TREKKERS MEDITATE ON CHRIST’S RESURRECTION IN THE MOUNTAIN JUNGLES OF AURORA PROVINCE

MARIA AURORA, Aurora, April 15, 2012-As part of the “Akyat Para Sa Turismo at Kalikasan” Program of the Noble Blue Falcons International( Environmentalists, Peace Crusaders) and  in support of the Tourism campaign of Aurora Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo and Maria Aurora Mayor Ariel S. Bitong,  32  combined Pinoy mountaineers from Isip Berde Mountaineering Club(IBMC), Concerned Aduana Mountaineers of the Philippines(CAMP) and Noble Blue Falcons Environmental Mountaineers(NBFIEM) climb and do mountain clean-up and outreach of Mt Maaling-aling(Mt Vincent) in Brgy. Villa Aurora, Maria Aurora,Aurora,Philippineslast Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, April 5-6, 2012 dubbed as “Lenten Climb for Tourism and Nature.”

During the 8-hour grueling ascent to the peak under the summer heat, fruit-bearing trees were planted to augment the food supply of the Aeta (Agta) Indigenous people prevalent in the locale as requested by Brgy Villa Aurora Brgy Captain Henry A. Padilla (also NBFI Villa Aurora Chapter Chairman). The participants are: Benjie Ramosa, Dackie Cagapa, Neyz Royol, Chris Sinadian, Alvin Magistrado, Jonel Valdisimo, Jaime Mendoza, Dan Bagagnan, Marvin Olivar, Ron Baladan, Christine Asignacion, Marlon Pila, Jonar Raon, Joselito Geneveo, Michael John Sayaman   of Isip Berde; Nobert Astamillo and Anasor Inumpa of Aduana; and Alvin De Guzman, Ruel Villar, Vicente Porte, Noriel Salazar, Guides Lito and Randong,  Arjun Nocete, Arnie Somido, Vicente Porte,  Leopoldo Casanova, Rommel Bautista, Ronald Sabalo, Janet Gañosa, Edgar Beliganio and Ronald Go of  Noble Blue Falcons. Among the NBFI participants, the NBFI mountaineers’ song was sung and the Rules and Definition of Environmental Mountaineering were taught.

According to Prof. Joseph Beatriz Usita, National Chairman of Noble Blue Falcons Int’l (NBFI) and the Father of Environmental Mountaineering in the Philippines, “Mountaineering is not only about conquering heights or breaking personal records-it is about motivating people, rich or poor, to the mountains for them to both enjoy and protect it. I would rather climb a single mountain with a multitude of transformed environmental mountaineers with me rather than scale a hundred peaks alone and for my own glory. For I learned in my life, that the hardest things to conquer are not the highest mountains but the hearts of men.”

So, in order to both enjoy and protect the mountain, the Rules of Environmental Mountaineering, according to Prof. Usita, must be observed which states that, “Aside from pictures-take nothing but garbage; Aside from footprints- leave nothing but tree seedlings; Aside from Time-kill nothing but bad habits. Save the only world we have-the Mother Earth.”

This mountaineering event is meant to promote Aurora’s mountains to both local and international tourism as an alternative economy to destructive forest-based livelihoods such as logging, kaingin, wood charcoal-making, illegal vegetable gardening, mining and quarrying. Other famous mountains of the province where monkey-eating eagles are in dangers due to logging and kaingin are: Mt Falcon (Danayag),Mt King(Minoli,)Mt Beatrice(Kabulao)-San Luis; Mt Ravelo (Pamazam-pazam), Mt Rodel (Udok)-Maria Aurora; Mt Egay-Dipaculao; Mt Legaspina-Casiguran; Mt Paradero-Dilasag and Mt Galvez (Anacuao)-Dinalungan.

Meanwhile, other NBFI environmental scheduled climbs are: Sierra Madre traverse (Jan.19-March 19, 2013), The Reunited Climbers: Outreach in Mt Quebal,Gen. Nakar, Quezon (April 27-29, 2012), Summer Climb for Tourism and Nature in Mt Isarog (Mt Agulay), Camsur (May 12-13, 2012), The NBFI: Dumagat Outreach in Umiray, Dingalan, Aurora(May 17-18, 2012) and the nationwide simultaneous Independence climb for Tourism and Nature(June 1-12, 2012) in Mt Balagbag (Mt Emil)- Marinduque; Mt Maaling-aling (Mt Vincent)-Aurora; Mt Arayat(Mt Colambo)-Pampanga in Luzon; Mt Madjaas (Mt Acido)-Antique in Visayas and Mt Apo (Mt David)-Davao Del Norte/North Cotabato and Mt Kitanglad(Mt Gil)-Bukidnon in Mindanao.

Founded in March 19, 1996 in the Philippines, Noble Blue Falcons Environmentalists has 444,000 members(maximum cap) scattered nationwide with 8,000 Environmental mountaineers helping the provincial Government of Aurora to protect the province’s fast diminishing forest cover and promoting Aurora’s tourist spots thru eco-tourism advocacy.

NBFI Environmental Mountaineers hold the Pinoy record of the most number of combined Pinoy and Foreign climbers in a single ascent on a single mountain at 197(American, French, South Korean and Pinoy mountaineers) in the Philippine International Climb 2011 to Save Sierra Madre in the conquest of Mt. Falcon in Ditumabo, San Luis, Aurora, Philippines last April 30-May 1, 2011. A pioneer in Environmental Mountaineering, the Noble Blue Falcons Int’l is the biggest environmental group in the country today in terms of manpower strength. (Noble Blue Falcons Aurora)