Pinoycaver - My Travel Blogs

Samar climbers to join Freedom Climb 2011 aims to break a world record

2011-04-17T13:42:00.000+08:00

CATBALOGAN CITY – In part of celebrating the country’s Independence Day and to help break a world record, nature lovers and mountain enthusiasts from Samar provinces will also join Filipino climbers from all over the country to summit various climbing destinations simultaneously on June 10-13, this year.

Dubbed as The Freedom Climb 2011, the event is aimed to create a new criterion in the Guinness Book of World Records and set a worldwide record for the most people to summit different peaks within 24 hours period.

The current record is: The largest number of people climbing mountains at the same time took place during the "Big Event" on September 10, 2000 when 600 people simultaneously scaled 112 mountains in the United Kingdom and Ireland in a day period.

The national organizers advised interested individual or groups to coordinate with the local offices of the Local Government Units (LGU), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippine National Police (PNP), and a Local Mountaineering Group who will likewise endorse the participant and the assign mountain for approval.

In Samar Island, the Centro Outdoor Sports Unlimited (CENTRO), a non-profit, non government organization based in Catbalogan volunteered to gather interested participants from three Samar provinces for a united and systematic climb. The group is now inviting everyone (must be healthy and fit to climb mountain) to complete the 20 persons available slots.

The CENTRO group is known for organizing outdoor events in the entire island of Samar. For the past eight years, they had hosted “Annual Caving Events” which participated in by people from all over the country. It also helped the local government in marketing and promoting various tourism destinations of the province.

“An national organizers hine nga 2011 FREEDOM CLIMB en nag-aaro hin P300 nga rehistro ha kada tawo nga maapi - amo ine an pinaka importante nga rekisitos para han ngatanan nga maapi hine nga aktibidad. Pero ine nga Registration Fee nira kutob la an pagbayad yana nga Abril 30, 2011, lumahos na ngani han Abril 30, 2011 an rehistro en aada na ha P400 - ira ito patakaran dire kanan CENTRO.... Waray pagsusukton bisan piso an CENTRO, hi kita la an magtitirok para magkadurungan la kita pagsaka ngan paglusad ngadto ngan tikang ha Mount Kapudlusan,” Rommel Rutor of Centro Outdoor Sports told this Stringer.

Meanwhile, aside from nurturing national unity, the event aims “to promote environmental awareness, conservation, preservation and protection; to campaign advocacies for responsible sportsmanship, synergism among individuals and groups, and to unite the mountaineering community to achieve greater good.”
Another objective of the annual climb is: “to set new world records, plant trees in the mountains, promote tourism, honor the Philippine heroes, and to unite all Filipino mountaineers.”

In a Facebook page created for this purpose, the CENTRO group encouraged every Samareno to have a vital role on this event as “it is not only help boosting our national pride (but will also) uplift the morale of mountaineers and would-be enthusiasts, rejuvenate environmental awareness and create a positive image of you and the mountaineering community in the Philippines as it become a major player in the world when it comes to mountaineering.”

“Para han mga taga Isla Han Samar, an nakalista nga sasak-on nga bukid, upod han Climb Marshalls han Centro, amo an Mount Kapudlusan nga nahimumutang ha bungto han Maydolong, Eastern Samar,” Rutor said.

During this day, an official “Adjudicator” and representative of Guinness World Records will be coming over to the Philippines from the United Kingdom to announce and authenticate the historic feat. Every participating group will be given certification and special recognition coming from the organizers and Guinness World Records.

Interested participants joining this significant event, the Centro Climb Marshalls gave their contact numbers such as 09207675444 (Ricky), 09292235130 (Rommel) or search the Facebook Page “Freedom Climb 2011 (Samar Island Forum)” for other details and reservation.

Agas-Agas Bridge Zipline offers “Superman” fly experience

2011-04-17T13:26:00.001+08:00

TACLOBAN CITY -- The province of Southern Leyte, the home of the country’s tallest Agas-Agas Bridge, is now offering another man-made tourist attraction for everyone who has brave souls.

In last friday's opening, April 15, 2011, the LGU officially launched its “Agas-Agas Bridge Zipline Adventure” letting everyone experience soaring at a high speed, flying by wire like Superman does in his movies. This was first introduced by the local officials last August 9, 2009.

Newsmen from all over the region, including some known tour operators were treated by the organizers for a day free rides with a briefing that on this day, the province will be known as the central of "Adventure Destination in Eastern Visayas."

Constructed between two mountains, the Agas-Agas Bridge Zipline or locally known as “Zipline Leyte” offers an extra-ordinary experience on cable rides that traverse the Mahaplag-Sogod section of the Tacloban-Liloan Road giving a rider full view of the breathtaking panorama and complete refreshing on the bridge’s sky-scraping height.

The organizer led by Governor Damian Mercado are hopeful that last Fridays’s opening would bring in more tourists to witness its opening as well as tested its unique features.

The potential of the bridge, which provides a significant link to motorists traveling from Luzon to Mindanao, was noted when it was inaugurated two years ago and endorsed it by the DPWH to turn it into a haven for sports enthusiasts who are into bungee jumping, paramotor, downhill skateboarding and zipline rappelling and other extreme sports.

The bridge which is constructed through the Philippine-Japan Highway Loan Project has a natural tourist attraction and the construction is very modern.

Since the bridge is situated in a mountainous area, it is regularly reported that movements of loose soil or landslides take place whenever it rains heavily, much more when typhoon strikes the province.

Thus, the viaduct was constructed in 2006 primarily to help motorists avoid the mountainous sections that are prone to landslides and road slips and prevent life and property losses.

According to a DPWH official, this bridge is by far the tallest pier or column that the government has constructed. It involves the construction of a 350 linear meter bridge, with a mix of steel and concrete, supported by two piers from the ground and has a height of 292 feet above ground.

Meanwhile, zip-lines in the country are fast drawing a big crowd of action and adventure seekers from all over the world. The extraordinary thrill of being suspended on a cable at considerable heights or the joy of zipping through the woods at a high speed makes zip-lines an action-packed activity.

The zipline in Southern Leyte is the third zipline attractions in Eastern Visayas. Recently, the Caluwayan Island Resort in Marabut Samar and the Leyte Park Resort in Tacloban City officially offered a zipline adventures to its adventure seeking clients.

Known as a flying fox, foefie slide, zip wire, aerial runway, or aerial rope slide, a zip-line consists of a pulley suspended on a cable mounted on an incline. It is designed to enable a user propelled by gravity to traverse from the top to the bottom of the inclined cable, usually made of stainless steel, by holding on or attaching to the freely moving pulley. Zip-lines are used in varied ways, and come in various forms.

While others used it as a means of amusement and entertainment, others showcase zip-lines as an adventure activity option. Accessing remote areas, such as a rainforest canopy would require longer and higher rides. You may not know it, but in some malls in the country, children’s recreation centers make use of small, indoor zip-lines.

Filipino devotees to celebrate 107th Feast of Sto. Niño starting next week

2011-01-09T16:56:00.002+08:00

BASEY, Philippines (January 9, 2011) -- Eucharistic celebrations, street dancing festivals, colorful parades, fluvial processions, and other festive commemorative rites will be held in this municipality and in many parts of the country in celebration of the Feast of the Sto. Niño, every third Sunday of January, the month of the Holy Child.

The Catholic Church in the Philippines sets the Holy Child as “an example of humility and as a celebration of the Incarnation of Christ.” The church has approved special liturgical texts for the Feast of the Child Jesus.

Cities and provinces in the country such as in Cagayan de Oro, Romblon, Bulacan, Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, Butuan, Antique, Iloilo, Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur, Cebu, Tacloban (in the month of June) and in other parts of the country where every Filipino home keeps an image of the Sto. Niño in their altars will once again hold commemorative rites starting next week.

In the town of Basey, a small fishing town in the southern part of Samar, crowds of devotees traditionally attend the daily novenas and concelebrated holy masses at the St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church starting from January 14 to January 24, this year.

The Hermanos Mayores for this year’s celebration – the brothers Theo Prudencio Juhani, Leo Angelo and Joseph Mari Zeta Capeding – prepared a thanksgiving activity in honor of the Child Jesus.

“Today in this celebration, I and my younger brothers, want to give back what our family has so generously received from Him – we want to share it with God’s favorite - the children,” Theo Juhani said in his invitation distributed to the town folks.

With the theme, “A Celebration of Thanksgiving,” a solemn fluvial procession bearing the image of the Child Jesus, and to be followed by devotees carrying an image of the Sto. Nino will make a round around the seas of this locality.

Other activities prepared in the celebration includes short film showing, musical concert, video presentation, live magical presentations, Sinulog-inspired street dancing and distribution of 107 gift bags symbolizing the 107th Feast of Sto. Niño celebration.

