Field Trip: Taking the Pasto Trail in Mount Iriga

I love to look at Mount Iriga from afar! Ever since I moved to this city I have longed to hike and reach its mountain peak however after asking a handful of friends, they do not know how to get there. I gave up believing that there were NPAs living in the area. After all, I can always travel out of town.

When the pandemic hit and travel became a bit difficult, we got to explore the beauty around our city and neighboring towns.

After covid restrictions had been put at ease, I saw a Facebook post from the city government stating that hiking was already allowed on the mountain. Immediately, I asked acquaintances from the local government and was told of the requirements.

We were asked to fill out hike permits and give our medical certificates. It took me about three times to go to the city hall to get them signed. I even went to the PNP office and also asked for a permit. This tested my patience and persistence to really push through with the climb.

There were three trails—Pasto, Santiago and Ilian trail. We took the Pasto trail because it was the easiest. Our preparation for the climb was very limited and we didn’t know what to expect.

The first part of the hike was easy. It’s as if I am hiking in Inorogan but just longer. It was also not too hot and the sun wasn’t directly hitting us.

Buddy, our guide pointed to this rock on top of the hill. He said that there were myths stating that he guards the area. After a few steps, we passed by an area in which some trees were still dislodged from the typhoons that have passed. There were quite a few clean up drives that were made but I think it was not enough.

I also learned that there were some properties on the mountain that were privately owned. This made me sad because mountains are supposed to be owned and protected by the government.

We can totally be covered with these dislodged bamboo trees

I also learned some new plant names in Iriga/ Filipino dialect during the hike. One of which is the Malobago flowers. Buddy told us that they look like Gumamela but are quite distinct.

Malobago flowers

I also noticed that there were a lot of violet flowers in Mount Iriga. Apparently, they are called Pansi Pansi. It is a cure for the people who were bitten by the snake. Our guide told us how it is eaten in case of emergency. Maybe its abundance signify the abundance of snakes around the mountain.

Then there’s the white flowers called Sanot. It is also used as a cure but I forgot as to how it is used. The green circled fruits are called Taruboc and is usually eaten with gata.

Pansi Pansi

Balitusod

Sanot

I also took some nature photographs along the way!

After about an hour and a half, we had a quick stop. We sat under the agoho trees. My friend noticed that the trees on the mountain were quite young compared to the ones she saw from other mountains. Our guide told us that there were quite a few logging activities that were allowed by the government and this led to some old trees that were cut.

Gigi took a picture of me overlooking the mountain top and the clear blue skies!

I also picked up and tried to dry this flower from the ground. It looked like a badminton shuttlecock but it is soft.

After a quick break, the hike that I thought was easy was not. The trail became steep and the path became narrow. Sometimes, there were no paths at all. We walked pass the bushes and plants. My heart pounced when we passed by a cliff. I didn’t look at it because I knew I will get scared.

There were still a lot of dislodged trees. And when there were steep steps we groped the plants on the side. I should have listened to our guide and put on my gloves. During the hike, my hand was cut by some plants around the area.

walking in between these

After quite some time we reached the crater! We didn’t see the crater though because the whole area is covered with trees! Our guide told us that these are called Balitusod trees. I also saw the same when I visited Baguio.

The clouds moved from one place to another. I could not imagine the mountain’s form now that we were so close to its peak. Buddy told us that we are seeing Mount Iriga as if we are in Baao, a neighboring town. I am used to seeing it from our balcony. The view is quite different.

At first we thought it was going to rain because the clouds were so gray. Thankfully we saw the clear blue skies as we ate our lunch. I felt relieved when we reached the crater! I also felt some muscle cramps but I was too excited with the view.

We had our group shot and some photo ops overlooking the crater and the mountain peak. We also had some conversations about Buddy’s previous hikes. I learned that the best time to do an overnight to reach the summit is during the month of April. I also hope to see the Rafflesia but he said that it is only seen around the month of January.

I hope to reach the summit on my next hike but until then I need to keep working out to be prepared to climb more steps!

