MT. MANALMON

“KIDLAT, KWEBA AT KALOKOHAN SA MT. MANALMON”

                                                                        August 20-21, 2009

MT. MANALMON

I.           Madlum

II.         Tyrolean Traverse

III.      Lightning

IV.       Kuya Bodjie

V.         Mt. Gola

VI.       Sunset

VII.    Filimon Offends

VIII.  Madlum River

IX.       Pebbles Cave

X.         Mini Falls

I.            Madlum

It was August and I wanted to enjoy the long weekend so I planned another mountain adventure. This time, we were heading to my province - Bulacan! Not only would it work in my favor but at that time I wanted to conquer San Miguel’s pride, Mt. Manalmon. It was an easy, small climb. But the experience in that 2-day adventure was big and was worth our time. I experienced a Tyrolean traverse, jumping to the river from the ropes, spelunking and swimming.

Ilyn, Maricon, Augmark, Wilson and I met at the bus station in Cubao. We were supposed to leave the bus station early but Wilson was very late. We waited for him for three hours. After the long wait, he arrived and we boarded the bus going to Cabanatuan. I was a little frustrated that it would mess up our itinerary. We met with my best bud Gino and one of his best buds, Filimon at the eatery at the bus stop in San Miguel. Then, we chartered two tricycles which dropped us at the jump off point of Mt. Manalmon. I got our driver’s cellphone number so that we can contact him the day after because the place was rustic and transportation was difficult.

We saw Madlum river which was protected by an association which the locals also called MADLUM. There were two ways of crossing the river, either by raft or by a traverse. Excitement set in and I forgot Wilson’s peccadillo at the bus station. I wanted to experience the rope traverse and so did my other male friends. But we had lots of baggage so we hired the raft first and crossed the river.

II.          Tyrolean Traverse

We put our things down and checked the depth of the water. Then Augmark, Filimon, Gino and I hurriedly went to the other end of the ropes. We were very excited to try the Tyrolean traverse. It was not actually purely ropes. There were thick wires in it so we were assured that it was really safe. Gino crossed first. He reached the end but it seemed that it was not that exhilarating.  The traverse was challenging but it lacks excitement. Gino settled at the mid portion of the ropes…and jumped! It was Augmark’s turn. My heart started to pump faster. I knew that Augmark will also jump. And of course I did not want to break the trend so I was also telling myself that I should and I will jump. After some pictures taken, Augmark jumped from the ropes and landed in the murky river.

It was my turn to cross the ropes. I had no difficulty in crossing because I had experience in the different types of traverses during my Community Welfare Training Service when I was still studying in UP Diliman. The weather became windy and it was messing with the wires and ropes. The challenge in a Tyrolean traverse is to coordinate your arms with your feet because they are under two different systems of rope support. I walked further. I saw Filimon’s nervous face. He was supposed to be next but his nerves started to get him. He said that he was backing out because the wind became stronger and he was not good at swimming. I knew I can swim. But can I jump? When I was at the middle of the ropes, I looked at the spot where I would be landing. It was necessary to check it because there were ropes in the river as well. I would not want my balls to hit the stretched rope in the river.

I sat down at the bottom wire. My heart was beating very fast. It was a once in a lifetime scare. My mind was telling me to back out but my ego was saying jump. I was always looking for extreme things and Madlum definitely served me one. It took me ten to fifteen minutes to finally jump. However, I grabbed the bottom rope when it touched my hands. But because of gravity, I fell down. I could still remember Wilson’s remark while I was falling down the water, “wow, ang sakit nun!” Rope burn.

I splashed in the water! I started to swim for the shore. I swam hard. But I noticed that I was still at the exact position where I landed. I used my arms and legs again and swam some more but I was still not moving! I was afraid that I would drown. The rope at the water was far behind me. I was swimming so hard but there was something in the murky water which prevented me to move. Then someone grabbed my arms. It was a young local who ended my suffering. I was so embarrassed but I swear I could swim. The river was not that deep anyway. But there was really something in that foggy water, I swear. Ilyn testified that she saw me swimming but was not moving. It was only days later when through research I found out that many had drowned in the Madlum river. That might also be the reason why they put ropes in the river.

III.       Lightning

Drowning in Madlum river was not my only near death experience that day. After we settled in a hut where the MADLUM association entertains their guests, the boys were still thirsty for adventure. We were still not done enjoying the river. Excitement was added when it began to rain. Ilyn, Maricon and Wilson were preparing our food inside the hut when the four boys went out to shower in the river and in the rain.