“We pray for everyone’s safety and happiness in their hearts and a continuing devotion to our Señor Sto. Niño, for it was He who prescribed: ‘Honor me and I shall protect you’,” the Hermano said. The people in Basey celebrate the feast in two occasions. The first is every January and the second is on every month of June during the “Balyuan Rites” with Tacloban City, celebrating its patron saint Sto. Nino.

According to a local historian, Balyuan rites is a yearly commemorative re-enactment, done every 29th of June (now every 20th) since it was reintroduced and revived by then First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos in 1975. It serves to remind the people of Tacloban that their city was once only a sitio of barrio Buscada of Basey, Samar, and that the sitio, then known as Kankabatok, borrowed the image of the Sto. Niño, which was in the possession of its owner, a businessman from Luzon who became progressive for working closely with the people of Buscada and for revering the Santo Niño which is the patron saint of Buscada during the barrio fiesta every January.

It is said that “the original icon of Buscada’s Holy Child Jesus Christ was small, and so, to show his gratitude to the Buscadan-ons and his imbibed and adopted faith in their patron saint, he caused the carving of a much bigger icon. Tacloban being a sitio of Buscada, most of whose original natives came from Basey, its inhabitants also adopted their own Santo Niño icon as they assigned Santo Niño as also their patron saint. Because Tacloban became bigger and more progressive than Buscada and Basey in a sense, the Roman catholic brotherhood of Tacloban decided to borrow the bigger icon in Buscada for their celebration of their fiesta.”

The “borrowing” gesture was then entered into the records and in the books as mere exchange (balyuan = bal-yu-an) in 1975 and every year thereafter.

SPECIAL REPORT: Grave violations on children during armed-conflict in EV continues

2010-12-21T19:25:00.001+08:00

By RICKY J. BAUTISTA

AMID the existence of an international humanitarian law that supposedly protect the minors in armed-conflict situations, still, grave violations against children continue to be committed in the Eastern Visayas.

In this part of the region, number of civilians killed and displaced, mostly minors continue to increase due to rebels’ attacks or clashes with the government forces. With or without a truce, government soldiers and the rebels conducted its own offensives operations that, most of the time, resulted to the killings of civilians.

Three days ago, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), New People’s Army (NPA) had their “biggest offensive” against the State by mercilessly killings ten (10) soldiers, including a 9-year old boy caught in crossfire in the boundary of barangays Sta. Fe and Perez, in Las Navas, Northern Samar around 3 p.m. of December 14, this year.

In Leyte, nine hours later, the troops belong to the 19th IB on board two vehicles were also ambushed in Brgy. Candigahob, Carigara, Leyte around 9 p.m. The army reported to one was hurt in the incident.

Last December 8, 2010, two civilians, one of them is a 15-year old boy, were also killed when the NPA ambushed a government troops in a river also in Las Navas town.

On August 21, also this year, eight (8) police officers were ambushed and one civilian was killed by the people’s army in Brgy. Imelda, Catarman, N. Samar.

Various human rights organizations in Northern Samar has reportedly condemned this recent incidents appealing to the public to translate its silence to a very loud voice of support to the heroism of the fallen soldiers and all of the victims of the NPA human rights violations.

Ms. Letecia Corillo, Director of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Eastern Visayas have condemned the recent armed clash in Northern Samar that took the lives of many innocent minors.

She expressed that taking in consideration the CARHRIHL, saying the civilians should not become the victims of armed attacks and in case it happened especially to minors during a crossfire or armed conflict, the DSWD must be told about the same.

Citing Article X Section 22 of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, Corillo said that the children are considered as “zones of peace.”

In order to protect children as “zones of peace,” the State and all other sectors should take the responsibility to bring to peace the armed conflicts or violent activities. So, any rebellious attack should not make children their target and they should be given due respect.

Peace talks imperil

The military leadership in EV said the attack only shows that the CPP-NPA-NDF’s demand for a peace talk is not sincere but “a mere ploy to advance their offensive.”

The Army’s 8th Infantry Division chief Major General Mario Chan says, “The troops were on their way to barracks to observe the government’s declaration of suspension of military operations (SOMO) for the Yuletide seasons and to give way to the desire of the NDF for peace talk.”

“These soldiers died a glorious death for God, country and people. They fought it out to the last and they have won over evil. They have won in protecting you (the people) … for you to continue enjoying the fruits of democracy and freedom,” general Chan said.

The 8ID chief called upon the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) that monitors the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), to look into the incident and let the culprits be charged with the full force of the law as deemed necessary to include other CARHRIHL violations of the CPP-NPA-NDF.

“The International Humanitarian Law which was both signed by the NDFP and our government is totally abused and disrespected. Serious violation of our people’s rights is deemed condemnable in the strongest possible terms,” declares General Chan.

An expert from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the protection of civilians during conflict is a paramount responsibility of all armed groups and military.

“Civilians must be protected at all times,” said Keiichiro Okimoto of ICRC Jerusalem adding that any military attack must be “proportional,” and, whether offensive or defensive, should “not cause excessive injury to civilians, civilian death or damage to civilian objects,” he said.

Also, a weapon that is indiscriminate by nature, and cannot differentiate between a civilian and military target, is illegal. If there is ever doubt as to whether an object is civilian or military, the armed force should assume it is civilian, according to the Geneva Conventions - maybe the most important part of humanitarian law. Effective advanced warning must be given to a civilian population if an attack is about to commence.

Doctors, ambulance drivers and other medical personnel also have a special status under the law and can at no time be attacked, especially if they have the distinctive Red Cross or Red Crescent emblems. Similarly, it is illegal for armed groups to misuse the logos.

The CPP, however, declared there was neither treachery nor violations of the 19-day ceasefire declared by CPP-NDF during their successful twin ambush to the government troops. “(We) fully support the ceasefire and the NPA ambush was carried out according to international rules of war,” the CPP said in their Dec. 17 statement.

“The NPA unit legitimately and responsibly employed command-detonated explosives, as opposed to pressure-triggered land mines, to subjugate the AFP unit, in consonance with the Ottawa Treaty and other international treaties concerning the conduct of war,” the statement added.

The CPP said further that the 803rd Brigade deployed troops in the area precisely to give battle to the NPA. With the support of the people, mastery of the terrain and superior knowledge of guerrilla tactics, the NPA unit was easily able to subdue the operating enemy troops killing ten soldiers and bringing along with them high-powered firearms of the soldiers.

The Philippine government, however, repulsed on December 18, the CPP-NPA’s statement that the ambush in Northern Samar that killed 10 soldiers and a nine-year-old boy was a ‘legitimate act of war.’

“They said it’s a legitimate act of war. We certainly disagree,” Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said as she underscored that it was an uncompassionate move considering that lives were lost.

“And that there will be families who will not be spending Christmas with their loved ones because of the attack,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Valte said in a media interview.

The Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, however, deferred comment when asked if the government is willing to ask the rebels to surrender their members who instigated the ambush, saying that Malacañang will leave the matter to the government peace panel.

Meanwhile, members of the government peace panel and national defense officials made an emotional visit to Northern Samar last Friday, where they flew in to honor the 10 soldiers who were killed in a treacherous attack by the NPA just 33 hours away from the observance of the Yuletide ceasefire.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Secretary Teresita Deles of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP), lawyer Alexander Padilla, the chief negotiator of the GRP peace panel, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo A. David, Jr. and Army commanding general, Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz personally condoled with families of the fallen troops.

Meanwhile, attempts at peace talks between the government and the CPP-NDF (an umbrella group that represents 14 communist guerrilla groups in political talks) collapsed in September last year after the government refused to meet the communist rebels’ demand to free several communist guerilla leaders from prison.

Despite the failures of the peace talks, positive steps for disarmament were taken as a result of the Social Integration Program (SIP) that was introduced by the Arroyo government in 2008. The SIP, which provides support for rebels willing to surrender, has proven to be largely successful, with nearly 600 NPA rebels in 2009 alone.

Both the military and the rebels claimed to enjoy the support of the masses. But in the end, it is the masses who suffered much with their encounters and exchange of fires. (Ricky J. Bautista)

DISCOVER THE BEST SPOTS IN SAMAR ISLAND

2010-12-20T23:37:00.001+08:00

The Island of Samar has its own share of nature’s bounty. Among the nature’s jewels which enchantingly lure tourists and local folks includes unexplored mountains and caves which are inhabited by exotic wildlife, pristine shores rimmed by unspoiled coral reefs, cloud-hidden lakes of blue surrounded by multi-colored flowers and beautiful beaches and waterfalls nestled beside a mountain.

