Sicao Village: A 2-day Mountain Climbing Adventure

It takes a Million steps, hunger, devastation and downfalls for us to realize the essence of appreciating the beauty of nature, regardless of how far it is to reach the highest part of the Archipelago, what matters is that, what does it brings to everyone.

I am absolutely proud not just because I reached this newly recognized Ancestral Domain in the Phils., but because of the fact that I was one of the hundreds of mountaineers who acknowledged the presence of Tribes in this area as a community who also brought simple activities, funds and feeding of children.

I honestly know my abilities to climb mountains and cross over rivers and forests, and when I was being invited by my cousins to join the mountain climbing activity, I was feeling so excited, and honestly? I was actually sick a night before the event, but my urgency pushed me to beyond my limits, the fever never hindered me to still join with them, as I thought that I can only take a medicine to let my body back to normal. I came home in Toril, prepared and pack up the things that I needed to bring on the Village. I got my tent, (a beach tent… haha), sandals, burner, utensils, extra shirts, leggings, water and everything... But forgot to buy my medicine, it was too late when I realized I needed that.

On the day of the activity, I still feel sick. As we woke up very early at around 3:00am, I was excited, but again, my fever continued. We departed from Toril and arrived at Bgy. Tamayong around 6:00 in the morning. We had our long walk from that Barangay to the Camp Site. It was very challenging and I was feeling hungry. That when I also realized that we still have to cook for our breakfast once we finally arrive at the Village.

I can still remember that very morning, we walked with eagerness to arrive at the Camp Site for almost 3 hours. Finally, at around 9:00am, we arrived in that place, in the Camp Site, it is the Sicao Village. A large area where climbers are given a place to set their tents and other materials. We looked for a space where we could finally settle down. After settling down, we starter preparing our breakfast/lunch. And how was me? Super hungry and my fever was making me very weak and cold. That moment when everyone was enjoying the feels of the cold wind and peaceful Village, I took a nap and tried to get back the physical strength that was loss due to hunger and tiring walking activity.

It woke up again and the sun stared to set. The people in the Village were becoming noisier, energetic. At night, there was a short program. It was still organized by the people behind the Climbing event. Somehow they made the people laughed, they had raffle activities, pageant and other entertainments. After that night, we went back to sleep and took a rest. I needed to prepare myself for a real battle the next day.

The second day was another exciting day. After having our breakfast, organizers were calling everyone to prepare as we needed to walk 3 to 4 hours to get to Sicao Falls. Exciting! But my body was still weak. But I decided to join the activity, because that was exactly the main event.

As we started walking, and maybe because of the eagerness that I had during that time, my body was slowly returning back to normal. We walked under the heat of sun, and another set of tress, muds, itchy grasses and cross over many rivers.

We finally reached the Sicao Falls. Almost 4 hours. That was crazy yet awesome! I tried the water. Swam and enjoyed the waterfalls. The water was very cold and sweet. We actually drunk and tasted the waterfalls. In that area, there are a total of 3 water falls to enjoy, arranged in just a matter of 3-minute walk far from each falls. Awesome!

But, wait! Everyone was silent. We had fun swimming. It’s time to go back. Yes! We needed to go back to the way where we walked through to reach the waterfalls area. Indeed, that it was another 3-4 hours walk to get back to the Camp Site.

Around 4:00pm, we got back to the Camp Site. Organizers instructed everyone to pack up as we had to go home. From the Camp Site, we walked again reach back to Barangay Tamayong. 5:00pm, we started to walking and in the middle of the distance that we needed to walk, the dim has been scaring us. I guess it was already 7:00 in the evening that we finally reached the Barangay. Some of our friends were lost in the middle of the forest, we waited for at least an hour until we saw them coming over.

As we were heading back home, memories cannot be replaced with anything. I it was a kind of memorable experience that every event I cannot forget. And again, I was happy because I was one of those individuals whose hobbies are climbing over mountains and to discover hidden paradise in Mindanao, and as well as to at least create a little community service.

As I end this article, I want to leave a message to those people who cannot appreciate the things; that Mountaineers do a lot of things can make us happy, we can do a lot of stuffs, activities and more just to satisfy the need to socialize. Socializing means to explore different areas not just within yourself but by the environment; not just by the people around you but also by the sounds and the views of nature. A Mountaineer is a person the establish an intangible relationship between his abilities to appreciate the beauty of nature. A Mountaineer spends his money to buy Mountain climbing tools not to gain attention by his co-Mountaineer but because he wants to show them his passion, that when people see him preparing his materials, it’s not just they see a mountaineer but a person who will describe the nature as something that deserves to be loved and be given a time.

Special thanks to my cousins for inviting me again. Although I was scammed with the organizers for not giving me the Jersey Shirt for the activity (I'd like to mention their group name, it's LAGIM - League of Associated Gays blah blach), it is supposed to be a remembrance and I also paid for it. hahah, but the experience cannot be replaced by any thing... We say, more climbs, please....