Augmark and Gino were tasked to buy some things at the store in the other side of the river. Because of my experience in the river earlier, I stayed with Filimon. The water was muddier and murkier because of the rain. Augmark and Gino swam and crossed the river. There were young girls doing their laundry in a rock in the direction where they were swimming. The girls were also taking a bath. Augmark and Gino settled there maybe to show off or mingle with the girls. Filimon and I played with the raft which had no operator that time. Filimon was in the raft and I was in the river playing with the bamboo paddle. Half of my body was under the water. From our place, we could see Augmark, Gino and the girls. Then, the rain became stronger. It was not such an issue but there were also thunder and lightning.

A string of electricity flowed through my body! I was electrocuted and my heart pumped faster! Filimon also felt it. Just milliseconds later, a very loud explosion was heard. I was clueless in the water and I thought I would die. Filimon and I panicked. A man who was watching us said something which became Filimon’s joke of the day, “Aba’y nakakakuryente pala ang kidlat no?” It was not only us who panicked. Augmark, Gino and the girls ran for their lives! They scurried further from the river. Filimon and I scampered towards the hut. We narrated what happened to the girls and Wilson. It was lightning. Filimon said he saw it struck the wire. And because the wire was a good conductor, the electricity travelled in the water and reached us. It was another close shave for me. Half of my body was in the water that time. If the lightning struck any part of the water near me, for sure I would have been toasted to death.

IV.        Kuya Bodjie

Rain was still pouring down. But we had to go for its getting dark already. The girls and Wilson finished cooking our food for that night. We prepared our things and met with our guide, Kuya Bodjie. He was quiet. But he seemed nice and harmless. He had complete trekking accessories from boots, machete and a big flashlight.

It is an SOP for all climbers to get a guide from the MADLUM association. At first we were reluctant to get a guide because Mt. Manalmon is a fairly easy trek. But when I learned that we had to pass by a cave and cross rivers, we stayed at the hut where we waited for a guide. After all, it would help the community there because being guides are part of their livelihood.

We started the trek when rain had stopped. We had to go up a grotto and through the Madlum cave. There was a bit of an excitement when we pass by the cave. It was pitch dark inside and slippery. But the excitement did not last for long. It was only a very short cave crossing. Wilson was amazed by the view at the end of the cave. When light struck us, we saw the incredible cave surroundings and the nature. After a short cave trip, we had to cross Madlum river. Because of the rain, there was a rush of water in the river. After crossing the river, the muddy but short trek to the base of Mt. Manalmon started. The slippery trail took a toll on Maricon. She had lots of slips and ‘almost-slips’. When we got to the grassy area, the trail became less slippery. We took a quick rest and captured some pictures.

V.           Mt. Gola

At the grassy clearing area, we saw two towering structures. On the left was Mt. Gola. On the right was Mt. Manalmon which was our destination. The view of the two small mountains was dramatic with fog covering some parts of them. It was like there was a fierce battle going on between the two. Mt. Gola seemed to be untouched. Kuya Bodjie approved my assumption saying that the trail to Mt. Gola was more bushy, thorny and confusing.

Between the two, it was Mt. Manalmon who was always being visited. Its view is more dramatic and beautiful. Kuya Bodjie said that the view at the summit of Mt. Gola was obstructed with trees. I want to visit Mt. Gola in some future trip. For that day, the pit stop was Mt. Manalmon.

We arrived at the assault area and started our trek up the mountain. It was reminiscent of the Mt. Maculot assault but this time, it was shorter. The lovebirds, Ilyn and Augmark were at the lead pack with Kuya Bodjie. I was the sweeper. We had to pay extra attention to the trail because it was slippery. Wilson slipped after assisting Maricon over the path with a log obstruction. Thank goodness he was clinging in the log. If he fell, it would have been a domino effect for us who were at his tail. The forest of Mt. Manalmon was alive at that time maybe because rain had just showered them. Some of us were already on top, But Wilson and I had to follow Maricon’s pace. Her legs must have been hurt due to the numerous falls that she had.

VI.        Sunset

We saw a flat rock formation where we rested after the assault. Gino and Filimon were sitting and enjoying the view. It was breathtaking. The sun was orange and it influenced the horizon. It seemed big because it was glowing and its rays can be traced. We rested and of course, took the opportunity to capture the view. We could see Mt. Arayat from afar. The view of the sunset on top of Mt. Manalmon was very dramatic. We were lucky that it was glowing orange that day.