Here are some of Samar Island’s beautiful spots I highly recommend to all of you!
(CREDITS: Some of the pictures were contributed by a blogger of www.istorya.net and not by anybody else as claimed)

Tarangban Falls, Calbayog City, Samar

3-tiered Pinipisakan Falls in San Jorge, Samar

Marine Rock Formations, Marabut, Samar

Amandaraga Falls, Lawaan E. Samar

Mantikawol Falls, Gamay N. Samar

Pinipisakan Falls, Las Navas N. Samar

The Marine Sanctuary of San Vicente N. Samar

Maharlika Falls, Taft. E. Samar

Lulugayan Falls, Calbiga, Samar

Langun-Gobingob Cave, Calbiga, Samar

Canmaaghit Cave Spring, Can-avid E. Samar

Historic Balangiga Church, Balangiga E. Samar

Binaloan Spring, Taft E. Samar

Camparina-Bito-Burabud Caves, Calbiga, Samar

Belat Pool, Biri N. Samar

KM3 Caves, Las Navas N. Samar

Bangon-Bugtong Falls, Calbayog City, Samar

MOUNT KINABALO TOUR UPDATE!

2010-11-16T18:26:00.002+08:00

MOUNT KINABALU TOUR
For CLIMBERS: 2 Days 1 Night

Day 1: Journey by road through the countryside, along the ridges of the Crocker Range ends at the Kinabalu Park.

- registering for the climb, and in the company of a mountain guide, the trek begins at the Timpohon Gate
- The trek takes you through the Upper Montane Forest which gradually gives way to sparser vegetation corresponding to the harsher environment and altitude.
- Stop for your packed lunch along the trails. The trek for the day ends at Laban Rata.
- Overnight accommodation is in dormitories.

Day 2: Conquest of the summit, Low's Peak (4,095.2m) begins in the wee hours of the morning to beat the early morning mist and to catch the unforgettable kaleidoscope created by the sunrise from the summit if weather permits.

- A late breakfast at Laban Rata before the final descent back to the Park where successful climbers will receive a certificate to prove their conquest. After lunch and a short rest, depart for Kota Kinabalu at 4.00 pm.

Recommended items to bring for the climb:
- Sturdy walking shoes, rain gear, hat, sun block, warm clothing, a change of clothes, cotton gloves, torchlight and bottle for drinking water.
* Persons with high blood pressure, diabetes and weak hearts are advised not to attempt the climb.

MOUNT KINABALO IN MALAYSIA

2010-11-16T17:35:00.002+08:00

Hi there guys, just an update lang po.

I am organizing an International Climb to Mount Kinabalo sometime next year, maybe on April's Holy Week's time. Just in case, anyone would like to join, you can inform me or contact me for more details about possible requirements, budget estimates, routes and other details. Of course, this matter is exclusively for those who love the outdoors and has healthy minds. hehehe!

Here's my number for direct access: 09207675444

TEAM CENTRO SPELEO

2009-08-01T09:43:00.009+08:00

My group, the Centro Outdoors Sports Unlimited, has agreed to reorganized themselves into a new group - TEAM CENTRO SPELEO and underway finalizing the requirements set by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Up to now, we are open for membership to all interested nature loving individuals, mountaineers, cave divers, cavers all over Samar Island.

For inquiries, just email us at trexpelunker@yahoo.com or txtcall us at 09207675444 for other informations.

We also conduct tour guiding to anywhere in the island, contact us for details and rates.

Thank you,

Ricky J. Bautista

Samar version of world-class natural wonders: A must see!

2009-07-09T08:36:00.015+08:00

By Ricky Bautista

This ruggedly beautiful province of Samar has its own version of world-class natural wonders. No kidding, this really a must see for all adventourists and histourists alike.

Though often called as one of the country’s top 20 poorest provinces, one cannot deny the fact that we are also called “the land of plenty” in terms of ecotourism sites, such as majestic waterfalls, white beaches, springs, caves and other awesome places that can even compare or outclass other country’s top destinations.

As we are proud to say, we don’t only offer these beautiful sceneries to those who come, but we also offer a kind of hospitality that every visitor may come to say, “This is a place where you might not wish to leave anymore.”

The name “Samar” is of dialect origin, it was derived from the local term “Samad” which means wound or cut; and it was perpetually adopted due to the island’s rugged and mountainous topography, with large rivers that seemingly dissects the island deeply. It was on June 19, 1965 when the island of Samar, the country’s third largest island, by virtue of RA 4221 was politically subdivided into three, giving birth to new provinces of East and North Samar, and the western part of the island opted to retain the original name SAMAR, being the seat of administrative government that once oversee the whole island.
Within its hard and enthusing contoured terrains and mountain slopes, this province can give everyone the tryst of their lives showcasing what others describe as the “paradise underneath the earth.” Now, that our provincial roads has become moderately comfortable to land trips, perhaps we can start now to market anew these world-class natural wonders that has already been proven to have attracted thousands of inbound and outbound tourists around the world.

Mystical caves & majestic waterfalls

For example, in the small town of San Jorge (about 45 minutes from Catbalogan, the capital of Samar), one may face-to-face with the “Sulpan Cave”, where Samar Island’s 2nd longest river, the Blanca Aurora River originates, and for leaner spelunking, be awed by the gigantic yet absolutely enthralling caverns of the “Guinbag-sangan Cave” featuring its exquisite “water lilies-like” stalagmite formations and “cave pearls” spread all-over its subterranean clear ponds.

In this town, a one-stop-shop adventure route awaits adventurers in which you will indulge in an amazing exploration of a hydro cave just in front of San Jorge’s show cave. Overwhelming 13 underground cascades interconnect with each other and commune with Mother Nature through an exhilarating mountain and river hiking.

Be amazed by the roaring water disgorge of 3-tiered “Pinipisakan Falls” of San Jorge, which immensely towers vertically to more than 60 meters up to the second tier, and sloping third tier covered by greens runs from exit of the Sulpan Cave, and is where Samar’s longest river (Blanca Aurora river) starts and eventually exits on another drop popularly known as the “Blanca Aurora Falls” near the poblacion area, a compelling sight for a destination indeed from start to end.

Also in Samar, be awed by the grandeur of what is believed by many international cavers as an unmatched distinction courtesy of the “Langon-Gobingob Cave” in Calbiga town - an hour road trip south of Samar’s capital. This cave system, known to be East Asia’s biggest karst cave system measuring 2, 968 hectares offers the penultimate caving experience. The cave, composed of 12 interconnecting chambers, is endowed with gigantic columns, underground rivers, sinkholes, magnificent stalactites and stalagmites, the 7- centimeter long hypogean blind fishes (caecogobius cryptophalmus), white crustaceans and the occasional snakes.

It is suitable for trekking, swimming, cave camping and rope sports. Also, be amazed with the swirling “bat flight” at the Langun exit every 5:30 p.m. With a cathedral-like dome estimated to have the size of three “football fields”, it was first explored by Italian speleologists in 1987.

Just lately, another new huge cave was found in this town. An unexplored “Camparina and Bitong Burabon Caves” now awaits future development being laid down by the local government that would somehow cater tourists, especially local and international cavers. These recent discoveries are add-ons to the existing Langun-Gobingob Caves in Brgy. Panayuran and “Kanyawa Cave” in Barangay Caamlongan. The later also offers at least 15 galleries of distinctive features and underground rivers.

Also in this town, your stay is incomplete without visiting the “Lulugayan Falls” in Brgy. Litiron as your appetizer to caving. The most majestic and panoramic 50-meters wide waterfalls has often dubbed by tourist as a “Mini Niagara Falls.” From its source at Lake Kalidongan, hundreds of waterfalls cascade down the 14 kilometers rapids.

What else can you ask in the 4-tiered “Bangon-Bugtong Falls” in Calbayog City that brings to light an approximately 50 meters of clear lagoon on its mezzanine level.

And not to be outdone, is the “Balantak Falls” and the undying prominence of the “Sohoton, Panhulugan and Rawis Caves” in the town of Basey, part of the 840-hectare Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park, which are, in fact, one of Samar’s icon in the tourism industry, being one of the most visited ecotourism sites in Eastern Visayas.

For the mountain climbers, the “Mt. Danglay” in Brgy. San Antonio, also in Basey, will give you a majestic throne while you overlooks to the, so far, longest single-span bridge in Asia - the San Juanico Bridge, its strait and the city of Tacloban. This peak, measuring to 360 meters above sea level is being eyed by the local government as pilgrimage site in the future.

Add-ons to the above-mentioned show-caves is the “Tagacay Caves” of Sta. Rita town, to which 3 carved-wood coffins were recovered in 1967 by a group of antique collectors.

These nature caverns that peppers the province of Samar incidentally is backed up by numerous magnificent water courses evidently marking the richness of the place in biodiversities, thus assuring everyone an absolute 100% adventure with Mother Nature.

