and Loccong
Elementary School, and got the help again of Kalinga Mountaineering Society,
and a local educator, Levi Banao.
We had several meetings, asked help from a lot of
people, did our usual repackings. I joined all of them. There was one thing though I could not do –
join the outreach.
An Accident
Happened to Me
I never ever thought that
a TREK would come that I could not join. But God has His ways, and I never question
that.
Weeks after TREK Mapedya,
I joined a climb in Mt. Tabeyoc, which was on my bucket list, with other TREK volunteers. That was where the accident happened. I tripped on a protruded root, which broke my left leg. I had to be brought down on a makeshift hammock. It was damaged so badly, I had to go on surgery, which left me in crutches for months.
I
had to accept the fact that it is not possible for me to resume my hobby in the
near future. That also meant I could not
join TREK Tinglayan.
Despite having had almost
eight months for recovery, I will still not be up for the long, overnight road
trip, from Manila to Tabuk, then Tabuk to Buscalan. I also definitely could not trek for hours,
being still on crutches.
So, I involved myself as
much as I could in the preparation of the TREK.
The Outreach
It was difficult sending
off the volunteers. I monitored the
whole time, and thankfully, I was being updated every step.
 |
| Transporting the donation to Buscalan |
It rained when they arrived at
the first village, but everyone was safe.
The rain even became beats to the songs of the kids that welcomed them. At night, they drank with the locals. And, they were presented with local dances
the following day when they thankfully had better weather. I imagined the
colors, the sweet smiles, and the teary eyes. I imagined myself being there, immersed again in Kalinga’s rich culture.
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| The kids doing their artworks |
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| Native Dances |
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| Playing with the kids |
It was a good TREK, though.
We
helped almost 200 students. Each of them received backpacks complete with
school supplies and hygiene kits. We also handed over several books as well as
teaching materials for teachers, some toys for small kids, and raincoats for
students of Tinglayan National High School.
 |
| The volunteers |
It was then I realized it
was time for TREK to take on a new form.
It was time for the volunteers to become more empowered because I could not be there every time. It was time for us to formalize the
organization.
(Photos by Joseph Cruz)
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