Ilyn and Augmark called us. They were already at the campsite. They were laughing because Ilyn slipped out of a bad karma. All the time, she was hiding behind the tall grass planning to surprise us when we pass. But because we took a long time at the flat rocks, her plan was ruined. We had to set up camp because it was getting dark already so we followed them. A few minutes later, we reached the campsite of Mt. Manalmon. I was happy to see that we were the only campers at the campsite. We immediately pitched our tents. It was good that Kuya Bodjie was with us because he provided us with light source. Pitching my green tent which was destroyed in Mt. Marami was difficult. But because of Wilson’s patience, we were able to use it and put it up.

VII.      Filimon Offends

After setting up camp, Ilyn, Maricon and Wilson prepared dinner. We asked Kuya Bodjie to buy some stuffs when he went back to Madlum to eat. The four boys who were almost electrocuted earlier went to check the summit. It was a rock formation which gave rise to the highest point in Mt. Manalmon. The view from the summit was great and the weather was cold. Though we could not see the totality of the view because it was almost dark, we could still see Mt. Gola and the stretch of Madlum river below. I went down the rock formation from the summit while in a sitting position. I was nervous that I would slide all the way down. There were reports of tourists and mountaineers who fell from the summit of Mt. Manalmon. Filimon sprinted down the slope and Gino was not happy about it. He commanded Filimon to behave or accident might come his way.

It was my first meeting Filimon. Although Gino and I were best buds since high school, he and Filimon had been together longer. They had been best buds since elementary although they were not seeing each other constantly. He knew our trip from Mt. Marami and was emphasizing that Gino asked him to come but it was a late notice. Gino, after all, loves to give late notices and advices. Filimon was outspoken and had been offending Maricon since the start of the trek. Even though Maricon was not vocal about it, I felt her angst every time Filimon would leave some sarcastic remarks.

Kuya Bodjie was back and rested on his hammock which he placed between two trees. After dinner was served, we opened one bottle of The Bar and started the socials. Kuya Bodjie joined us. Although we were seven around the camp light, it was Filimon who was leading the limelight. He told several stories and would continue to speak remarks towards Maricon. He would also tell us about him and Gino’s childhood. He would describe Gino and their tricks when they were young. It started to piss Gino and would always tell Filimon to shut up. But he would not. He was claiming he was drunk but there was not really any difference. He was like that when he was sober.

The offending continued when he and Ilyn had a heated discussion over some gender sensitive things. Ilyn and Maricon withdrew from the conversation and headed inside the small, blue tent. Filimon was aware that he was offending a lot of people. But it seemed like he could not stop himself from doing it. When all the alcohol was drained from the bottle, we all settled inside the green tent. We started to tell ghost stories, Ilyn was very scared and concerned saying that Augmark can ‘feel’ things. Then, Augmark sensitively told us about his encounters with the fourth kind in his hometown in Pangasinan. Ilyn and Maricon were scared and no one wanted to sleep in the smaller blue tent. But the conversation was cut when Filimon farted. It was unexpected and hilarious. But I was the only one who was feeling the joke. Filimon had offended every person in the tent. If it was Survivor and we were at tribal council, he would have been voted out.

VIII.    Madlum River

Wilson was the brave soul who slept at the blue tent. All of us huddled in the green tent while Filimon was apologizing to the people that he offended. While we were sleeping, Filimon shouted in pain and Ilyn massaged his feet.

It was morning when we explored the summit area again. We saw the beauty of the sceneries. We took several pictures. Surely, Mt. Manalmon may be the smallest mountain destination in the Philippines but it has its large wonders which some other mountains can not offer. When Filimon and Gino departed carrying our trash with them, the six of us explored the summit area. I found out after the climb that Filimon tossed the trash at the foot of the mountain. Gino did not speak to him for a week and I also tried to scold him about what he did and taught him some mountaineering ethics. We descended from the summit to the base of Mt. Manalmon. The descent was easier and it was not leg breaking. We settled at the base where we decided to wash ourselves up in the river.

The water was knee deep. The river was brown because of the rain the other day but it was not that dirty. I was just more concerned about the creatures that may inhabit the water. A week later I learned from Kuya Kim Atienza that there are leeches in some stagnant parts of the Madlum river. And it is not the small limatiks but the real water leeches which are huge. But the water was constantly flowing because of rain so we did not have any encounter with the leeches. After we enjoyed in the river, Kuya Bodjie prepared fresh coconuts for us. He climbed the trees and gathered coconuts for us! It was nice that Kuya Bodjie was there. After some of us changed clothes we prepared to continue with our adventure. We had one goal in mind: to visit and explore one cave.