Towering rock islands, beaches and festivals

But apart from caves and waterfalls, Samar is very much endowed with natural beauties, intricately designed by nature for everyone to feast on, get a hold of the sea breeze along the beach coves of “Marabut Marine Park” and be impressed by its 15-towering rock islands, plus its spectacular underwater coral gardens.

Get a soothing therapeutic splash at the “Mapaso Spring” in Calbayog City or in an escapade in “Gloritess Beach Resort” and the newly constructed “Leyte-Samar Beach Resort” in their pool and air-conditioned cottages near the beach, both are located in Brgy. San Antonio, Basey Samar. And maybe, after posing a souvenir shot at the famous San Juanico Bridge, everyone can drop a coffee and enjoys the greens of Marjorie’s Garden along the Maharlika Highway of Sta. Rita.

Learn with pleasure Samar’s culture and history as you travel the newly asphalted highways from Tacloban to Calbiga down to Catbalogan until the ends of the DPWH’s working crews - you can drop or stop at the Catbalogan’s Pieta Park and Samar’s obelisks and to the Samar Archaeological Museum in Calbayog that showcases a variety of artifacts unearthed and collected from all points of Samar, and you bet, some even dates back to as early as the 14th century.

Also a must see for every histourists are the ruins and historical landmarks and festivals of every municipalities such as the Sarakiki, Banigan-Kawayan, Patiklos, Bagolan, Pahoy-pahoy, Mangirisda, Alimango, Kima-kima, Mayaw-mayaw, Sadok, Daramsiyaw, Pilipig, Manobo, Sortidos and Pintados.

But exploring Samar doesn’t end by viewing its charms and splendor only, we showcase things that would endlessly remain in your experience, our culture and traditions, our religiously, and most of our entire struggle to protect Mother Nature.

Thus, when you wrapped up your mind for a full rendezvous with nature, or for a historical yet rational jaunt, or for just a simple vacation, Samar province have it all for you the most ideal places you wish to go.

Editor’s Note: The author, Ricky J. Bautista, is a member of the Philippine Caving Society and Centro Outdoor Sports Unlimited that offers tourism inventories, cave assessment and mapping, tour packages and guiding trips to any of the ecotourism sites in Samar. For your reservations and inquiries, you may contact them at 0920.7675.444, or emailed them at trexpelunker@yahoo.com or drop message at their website www.pinoycaver.blogspot.com for transpo & accommodation arrangement, budget estimates including detailed itineraries and routes for your adventure or simple R & R vacations to Samar. Or you may directly contact respective LGU’s of each destinations and sites.

Newest Cave Discoveries in Calbiga town

2009-07-02T23:15:00.007+08:00

Views of the Sifone of Poco Prima Cave located in Calbiga, Samar, Philippines
A Huge Gallery in one of the newly discovered caves in Calbiga. Local farmers tipped off cave experts about the locations and entrances of the cavern.
The Burabon Bito (Sinkholes) were found by the local farmers recently.
Some of tourists visiting the Lulugayan Falls in Brgy. Literon enjoys the panoramics views and flows of the falls.
This 50 meters wide waterfalls is a good source of irrigations to communities downhill. This is also the home of the rapids leading to the town's famous river.

Beach in Catbalogan on summer breaks..

2009-06-07T08:00:00.005+08:00

SCENE: People from all walks of life - young and adults - do their eating, swimming and picnics during saturdays and sundays in this beach called Sunshine Beach.
SEEN: I am just wondering, and I wish the people in the DOH can answer me. Is it safe for our health, skin particularly, to take a bath there adding the fact that this beach is located few meters away and adjacent to a public cemetery, thus other people calls it "the cemetery beach"? I mean, during rainy days, the water from the cemetery free-flows directly to the beach.

More photos up for grab fellas: Holyweek Event

2009-05-01T12:58:00.005+08:00

Photo taken @ cavern chapel:Our Lady of Assumption; The trek-hike to the chapel-cave is indeed worth for the trip. You should go there for a relief.

While our comrades are busy crawling and swimming inside the cave, Me and Irene are also busy in our unforgettable swimming at the Cagnito-an Falls, we're both wet and able hehe..

Am I look tired? Actually yes, but I wish you saw my other fellas, they're dead tired. It's a long and exhausive trekking, on broad day light huh..

It's me and Marriane, Val and Susie at our background. All showed eagerness to walk the jungle, its still a fresh starting line anyway. uu

Jhun Ty, Billy, Me and the Princess Diance.. Say cheese this is a free shot! Let's get it on buddies!

Some Photos on Holyweek Adventures in Maasin

2009-03-31T09:47:00.006+08:00

Just arrived from the first camping site, others setting up their tents, others just keep on smiling on who are the ones clicking their camera's. Indeed, they are good models for a close up toothpaste.

Camping site, this is not a good shot though i just wanna put this picture up for grab..

Opps, its an stolen shot, but luckily, I managed to throw back a smile. And wait, she made it slipped to the scene too.

Two of the coolest guys on Earth, My two good fellas. Till we climb again buddies.

Group pix mga amigos, amigas. Everybody seemed to be aware who to take shots. Its a long and winding steps ahead - going to the chapel-cave in Maasin.

PSS Cave Congress: A sort of homecoming this summer

2009-03-22T09:19:00.005+08:00

By Ricky J. Bautista

Once a year, club members of the Philippine Speleological Society convene. Every year, other non-member caving clubs in the countryside adds up and joined them. All of us – the cavers, an underground faction of the outdoor community, so to speak, are a relative minority, but given the general conditions of caving, this may be good for the environment.

The last year’s cave congress was held in Cagayan de Oro City and in Sumilao and Manolo Fortich in the province of Bukidnon last March 31 to April 6, 2008. The Speleo Mindanao and the Conservation and Restoration Exercise (Core), both are member-clubs of the PSS, hosted it. It was indeed another successful event of the PSS.

Many of the member-clubs including those fundamentals in the formation of the PSS and the Philippine Cave Guides Association (PCGA) tagged along by their leaders regularly met each other to refresh themselves and impart their advance skills to the newest members and nature-loving individuals. Raising the quality of caving in the Philippines to international levels was always their primary aims. Every event is gatherings of cave enthusiasts, it seems like a homecoming, a sort of “reunion.”

For every men in the outdoors, each congress is not a time to play or to rest, instead, its a time for us to standardize our level through workshops that cover Cave Survey and Mapping and technical rope skills such as SRT (Single Rope Technique), the primary method used by cavers to descend and ascend vertical pitches.

And today, while summer is beginning to heat up, it is once again a time to head out, travel to one unique place where other comrades from different regions would meet up.

The venue and side trips

This year’s venue of Cave Congress is the Balantak waterfalls, Sohoton, Rawis, and other caves, all in Basey, Samar, Philippines. The once sleeping town of Basey is a home of the World’s longest mat-weaved banig as recorded in the Book of Guinness and a home for the mystical caves, golden rivers, panoramic rock formations and the world-famous Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park. In going there, one may pass and see the country’s longest “love” bridge – the San Juanico Bridge, which connected the twin islands of Leyte and Samar.

A side trip to the town of Calbiga town, a home of the East Asia’s largest karsts cave network is now being planned out by the organizers to be included in the itinerary. The cave, which has a total land area of 2,968 hectares featured huge stalagmites & stalactites, giant columns, underground watercourses, rapids, blindfish, snakes and dancing bats are also present in the area.

Like in the previous years, it’s a day we always knew would come, and the thought it would nag at the back of our minds riding at the back of a dump truck to the trailhead, sometime speeding around the tip of road cliff, cruising an inflatable motorboat, chasing the fastest trekker ahead of you that seems you’re into an adventure race huffing and puffing on a long and slippery limestone, trying to be dropped or slide from the muddy terrains.

International cavers to do the talks

“Caves are among the most beautiful places on earth. It has considerable value not only in terms of its beauty but also in its historical, economic, social, scientific and environmental importance. Yet caves are amongst the least explored and understood places. Their ecosystems are among the most vulnerable and easily destroyed.”

These were the event’s guiding tone set up in which three (3) international cave experts and local top executives are expected to impart their expertise on the “don’t and do’s” and the “how’s” of mixing up the process of environment conservation and promotion of tourism during this year’s hosting of PSS Cave Congress in this locality.

Event director Jason Garrido, of the Philippine Cave Guide Association, Inc. (PCGA), informed that at least three international cavers and conservationists had just confirmed readiness to visit Philippines for this caving event, which will last for five days.

They were Elery Hamilton Smith, a task force chairman of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Australia; Dave Smith, a Biodiversity Programme Manager, Department of Conservation in New Zealand; another expert from the Spellbound Tours in New Zealand.