What God really wants from us

Today we are celebrating Father’s day. Most of us grew up with dads and father figures in our lives. God has placed them so that we will know what it is like to have a father. Unfortunately, some of us have not had good relations with them. It is comforting to know that we can ultimately look up to God, our Heavenly Father.

As we celebrate Father’s day, why not say thanks to God our Father. Thank Him for what He has done in your life. Thank Him for the blessings you have received. Thank Him for your loved ones. Thank Him for the things around you.

I realized that God wants our devotion and praise more than anything else. He wants to hear our sweet words for Him. Say a little prayer. Spend time with Him. Sing praises to Him. Acknowledge His presence in your life. And ultimately, trust Him for His greater plans.

God wants our whole. He wants us to fully love Him and give Him everything.

Reflections on the movie 3 Idiots

Have you discovered your true passion in life? For me, it’s been taking a while. Sometimes I feel stuck and can’t seem to figure out what I like to do. I regret that I wasted my schooling years trying to earn achievements and success. In the movie, it was presented early on that viewing life as a race is not a good option. It was also clear that our school system is faulty. It doesn’t encourage learning as much as achieving.

I watched the movie a couple of times already, but I still laugh and cry every time I rewatch it. It is a movie that I resonate with much. Unlike Rancho, I do not know what I’m passionate about. I can relate to Chatur, Raju, Fahran, and Virus but not him. He is an ideal who isn’t afraid to be an outcast. He prefers to be an object of insult because he didn’t care. He is practical and cares more about others.

This movie enabled me to see life differently. I hope I can be like Rancho—to dream, hope, and live our true calling. And to be the person that we are made to be.

After watching this movie, I carried the lessons with me and always tell them to my cousin who looks up to me. She was in grade school at that time while I was in high school. I kept on telling her not to care much about achievements and focus more on learning and growing. I am thankful that it shed light on her.

Life is not a race. At the onset, Mr. Virus welcomed the freshmen students with a nest full of eggs. And as he was dropping some of them on the floor, he told them how they defeated the other applicants in the engineering school. He compared them to the chicks of a cuckoo bird who kick out other eggs to survive. Like Virus, most of us perceive life as a race. We compare our lives to others. When others outshine us, we make sure we step up our game. Rancho on the other hand thought the other way around. He did not compare his life to others. He focused on learning, growing, and helping others do the same. Our life shouldn’t be a race. We can journey at our own pace. We can choose to discover our passions slowly and carefully.

Life isn’t a pressure cooker. Joy Lobo was about to graduate but he was having a difficult time with his thesis project. One time he approached Virus and asked him about the convocation dates. Instead of answering, Virus told his parents that he won’t be able to make it to the ceremony due to unfulfilled requirements. Joy was devastated. He hanged himself and was found lifeless by the drone that went into his room.

Later in the movie, we can also find that Virus’ son also died because he was pressured to take up engineering. He loved literature and writing but he couldn’t fully fulfill his passion because of his dad.

Oftentimes, parents and schools alike put too much pressure on students. Countless assignments and deadlines force students to do the impossible. We memorize concepts rather than analyze them. I agree with Rancho’s sentiments. Schools should be for learning. They should be able to consider that we have different learning styles and that not all can adapt easily.

Success follows passion and not the other way around. Rancho had a passion for learning. Even when he was still in grade school, he would sit in classes that he wasn’t enrolled in. He had the desire to learn something new every day! He was a gardener’s son of a very wealthy family, but it didn’t stop him from trying. The son asked him to do homework and exams for him until one day he was solving problems that were way too advanced for his age. They got caught. So he pretended to be the son until he graduate with his engineering degree.  

Rancho didn’t care if his diploma was taken away. After graduation, he put up a school with more hands-on learning. He also had a lot of inventions that were patented.

Meanwhile, Chatur cared too much about grades and being top of the class. He memorized everything by the books. He followed what his teachers told him to do. He would even distract his classmates on the night before the exams so that his grades will be higher. He did everything he can just to be number one.

I realized that the more we chase success, the more we will settle with what is known and sure. Instead, we should aim to know what we like to do and what we are good at.