IX.        Pebbles Cave

There are several caves in the area but the cave which was most feasible to be explored was the Pebbles cave. Kuya Bodjie said it was one of the easier and nearer caves to visit. So we went back to the MADLUM association hut and waited for Kuya Bodjie who went to get the needed caving gears: light and rope ladder. We boarded the raft, crossed the river and after playing with Kuya Bodjie’s son, we followed him for another trek, this time heading to Pebbles cave. The trek was exposed to sun and I was very unlucky when I stepped on a dog poo. It could have been human poo as well because its smell was so horrible! So as we continued the trek I had to scratch my sandals every now and then to some rocks and leaves. I wanted to go back to the river to wash my sandals but I just sucked it in and focused on the trek.

We reached the base of the cave. This was my first extreme spelunking experience. I had been to some caves such as the Mystical cave but we were walking inside it. In the caves of Madlum, you had to crawl and use genuine caving gears such as the rope ladder in order to explore the whole cave system. Kuya Bodjie assembled the rope. Augmark was the first to go down followed by myself. The ladder was swaying but it was not that difficult and terrifying. Ilyn was next, followed by Maricon who had some light struggles with the swaying ladder. Wilson was the last one. While the other three were going down the rope ladder, I used my headlight to check the surroundings. The stalagmites were playing a trick on me creating some illusions of figures of different things – pigs, crocodiles and even Gollum. I remembered the man-eating monsters of the cave in the movie The Descent. The rock edges were very sharp so we really had to be extra careful. Augmark’s skin was slightly sliced because of some careless gestures when we were sitting at the rocks. Ilyn, his girlfriend at the time, was worried. When Wilson was through with the rope ladder, Kuya Bodjie disassembled it and we continued with our spelunking activity. The cave was slippery because of the water. And because there were some small tunnels that we had to go to, we became dirty. But it was part of the adventure. We reached the so-called Music Room with a very small opening. I had to kneel down and crawl with mud on my feet to reach the inside space of it. Kuya Bodjie demonstrated why it was called the Music Room. When we sort of knocked against the walls in that area, it produced sounds. Different walls produced different sounds with different pitches. It pays to really see and do it rather than just knowing something’s etymology.

Perhaps the most difficult part of the cave trip was the second ladder climb just after the Music Room. I got a little nervous in stepping above the cave rocks to reach the ladder. It was muddy and wet, I was afraid to slip and knock my head against the jagged rocks. But it did not happen. When I grabbed the bottommost plank of the ladder, it took just some average effort to pull myself up. Maricon stayed on the ladder climb the longest. She was nervous and would imply her worries that she might fall on the floor. But it took some more encouragement from us and she was through. 

But it was not the end of Maricon’s misery because by the time that we hit the sunlight, we had to climb up the walls of the cave. I had some difficulties too but upon seeing the view of the cave which was so serene was marvelous. I had the chance to stay put for some time while Ilyn and Augmark were further up and Maricon and Wilson were further behind. It was nice to see and explore the cave. The sweat and mud were not really something to loathe. The experience was wonderful. I might explore some caves again as long as there are no ‘The Descent’-monsters yet in Philippine caves.

X.           Mini Falls

We reached the end of the cave safe and contented. I was already satisfied with our Mt. Manalmon trip but it still had one marvel to show me. Kuya Bodjie led us to the falls which was more of a secluded private pool with not-so-deep clean stream water. Technically, it was not really a waterfalls. The water falling part was just two feet. But what made it interesting was the clarity of the pool with clay floor and talc-like rocks. It was especially enjoying and relaxing after the descent from the summit of Mt. Manalmon and a spelunking trip. We washed directly from the mini falls and explored its small cave inside. The water was not that deep. The only bothersome was the log inside the cave which seemed to be a creature hiding and waiting to surprise us. I was expecting an Undin-like creature inside the small cave. But no extraordinary creature surprised us. Wilson decided to take a picture of us inside the falls and with the help of his zip locked bag, we were able to capture a group picture inside the small cave behind the mini falls.

We cleaned ourselves up and went back to the jump off point. We paid Kuya Bodjie. It was worth it. He was able to help us throughout our whole adventure. It was time to say goodbye to Mt. Manalmon and Madlum. We walked and walked. Upon reaching the house of Kuya Bodjie, there was a tricycle which we hired. We waved goodbye to Kuya Bodjie, to his wife and their son. My extreme experience was not over as I got a chance to ride at the tricycle’s edge. I was very pleased with my Mt. Manalmon adventure. The good thing about it is that it is protected by the Madlum association. Madlum, aside from Biak Na Bato, is really one of San Miguel, Bulacan’s treasure and pride.