Other local experts expected to welcome and deliver messages of supports were the regional directors of DOT, DENR, Province of Leyte, and the host town Basey Mayor Didi Estorninos.

Conservation and tourism

Meanwhile, with the theme, “Finding the balance between conservation and tourism,” the Philippine Speleological Society Cave Congress on May 11-15, 2009 will be hosted by the PCGA, together with the Nature Unlimited Leyte Outdoor Club Inc., a local outdoor club based in Leyte, and in cooperation with the Eastern Visayas Department of Tourism and the Municipality of Basey, the host-venue of the event.

DOT regional director Karina Tiopes who helped facilitates the sending out of invitations said “caves are a viable attraction for tourism and the economic benefits it brings effects the whole value chain. But without a solid cave management plan that takes into account the relationship between conservation and tourism, there is always the possibility that we end up destroying the every thing we are promoting in the first place.”

”The establishing of protected areas and cave management programs, by themselves, are not enough to ensure our caves protection and conservation. Proper management of caves demands specific expertise. Education of personnel and communities as well as inter-agency cooperation and streamlining of existing policies are essential for a successful cave management program,” she added.

The “reunions” of local cavers

As of today, the event secretariat said that the expected numbers of participants, both foreign and domestic, is around 300. They also said each participant has to pay Php600 as their registration fee and has to bring their own provision of food and camping gear.

As to the local cavers, the Centro Outdoors Sports Unlimited based in Catbalogan Samar who previously hosted a series of local version (focus only in the Visayas caves) of the caving congress, signified support to the PSS event. They will be heading their affiliate caving clubs from UEP, Catarman, Laoang, Catbalogan, Borongan and in Palo, Leyte, to join the event.

Activities during the event were divided into four (4) categories namely Basic Caving Skills for the beginners; Cave Guiding, Cave Surveying, and Single Rope Techniques for the experienced and expert participants. “Each participant has to choose only one category to attend,” Garrido said in his invitation posted their website designed exclusively for this event.

After the event, the participants would be able to learn about cave ecosystem, navigation and principles of cave surveying; camping equipment familiarization, national laws such the NIPAS and Cave Act, and would be able to learn self-rescue and emergency procedures.

Samar being robbed of gains again?

2009-02-24T20:39:00.003+08:00

Samar being robbed of gains again?

By Ricky J. Bautista

The province of Samar, which formed part of the third largest island in the country, one of the richest biodiversity centers in the country; one that has the largest and last remaining contiguous patch of virgin forest is not supposed to be one of the poorest municipalities in the Philippines.

We are not supposed to be because we live in a land of exotic sights and beauty few have ever seen. But in contrary, the people in this “Land of Plenty” have long been impoverished, deprived and denied of everything we desperately need in this time of global crisis.

Let’s discuss this slowly. Well, I am optimistic that some of you will agree that the list of government neglect to our people can be described as very “long like a winding road,” and too familiar to us all why.

Firstly, the tourists and investors are complaining that our provincial roads are “swamps” when it rains and “dustbins” when the sun shines. In year 2001 and 2002 alone, the provincial government of Samar spent some P56 Million on cement, but where are the projects? The COA report said the fund was misused. And I knew you knew it as this was made public.

Our provincial hospital is in miserable condition, and expenditures on public health do not conform to the budget. There’s very little money for medicine, and even so, that is being stolen. Yet we spent millions on Christmas lights and decors and keep on manicuring the park every year.

More than half of our children never finish elementary education because there was no clear accounting of how the Special Education Fund is being spent. Majority of our teachers are municipal paid, underpaid and overworked. Our children cannot study hard due to lack of textbooks. The Day Care centers in the barangay seldom get support from the LGU. Yet we tend to spent millions of the people’s money on electric fans and raffle them away.

Our farmers cannot produce enough to feed their families because 96% of our lowland farms are not irrigated – despite the fact that Samar has so many springs, rivers, and streams.

Our young men and women cannot find work because one of the biggest sources of employment in a poor province like Samar is public works – and the funds for public works are rarely used for public works. And maybe, just maybe, the report of the World Bank on conspiracy between the DPWH, the contractors and our local officials, also applies here.

As for the squandering of our taxes, we are not only talking about public funds that are lost to graft and corruption. The province of Samar has hundreds of millions a year in development fund. That is supposed to be the people’s money, should be spend for the people and by the people, especially the poor. But, sad to say, the poor people of Samar are not consulted on how this money should be spent. That’s why a lot of it lost to graft and corruption. And the few being left is spent on projects that do not truly benefit the poor.

In some places, they are practicing a system of allocating development fund that protects it from graft and ensures that the projects actually benefit the poor. They call it the Cost-Sharing Scheme. Under this system, the barangay officials will ask their constituents what project they think will benefit the whole barangay. The barangay and the province will share the cost of the project. And the people in the barangay will implement the project themselves. If the municipal government joins the Cost-Sharing, which is recommended, the budget for the project will be tripled.

If this happens, the people in the barangay get the projects they need, get more money for the project, and they earn extra income by providing labor for the project. This resolves our problem on unemployment, graft practices, unnecessary projects and the “SOP” on projects.

The benefits do not stop there because money in the hands of the poor is spent on goods and services that are provided by local merchants and traders – and goes on to stimulate the local economy especially now that a “global economic crisis” is being felt everywhere. While the money that is lost to graft benefits only the corrupt officials, and is used to invest in their Lending business and other enterprises outside Samar – like buying condominiums in Manila – and stimulates only the economy in those places.

Here’s an everyday problem of the poor. I don’t know if our officials are thinking on how to address the problem that some of our poor people and their children have denied access of sanitary toilets especially those people living in the uplands? Some of them eats only twice a day – a coffee and pandesal around 9 a.m. and a budget meal on around 4-5 in the afternoon because of the crisis.

Yet, no one from our leaders admitted these facts. No one has showed solution to end this messy plagued. No one suffered the consequences in committing graft and corruption and no one dared to go against this system in this province, not even one of our trusted public officials. Instead, they learned to ride on the system. As the saying goes, “if you cannot beat them, join them.”

Our environment also suffers neglect from our government. For 50 years rewind, the island of Samar was ravaged by giant logging and mining firms. Our forests disappeared, rivers were poisoned, timber and mineral riches were looted, leaving us licking the environment wounds inflicted by alien corporate avarice and again, neglect!

Back in 1980’s, the memory of the destructive effects of mining is still fresh in the minds and hearts of every Samarnons. The land is still feeling the effects of the wounds left by Bagacay Mines who strip-mined for copper part of the Hinabangan town, in Samar. The people of Bagacay, who once enjoyed the brief benefits of jobs offered by the mining company, are now left with a gaping hole in their backyard, robbed of the development options they now need because the land lays dead.

At one time, Samar Island was partitioned into a jigsaw puzzle of mining concessions proposed by at least 41 large-scale mining companies. In another robbery, with the destruction wrought by the massive illegal logging of forests in the late 70’s and 80’s, the full force of nature fatally stricken us with heavy rains surged down treeless hilltops swelling mighty rivers and submerging homes, farms, schools and churches. Samarnons were roused from that deep collective stupor called apathy in 1988 (or is it in 1989?).

Our government never acted heartily in favor of our beloved Samar. Not until a series of an echoing howling of protests by Samarnons that quickly raised the specter of an ecological catastrophe over the loss of the island’s forest cover. From there, an alliance emerged from the deluge. Civil society groups in Samar, swayed by torrents of appeals from thousands of Samarnons made former Pres. Fidel Ramos to declare this island Samar Island Forest Reserve in 1996. This was our first victory.

Then in year 2003, another cry of the Samarnons did not go unheeded. When people across the island – students, elected officials, vendors, priests, media, public workers, men and women -- came together in a historic show of solidarity to support the establishment of the Samar Island Natural Park and oppose destructive mining and logging in the island, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed her PP 442, declaring the 333, 300 hectares of our island’s remaining forests as a “Protected Area.” This is again another victory for us.

But those victories remained in papers only. Corporate mammoths on mining and logging companies, who were put to sleep by the present moratorium, is now kept on stirring a desperate attempt to continue their mining and tree-cutting business. With this, let’s keep our eyes wide open.

Just recently, the 30 thousand board feet of buried logs previously left by the San Jose Timber Corporation is again being retrieved by an influential individual for other places consumption. Without our knowledge, they slipped through behind our doors and get those belong to us. The approval of DENR Secretary Jose Lito Atienza to retrieve these logs and gave it to others is another form of robbing us, digging and holing our places, taking our precious woods to the satisfaction of only one stranger. He should, instead, consult first the Samarnons and the civil groups who fought – by tears and blood -- for these in the past before easily inking a piece of paper that will again rape our forests and hurt us. Even so, he should instead order his men to retrieve these logs, if it is true that this can be more damaging if remain buried, for the consumption of Samar – to our provincial roads and bridges, school classrooms, day care centers, churches, government entities like our provincial hospitals. I am sure we badly need these lumbers for it cannot only save us our development fund, but also save the needs of our poor people who use these structures.