Do not be afraid of the future. Raju was a bright student, but he worried about his family too much. His father was sick and his sister cannot be wedded because they didn’t have enough money. A lot was expected of him. He was under pressure to be able to graduate and work for his family’s sake. He couldn’t do his best because he was so afraid of the responsibilities entrusted to him.

Raju depended much on gods and lucky charms. He would offer sacrifices to the altar in his room before exams to ask for miracles. He would often flunk the exams time and again. They were in their final year when Virus asked him to choose whether he would graduate or leave Rancho behind. While Virus was having his siesta, Raju jumped off his window and became comatose. After gaining consciousness and having broken legs, he finally had the courage to face tomorrow again. He threw his lucky charms and believed in his abilities.  

I realized that we should live one day at a time. We should not worry about tomorrow for it will worry about itself.

Do what you are passionate about but consider your life circumstance. Fahran loved photography but his parents wanted him to take up engineering. Although he was struggling, he obeyed his parents and tried it out. While he was taking up the course, he was doing photography on the side. He would bring his camera everywhere. He would capture animals and anything that caught his attention. He didn’t venture fully into his passion without his parents’ approval. He applied to become the assistant of an established and well-known photographer in the African forest and he got accepted. Fahran loved photography but he made sure that his parents are on his side and he isn’t pursuing a meaningless path.

I realized that it isn’t enough to be passionate about something. We need to consider where we are and see if we can do it. Otherwise, doing it on the side is a good start.

Never be ashamed to ask forgiveness. Virus was angry toward Rancho for being disrespectful. He wanted to revenge by making sure that Raju fails the exam. He then prepared a separate set of questions and kept it inside the vault in his office. Pia exposed his dad by telling Rancho about this evil plan. She helped them get the set of questions in advance to prepare. But Virus found out about it, so he rushed to his office immediately. In his anger, he expelled the three from the university.

Virus wasn’t fond of Rancho and his friends because they were not the usual type of students who would easily obey the teacher. Despite that fact, they saved Mona and her son’s life. Rancho became the “doctor-in-charge” during her labor. There was a heavy flood that came through the city and there was no electricity. Rancho, his friends, and classmates helped set up the delivery room and the equipment used.

The three friends was about to head home when Virus called Rancho. He asked for forgiveness and said his sentiments.

Despite Virus’s strong character, he wasn’t ashamed to ask for forgiveness. He admitted his faults and gave his pen as a mark of Rancho’s outstanding character. Virus changed his perspective towards him and ultimately admired him.

Be passionate about helping others. Rancho didn’t bother to help his friends, Raju and Fahran. They struggled to pass their tests. Whenever they feel fearful, he often reminded them to say the chant, “all is well”. He helped Raju when his dad was in an emergency. He also helped Millimeter, the house boy in the school facility, and pushed him to study and continue learning. He also helped Joy Lobo discover how the drone should work.

Our talents and gifts are given so that we can be a blessing to others. We will put them to waste if we keep them to ourselves.

Never be afraid to stand out. Rancho had this principle of speaking what is in his heart. He wasn’t afraid to ask questions. During the first day of school, he questioned Virus about his special pen. He even dared to teach Virus how to teach in front of his classmates. Rancho wasn’t afraid to be the odd one because he knew what he believed in.

We should not be afraid of other people’s perceptions toward us. Instead, if we know that what we stand for is right, we should have the confidence to speak up.

And lastly, hold on to things loosely. Pia was engaged to Suhas, a wealthy broker, but he was too attached to material things. Rancho helped her see his flaws by dropping some sauce on his shoes. On a separate occasion, her fiancé gave her a new watch but Rancho asked her to pretend that she had lost it. Suhas scolded Pia for losing such an expensive thing.

Rancho told Pia to stay away from this guy because he is Mr. pricetag. Pia immediately broke off with Suhas and ended up with Rancho.

We should be more concerned about other people’s feelings instead of the things that wouldn’t last long. It is better to keep friendship than our belongings that would be rotten.