I remember myself when I started mountaineering. It started when I saw the university wide organization in UE posted in bulletin boards which University of the East Mountaineers was included. I’m too much interested in adventures. June 2006, it was my first year in college. I saw the UEM PHOTO EXHIBIT. The Philippines Everest team Sir Pastour Emata, Dr. Ted Esguerra and Sir Art Valdez visited UE and UEM photo exhibit. It was the last day of Photo Exhibit and recruitment. It’s already finished and been packed up. I filled up for the last application and attended the orientation on the same day. I meet my co-applicant which are my batchmate, UEM members and UEM alumni. I don’t have any idea about mountaineering. All I know it’s about adventure. There are requirements before you become a full pledge member. Terms and conditions, limitations and laws implies to all (org).
The next weekend was our first minor climb (fun climb) in Mt. Batulao - Nasugbu, Batangas. I’m so excited even though I don’t know what could happen. Mountaineering taught me on how to expect the unexpected. It was raining too hard and my parents told me not to go but I wanted to climb and experience it. One of the members told us “Rain or Rain tuloy tayo”. I wore shorts, t-shirt, Chuck Taylor shoes and I brought my outdoor backpack, 1 kilo of rice,6 liters of water, tribu slippers and extra clothes. Even though they told us what to bring and what to do, I don’t do it exactly. Until we reached the jump off (evercrest), it was raining. I decided to use my slippers. Oops, I don’t have plastic bag or any protection for my clothes and valuable things from rain. Luckily, one of my co-applicants has a plastic bag (Thanks whoever you are.).
Start of the trek I already got wet. We warmed up and pray. We had a facing and buddy system. I was assigned in middle part with mam PJ Fermillan. I was shivering in cold and wet. We greet all locals we’ve see and encounter. Not only the officers and members but the UEM itself taught us to be polite and respectful to others and especially for the mountain. The trail was to muddy and slippery. The trail was small compared todays trail in batulao. There is only one trail (tradition/ old trail) before but now two. We crossed a small river and reached the first campsite (camp 1). We pushed in camp 6. I struggled climbing for my first time and honestly I used my hand and even my knee (4x4 and 6x6). Isn’t funny right? haha. But I’ve learned my lesson from the first time and each time I climbed mountains. After dinner I went inside our tent, rest and think how could I descent this mountain. Going up was a hard time and what more on going down.
The next day we woke up early and ate breakfast. They asked who wants to ascend the summit. My friend/batchmate Joel Baltazar and i think about it seriously. They told us that it is steeper and the wind was too strong up there. I decided to acsent. Ofcourse I use my 4x4 strategy. We reached the camp 9 and I asked them if it is the summit. It’s a big NO. The summit was covered by fog. Literally I used my hand to cross the ridge and I feel so scared. I feel the wind could blow me down the cliff. i feel much scared when I saw the wall. We climb up, I embrance the wall, carefully step on each rock and reached the summit. Thinking what I’m doing here. Is there any semi minor climb? hahaha. We sat down far from the others. I, Joel baltazar and Paolo Tordilla we’re thinking and joking. Is there any helicopter to get us down? How can we descent this mountain. After picture taking, we started descending and back to camp 6. The finale of much unawaited scenario. I go down carefully and safely descent from the wall. Ofcourse, I’m so very happy. I asked my self when is our next climb?, what mountain? I’m too excited to know and climb again. I saw Mt. Batulao and said to them “we’ve been there a moment ago”. I want to climb mountain. It all started here.