We felt being robbed again when they invited only thirty participants for a dialogue when in fact we are thousands that represents our beloved island. Obviously, we cannot say no for that piece of paper signed by Atienza as we were law abiding citizens. We can do nothing but to ask how about us? I hate to ask this question about “how much” is involved in this system because I hate to think it that way, as others surely think it is.

I don’t know till when my province will suffer this repetitious robbery of our long decade gains. I love this province and the people who live here. I am hurt when I hear somebody is corrupting the public funds intended for the poor. And I knew there are a lot of you out there who also love our beloved province and protects her from any kinds of robbing attempts. I encouraged you to voice out too.

Come on, lets continue to stood still and claim our rights, even so they are claiming their corporate rights. Let us take our pen mightier this time. Let us shout to the world, that Samar no longer want to be robbed again. No, never again!

Mt. Apo Climb reset to October 2009

2009-02-08T16:45:00.007+08:00

The Summit of Mt. Apo

The Possible Route to MT. APO, including the estimate Distance and Travel Time including the Means of Transpo/Fare

February 2009

Dear fellow outdoorsmen,

The Centro Outdoor Sports Unlimited, based in Catbalogan City, in coordination with local adventurer in Samar Island invites all mountain trekkers and enthusiasts to this year’s biggest and ambitious climb to conquer the Philippines’ highest peak - The Mount Apo (10, 311 feet above sea level), this coming October, 2009.

Come and join this adventure of a lifetime and enjoy new and captivating ranges of Blue Lake Agko, Boiling Water & Muds, swift-flowing Marbel River, Waterfalls & Hot spring, Holding Camps, Cultural Communities, Lake Venado, Mount Apo Boulders & Crater and the sky-high summit heavens.

Our registration fee is varied from where the participant will come from. Just contact the organizers. IT includes the following:

1. Transportation from:
Davao City – Kidapawan City (Bus) and within the city tour;
Kidapawan Tourism Office to Jump Off-Point (Brgy. Ilomavis);
and from Exit Point to Davao City
2. Climbing Permit
3. Exit Fee
4. Guide Fee
5. Certificate of Successful Climb
6. Activity I.D.
7. Group Streamer
8. Mt. Apo Climbing Guide
9. Detailed Itinerary
10. Checklist of Suggested First Aid Kit
11. Actual Mt. Apo Route Map

NOTE: Maximum of 20 slots will be accommodated on a First-Come-First-Serve basis.

If the adventurer in you feels like joining, get in touch with us or other joining participants for your inquiries, registration forms and or reservation:

For the love of outdoors,

RICKY J. BAUTISTA
Centro Outdoor Sports Unlimited
Catbalogan City
0920.7675.444
trexpelunker@yahoo.com
www.pinoycaver.blogspot.com

Suggested Trek Schedule

DAY 1
1000 Registration & Briefing - Kidapawan Tourism Council Office.
1100 Free Time (Climbers may buy additional provisions for the trek).
1200 Lunch.
1300 Take jeepney to Ilomavis and Lake Agko. Arrange for porters. Camp overnight.

DAY 2
0600 Breakfast.
0700 Start hike up the Marbel River.
1000 Arrive at Mainit Hot Springs. Take side trip to view waterfall.
Take early lunch and fill water bottles.
1100 Start climb towards Lake Venado. Watch for wild monkeys high in the trees.
1500 Arrive at Lake Venado. Setup camp along shore.

DAY 3-4
0500 Early breakfast.
0600 Trek to the summit taking only water and snacks. Earlier "flashlight" climbs can be attempted.
0830 Arrive at summit. Explore the summit crater.
0930 Start back for Lake Venado.
1130 Arrive at Lake Venado. Lunch. Break camp.
1200 Start descent.
1530 Retrace steps down the Marbel River.
1700 Reach Lake Agko Campsite. Take jeepney back to Kidapawan or camp overnight at Lake Agko after soaking tired muscles in the hot pool.

Special Considerations (This is if you wanna go on your own trip)

· Recommended Time of Year for Trek
The climb may be undertaken any time of the year since the area is not within the typhoon belt but preferably during the months of October, November, December, March and April. The Philippine Tourism Authority organizes an annual climb during Holy Week, which attracts many climbers.
· General Weather Conditions
Rainfall is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year. In other words, expect rain and prepare accordingly. Even when not raining the ever-present cloud cover makes for damp conditions. Once wet, drying clothes is difficult so bring enough for a daily change. Keep spare clothing in waterproof bags. Bring wool hat and gloves especially if camping at the summit. A freestanding tent and gas stove are necessities. Finding dry wood for a campfire can be difficult

AMERICAN LIBERATION CAMP IN BASEY TO BE A HORSE BACK-RIDING ATTRACTION SOON

2006-07-09T14:16:00.000+08:00

(NOTE: Photos are taken from the wire sources)

BASEY, Samar – This town’s historic islet of Jinamoc, the old landing site of the US American Forces during the liberation days will soon be turn into a veritable tourist’s destination in Eastern Visayas.

This after the Jinamoc Island Core Group (JICG) composed of village officials, teachers, parish priests, PO’s, and residents, innovated turning their place into a horse back-riding spot, which would cater the adventure needs of the locals as well as foreign tourists starting next month.

In an interview here, Chairman Adelardo Ocop of Brgy. Salvacion, otherwise known as Jinamoc Island, yesterday said that in the coming days, horses from other places would soon arrive to their place.

“To start with the project, at least three horses from Masbate would soon be arriving here courtesy of the Local Government Unit of this town,” Ocop said.

He added: “the LGU-Basey will also send selected JICG personnel to Cebu City for a ‘special training’ on how to handle this kind of tourism-related endeavor.”

Ahead of this, team building and trainings on eco-tourism, livelihood and sustainable development programs have also been conducted to village officials, tour guides, residents and concerned people’s organizations based in this small village, Ocop said.

“Our (team building) trainings was facilitated by the DILG-Basey… and the Sustainable Development Program, we were piloted in this region through the Asian Social Institute (ASI based in Malate, Metro Manila,” the village chief said.

This development stemmed when Basey SB member Anita Ogrimen, along with Ms. Melbourga Corregidor of SIBF, sought the help of Judith Buhay of the National Anti-Poverty Commission Regional Office 8, who likewise facilitated their request of foreign aid to the Grassroots for Economic section – Japan Embassy in the Philippines.

However, when the JICG submitted their “horse back-riding” proposal worth Php1.8 to the said “donor”, the latter apparently find it “commercialize” and further suggested that a training center should instead be build in the island.

The Japan-NGO vowed to finance the creation of a Central Training Building to be used by the 51 villages of this municipality.

This turn of events, diverting their (Japan based-NGO) funds from horse back riding proposal to training center, the JICG sought the help of the LGU-Basey, and they succeeded.

Accordingly, the LGU will temporarily finance the launching the horse back riding show next month while waiting results to their other requests for financial aid to some foreign donors.

By this new development plus the numerous tourist destinations in this second class municipality, it is expected that more domestic and international tourist will come in, adding the fact that this town is very accessible to sea and land routes.

To recall, the island of Salvacion or Jinamoc, a few minutes boat ride from Basey or Tacloban City, replete with memories of liberation days when American Forces in 1944-1946, occupied the island and established two military and naval facilities named ACORN and SEABEES.

Local historians said the Americans used these (camps) for their air and sea operations in the Leyte Gulf area even after MacArthur landed on Red Beach in Palo, Leyte, and after the surrender of Japan to the American Forces.

Jinamoc was an acronym used by US military forces during liberation to stand “Joint Intelligence Naval and Military Operations Center.”

The Japan based-NGO showed interest in developing the island, which would somehow draw attention from the general tourists and adventure seekers both here and abroad.(Ricky J. Bautista)

THE CENTRO OUTDOOR SPORTS UNLIMITED

2006-06-28T16:19:00.000+08:00

The CENTRO OUTDOOR SPORTS UNLIMITED

CENTRO's History:

As what has been posted at our homepage, we are Samar-based journalists who endeavored into coming up with an institution that can contribute on its own way in providing alternative livelihoods to Samarnons.

The concept was authored when the anti-mining advocacy in Samar Island spread with enormous support from different sectors of society, thus making some Samarnons asked Why mining should not be permitted? What are we going to do with our mineral resources? What livelihood then can we expect if we won't allow mining?

