But this year was different.

I had my most memorable Valentine’s Day yet.

I joined the Concerned Aduana Mountaineers of the Philippines (CAMP) on a dental mission at Lebeng Elementary School in Kabayan, near Mount Pulag. I saw it as a chance to continue my advocacy and revisit a place that has always meant something to me.

I’ve been an honorary member of CAMP for years, and they’ve long partnered with my group, Trails to Empower Kids (TREK), in various outreach projects. 

We left Manila late at night, beginning a long, sleepless journey that would take us through zigzag mountain roads by dawn. Somewhere between the sharp turns and waves of dizziness, I caught myself wondering: why do I still put myself through this?

But in the quiet of that thought, I also remembered why I do what I do.

And maybe that’s what love can look like too. Not always easy. Sometimes it’s exhausting. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable. But you choose it anyway.

By early morning, we arrived near the ranger station of Mount Pulag and transferred to a government vehicle that brought us to the school. The day greeted us with cool mountain air, rolling slopes lined with vegetable gardens, and that quiet kind of peace you only find in high places.

The community

The locals welcomed us with a generous feast. I was still nursing my dizziness and honestly felt like I might throw up at any moment, so I kept things light — greeting friends, catching up in conversation, checking in with the organizers, and figuring out where I could be most helpful.

After resting for a while, we went to the kindergarten classroom.. We unpacked the educational toys we brought, lined them neatly on the shelves, assembled a table that doubled as a Lego-style brick pad, and started preparing loot bags filled with small toys and snacks.

We were tired from the overnight trip, but somehow energized by each other and by the children eagerly watching everything we pulled out of the boxes.

When the program began, the day became even more special. The local Ibaloi and Kalanguya students performed the bindiyan, which the teachers told us translates to “dance until you get tired.” It is traditionally performed as thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest. 

After the program, the dental mission started, and the brave kids who finished their treatment received loot bags. 

Later, we returned to the ranger station and settled into our homestay, SMR. 

It was so different from the last time I visited — more than a decade ago. Back then, there was only this green wooden house, outdoor comfort rooms where we took freezing baths after a climb, and maybe one or two tiny stores. Now, there are homestays, restaurants, and souvenir shops. It’s almost unrecognizable.

the only structure we remember

We had barbecue while reminiscing about our past climbs.

We planned to sleep early for an early assault to the summit, but because of the volume of climbers, our start was moved to 5 AM. In hindsight, it was a gift. We were properly rested.

The hike to the summit is about eight kilometers from the ranger station. We began in darkness, walking along a quiet road under cool air. Slowly, the sky shifted, from deep indigo to streaks of pink and gold, as the sun prepared to rise.

After about an hour, the trail led us upward toward Camp 1, then onward to Camp 2. The stretch between the camps passes through Mount Pulag’s famous mossy forest, a dreamlike world where trees are wrapped in thick moss, branches draped with hanging lichens, and the forest floor cushioned with damp earth and roots. 

Years ago, we spent our first day climbing to Camp 2, camping overnight, then waking at 4 AM for the summit push. Now, climbers begin as early as 1 AM from the ranger station.

From Camp 2, the landscape opens into sweeping grasslands, rolling hills covered in dwarf bamboo and golden-brown grasses that sway endlessly with the wind. The vastness of the grassland was breathtaking, just as I remember it. It feels exposed and raw, humbling in its openness, with no more forest cover, just you, the wind, and the mountain.

It took us longer than expected to reach the summit this time. We weren’t fully prepared for the climb, we took long rests, and had to give way to descending climbers. 

Going down was much faster. We stopped taking photos, and the trail was empty. We barely needed to rest on the descent. It took us less than half the time it took to go up. The last stretch is now easier, too, because motorcycles wait at the final kilometer to bring climbers back.

While many things about Mount Pulag have transformed, one thing hasn’t. The mountain still reminds me why I come back. The children still remind me why I keep going.

My Valentine’s Day may not come with flowers, chocolates, and champagne, but it gave me moments I’ll never forget.