Our effort unbraggingly has succeeded at its initial stage in the Municipality of San Jorge, Samar - thus, we decided for it to continue due to the request of those who witnessed CENTRO's contribution in alleviating Samarnons livelihood condition - but of course in our own right.

We have here, our AFFILIATES and NETWORKS:

1. The Philippine Caving Society (PCS) - One of the only 2 grottos of the National Speleological Society (NSS-USA), and serves as our Cave Guiding Training Partner. http://www.caves.org

2. Samar Adventure Service (SAMAD) - Our partner and ally in promoting Samar's Tourism Industry, Rommel is a Documnetor of this private company.http://www.samad.com

3. Baktasi Adventures (BAK-AD) - Our Northern Samar affiliate headed by Oscar Melkie who works at the N. Samar Capitol Tourism Office, the 2006 host of the 4th National Congress on Visayas Caves.

4. Pro-Cavers Cebu - Our over-all consultant for our various events and activities headed by Bruce Ragas.

5. Adventours Unlimited - Our Manila-based network, a private travel company specializing mainly on Adventure Alternatives.

6. Tribu Hibatang Mountaineers - based in Calbayog City, Samar.

Today, CENTRO is a registered owner of the yearly activity NATIONAL CONGRESS IN THE VISAYAS CAVES (now on its 4th year) and the key initiator of the SAMAR-NEGROS TOURISM CONNECTION last year.

And with your future help and support in our pursuit to reach more Samarnons and providing them more training (in ADVENTURE TOUR GUIDING), we are inviting you OUR FRIENDS to make use of our services, and you will be assured of an exhilirating yet the safest ADVENTURE in Samar; plus you help our beneficiaries earn a decent living.

Please take note that professional tour guiding, does not simply mean navigating the guests to a particular sight, but likewise it involves excellent planning and coordination with the community and other entities that the guest will probably come across into, and most of all pleasing the guest to best of a tour guide's capacity.

The CENTRO OUTDOOR SPORTS UNLIMITED is an organization of experienced tour guides, from adventure to a simple R&R package, and beside, it is the only group in the Province of Samar that offers the cheapest package rates, you will know the answer why?

Click on this link for further details: http://www.centro-sports.tk

Please don't forget to sign in the guest book, and leave your request, comment or suggestions, as we are more than willing to assist you to the best we can.

For Love of OUTDOORS!

CENTRO - Ricky

Blanca Aurora Falls secures packaging from DOT

2006-06-28T12:38:00.000+08:00

By Centro Outdoor Sports Unlimited

INTRAMUROS, Manila – As an off-shoot of the ongoing Wow Philippines festival featuring the Eastern Visayas region at the walled city of Intramuros, the Department of Tourism (DOT) top brasses recently cast an iron to focus on the viability of Blanca Aurora falls in the town of San Jorge as a major tourist destination in the province of Samar.

DOT Undersecretary Oscar Palabyab and DOT-EV Dir. Norma Morante informed San Jorge Mayor Joseph Grey during the opening of the Eastern Visayas Food Festival on December 6 held at the Manila Pavillion Hotel here that the DOT have already enlisted the Blanca Aurora falls as one of their priorities for promotions and packaging.

“Community empowerment however is a must for the plans of the DOT to materialize, and the role of the local government units to make the community living - within a particular site - ready for a full swing tourism development must be realized first”, Dir. Morante stressed.

The DOT is looking forward for a community based participation in their tourism programs, expressing hopes that the initiative will lessen the financial burden from the confines of concerned LGUs, which is usually beset by lack of funds intended for tourism development.

As this developed, San Jorge mayor Joseph Grey told that he will be laying out a comprehensive tourism agenda for his municipality, and emphasized to the media present here that his administration is focusing on development of eco-tourism.

“Our town is endowed with rich and beguiling eco-tourism sites, and this resource once tapped will surely be of big help to augment the san jorgehanons economic conditions,” Mayor Grey explained, but pointed out that the DOT should by all means assist them giving consideration to their lack of funding being classified as a 5th class municipality.

Mayor Grey likewise emphasized that this early, the LGU is already apt into empowering the town of protecting and preserving these natural resources, expressing hopes that someday, eco-tourism will give the San Jorge town a complete turn-around on its economic profile.

Bumming around in Basey: An eco-tourism experience

2006-06-28T12:17:00.000+08:00

by Gina Mission
http://gina.ph/CyberDyaryo/features/cd1999_1007_005.htm
Photo by Centro Outdoors Sports Unlimited

The flight attendant is announcing that the airplane is landing at the airport of Tacloban City. Out of habit, you look out the window for one last look at the sky. Just when you start feeling in your gut the quick descent of the aircraft, you see the clouds quickly disappearing, flying away, to reveal the breathtaking, if fleeting, view of Eastern Visayas’ seemingly endless rugged coastline, its numerous islets, and verdant mountains.

The aircraft brings you to the coastal airport, which is mysteriously quiet. Walking to the arrival area, your mind filled with images of unexplored mountains and caves, exotic wildlife, cloud-hidden lakes, islets sculpted by harsh weather conditions, all those things you see in glossy tourism flyers, you wonder whether it will be worth the trouble getting there.

Even before adventure travel fever hit the country, the islands of Samar and Leyte, collectively known as Eastern Visayas or Region 8, were already popular destinations for people interested in Philippine history. Nowadays, these islands exude a wonderful combination of history and mystery, its tourism potential spelled out in the words ‘adventure’ and ‘fun’, for the thrill-seeking traveler.

Even with local tourism slowly picking up, however, there’s still no mistaking its trademark rural charm.

According to the 1995 census, some 3.4 million people live in Eastern Visayas‘ 21,562 sq. km land area. The population is growing at an annual average rate of 1.8 per cent. The average annual income of the region’s 700,000 families is around P50,000. According to the census, the average annual expenditure in the area is P37,500; the remaining amount goes into savings.

But like most statistics, these figures hardly reflect the living standards of the locals. A look at the people’s lives tells a story of poverty and want in a truly rural setting.

Adventure seekers and accidental tourists, however, do not find the region’s "rural-ness" a problem. Samar and Leyte offer opportunities for action sports, romance with history, and scenic strolls. And for the travel nut, the region’s isolation only means you’ll have everything all to yourself. Like Basey town in Samar, and its many splendors.

Rich, rich Basey

From the airport, you take a Tamaraw FX to Basey. You pay P15 for the 30-minute trip across the 2.16 kilometer San Juanico Bridge that connects Tacloban City in Leyte with Basey in Samar.

Basey is a third-class municipality whose glory days date back to colonial times when it was the population and trading center of the island. It now lags behind its former sitio, Tacloban City, which is the regional capital. But the local government of Basey is trying to catch up with its more developed neighbors by offering visitors what it has in abundance: its rich natural resources.

Basey is home to the grand Sohoton National Park (SNP), an 840-hectare natural park, made up of high and broken ridges of hilly-to-moderate rolling terrain. It has a maximum elevation of 107 meters above sea level. Three main geologically-defined land types exist in the area: an upland plateau, an intermediate karst-limestone block, and lowland areas.

The park offers a great deal of natural wonders. There’s the Sohoton Natural Bridge, a magnificent stone bridge connecting two mountain ridges from which the park got its name. Sohoton" is a Waray word, which means "to pass through." Underneath the bridge is the Sohoton Natural Swimming Pool. " Inside the park is an exciting array of caves, waterfalls, and rare flora and fauna.

Panhulugan Cave I is the largest and most spectacular cave found in the park, with an estimated floor area of 546 square meters. This cave is geologically active, as evidenced by the constant dripping of water from stalactites and the large accumulation of material beneath its chimney holes.

Panhulugan Cave II is a long scar, about 50 meters high, that cuts into the face of the Panhulugan Cliff, a steep rock formation.

Sohoton Cave is a very large cave situated in the eastern portion of the natural bridge. It has a high cathedral-like dome with a parabolic arch-type entrance about 15 meters high. Inside are spectacular limestone formations that approximate the shapes of a eagle’s claw, an image of the Sto. Niño and the Virgin Mary, the Banaue Rice Terraces, and musical instruments, among others

Another attraction in Basey is the Cabungaan Waterfall, about 50 meters high, the base of which has a fantastic tunnel-like passage leading to the Sohoton Natural Bridge.

It takes around four hours to tour the park, one and a half hours (around the lifespan of two petromax lamps) of which is spent spelunking in the area’s gorgeous caves.

To ensure its protection and management, the park was placed under the National Protected Integrated Areas (NIPA) in 1989. According to the local NIPA representatives, visits to the park have not increased significantly since then.

A visit to the Sotohon Park involves taking a native outrigger for an hour and 45 minutes on the Basey Golden River, passing through small, picturesque villages. Rawis, a riverside barrio, houses the still unexplored Rawis Cave, which, according to the locals, is even better than Sohoton.

Basey teems with many caves still waiting to be explored. But the town seems to be in deep slumber, oblivious to the wealth of adventure that it can offer tourists. And though its local government is promoting Basey’s many attractions, it might still take a while for the people of this town to achieve, if only because of its sheer vastness, of their area’s full tourism potential.

WONDERS NEVER CEASE FROM SAMAR NATURE

2006-06-28T11:50:00.000+08:00

By Vicente Labro
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Page A16, June 24, 2006 issue

THERE seems to be no shortage of natural wonders on Samar Island. New eco-tourism sites rise almost every year to accommodate nature lovers and adventure seekers who want to relish nature’s world.

Last summer, a mountain resort operated by the local farmers’ community was inaugurated in Basey and this immediately caught the attention of nature lovers. Located about 20 kilometers from the Basey town proper, the new place boasts of a tranquil and cool atmosphere beneath tall trees and beside a stream whose clear water comes from a waterfall. And it is being run by a group of villagers.

Since its opening last April, the resort has attracted a host of people who came either to just be in touch with nature or to enjoy their excursions or picnics amid the stately trees, the cool stream and the marvelous Balantac Falls.

With many people already coming to the resort, the management has given an assurance that they would never allow the place to lose its natural grandeur. In fact, their foremost concern is to protect and conserve the environment even as they continue to attract excursionists and tourists into this nature resort.

“Actually we did not plan to open the place this early, but people just kept on coming that we have no choice but to accommodate them,” said Nelson Abiada, member of the board director of Rawis Community-based Resource Management Association (RCRMA), referring to the newly opened 6-hectare Balantac Resort.

According to Abiada, Samar Gov. Milagrosa T. Tan provided a funding of over P1 million for the initial development of Balantac Resort. The municipal government, headed by Mayor Vic Labuac, initiated the release of funds for the mountain resort, he added.

Tan and some provincial and municipal officials attended the inauguration of the resort’s Phase 1 last April 19 and since then, Abiada said, people have kept on coming to the RCRMA-managed Balantac Resort.

Minimal fees, future plans

Though the construction of their single and duplex cottages is not yet finished, and they still lack guest cabins, beddings and electricity, the resort is now operating regularly, charging an entrance fee of P5 for each child and P10 for an adult, and a kiosk rental of P100.

Guests would fill all of the resort’s 14 kiosks, especially during weekends, that some of the visitors would just have their picnics on grassy spots beneath the trees.
Abiada said visitors could also hold seminars and even stay overnight at the resort’s two-story Tourism Center, where native products are also displayed for sale.

The Tourism Center, kiosks, and the unfinished cottages are all made of native materials. The kiosks line both sides of the stream, from near the waterfall upstream down to the lower level where a big man-made pool is located. The latter is a favorite of visitors who want to splash and swim in the cool, spring water.

Abiada said they would continue developing the Balantac Resort. In fact, he added, they plan to put up a camping site on a grassy clearing near the trees and across the stream, to put up a “green area” planted with vegetables and ornamental plants, and to construct a 1.5-km pathway leading to two unexplored caves and a hot spring.
“All these will help in the promotion of environmental awareness to our visitors,” he said, referring to their planned projects.

The problem, however, is funding for the next phases of their development project. “We already spent a part of the association’s money during the first phase of the project and we need to replenish that first before we can finance other projects,” he said.

Abiada, however, made it clear that the RCRMA is managing the mountain resort not just for income but more importantly, to preserve and protect the environment. He emphasized that natural resources are perishable and even irreplaceable once lost that they would do their best to safeguard the place.

The venture

The RCRMA was organized in 2000 with 76 members, both males and females, coming from Sitio Rawis, Barangay Guirang, Basey town. Their first venture, he said, was a 246-hectare agro-forestry project in Rawis. They had a coffee plantation and had availed of the government’s carabao dispersal program.

According to Abiada, it was in the 1960s or 1970s when logging firms were still operating in the area that the Balantac Resort was initially developed as a mountain resort where logging officials could relax.

Last year, some municipal officials and RCRMA members thought of redeveloping the place.

Balantac Resort became the second eco-adventure tourism undertaking of the village association, after the Rawis Cave. The cave could be reached from the town proper of Basey by a one-hour motorboat ride along the Golden River of Basey to Sitio Rawis. Its main entrance is located just about 600 meters away from Sitio Rawis.

Years ago, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional office based in Tacloban City wanted the Rawis Cave to become a protected area. The cave boasts of unspoiled and exquisite stalactite and stalagmite formations.

But some residents of Sitio Rawis had decided to manage their natural resources by themselves. In a public consultation about the cave, they voted overwhelmingly against the plan to declare the cave a protected area, for this would mean that the management of the cave would fall on the government through a protected area management board.

The RCRMA now manages both the cave and the mountain resort, and they share the income derived from entrance and other fees with the municipal government.
Sitio Rawis is located about 3 km downhill from Balantac Resort. In the 1960s until the 1980s the village had served as a campsite of one of the big logging firms then operating in Samar. Logging operations in the area ceased in 1989 when the government declared a moratorium on the cutting of trees on the whole Samar Island.
About 600 meters from the Rawis village proper is the entrance of the Rawis Cave. Despite the cave being near a logging campsite, only a few people dared explored the cave and this was already in the 1990s.

Villagers believe that supernatural beings inhabit the cave. According to some of the locals, early residents of Rawis saw a “bulalakaw” or a burning meteorite fall from the skies and soar along the Golden River before finally entering the cave. Since that incident no one dared come close to the cave until the early 1990s.
But if there’s something strange inside the cave, it’s about how nature was able to mold those beautiful and gleaming stalagmites and stalactites that are of different shapes and sizes.

Iluminado Duran, popularly known as Mano Lume, 59, is one of the guides available to those who want to explore the Rawis Cave. Before entering the cave, Mano Lume would first knock on the wall to announce the group’s arrival. Then he would offer a sort of prayer for the “unseen dwellers” of Rawis Cave.

The first things that cave explorers would notice inside the Rawis Cave, however, are the bats. There are of two kinds of bats in the cave, the tiny bats and the larger ones. The small bats occupy some small holes on the cave ceiling while the larger ones hang upside down, also from the ceiling.

Mano Lume revealed that thousands of bats occupy another cave not far from Rawis. This bat cave was featured in a TV show, together with another nearby cave that is occupied by hundreds of snakes.

After meeting the bats, Mano Lume would lead the explorers to the underground wonders of Rawis Cave. The formations found inside the cave include a giant stalactite, a “picture frame,” a statue of the Virgin Mary, a natural bathtub, and a statue of the Madonna. Other formations resemble a miniature of the rice terraces and of the Great Wall of China. There are also plenty of cave pearls inside Rawis Cave, and this shows that the cavern is in pristine condition.

Already, many people, including foreigners, have visited Rawis Cave. Some of them said the boat ride along the snaking Golden River of Basey was already an experience by itself, and that the trek inside Rawis Cave was an ultimate experience.

The town of Basey, however, is more popular as the site of the 840-hectare Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park, which is located about 5 km upstream of Sitio Rawis.

The WORLD LONGEST SALT CAVE

2006-06-27T16:41:00.000+08:00

By Martin Sluka
The longest cave in salt is in Iran - island Queshm in Hormus - the name is "Cave of three nudes" - the first explorers were naked there first time because of large and deep salty lake in entrance. It is longer than former longest salty cave - Malham in Israel - 5685 m. The overall lenght is more than 6000 m.

The cavers from Czech Republic conected the ponor cave with main system.

The coordinates of entrance : 26 deg xx min xx,xx sec N 55 deg xx min xx,xx sec E - try Google Earth - the dark area is salt block Namakdan in which the cave is developed.

Link to map and pictures (only in Czech) but you may find more link if you look for "Cave Namakdan, Namak" in Google (there are articles in English too).

http://aktualne.centrum.cz/domaci/zajimavosti-a-veda/clanek.phtml?id=52459

The BLANCA AURORA FALLS in San Jorge, Samar

2006-06-27T16:28:00.000+08:00

If you arrange travel adventure with us, this is our jump-off and take-off point to various adventure offerings of San Jorge, Samar. This site offers us a refreshing splash, before and after indulging exciting adventure trysts.

MOST REQUESTED PHOTOS IN THE 4TH CAVE CONGRESS

2006-06-27T16:02:00.000+08:00

Most, if not all, participants of the 4th National Congress in the Visayas Caves requested and blow-up these pictures. They assured of joining the Congress in 2007.

1.5 kms "wild river tubing" in Las Navas

2006-06-27T15:37:00.000+08:00

ALL CAVERS READY for their unforgettable tubing experience in the 1.5 Kilometers distance Sag-od River in Las Navas, Northern, Samar.