"Punsong Bato"

1
Nagsimula ng alas – otso
sa Liana’s nagkita tayo;
Isang buong araw lang ito
hindi dapat maatrasado.

2
At iyon nga ang nakapangyari
Tamang oras nagkita kami;
“Santiago dos” aming biniyahe
Sa drayber “tarangka” lugar na sinabi.

3
Makalampas lamang ng mahabang tulay
Umaho’t lumiko ng kaliwa ang gabay;
Matapos ay kanto malaking puno ang bantay
bumaba na kami sa pagkakasakay.

4
Doon ang panimula ng aming lakbayin,
Matapos ng kabahayan simula nang ahunin;
“mangkit at amorseko” madikit, matalim,
Sa init ng araw lalong mapapansin.

5
Nang may isang oras, nagpahinga sa burol;
Sa ilalim noo’y may tubig na sibol
Uminom, sumalok botelyang aming baon
At nakipaghunta pa kay Pedrong tagaroon.

6
Ilang sandali pa’y nangaghanda na naman
“Sitio Bignayan” amin nang nilisan
Patuloy na nilandas ang gubatang daan
Na sa dulo nito’y burol na hangganan.

7
Matapos tawirin maliit na ludlod
Kasunod naman ay bayabasang gulugod
Sa gilid ng cogonan bumaybay at sumuot;
At saka bubungad bahagdan nitong pusod.

8
Doon ay nagpasya na tumigil panandali
Ganda ng paligid na walang pasubali
Bagaman talampas ang magkabilang tabi
Init, hirap at takot agad na mapapawi.

9
Nabighani sa lugar at kami’s nanahan
Matapos dumulog tuloy na naghuntahan
Sarap ng hangin na pumapagaspas
Nagpasya pang umidlip kulang isang oras.

10
Manaka-nakay mulat sumandal ang kaharap
Parang sinasabing “kayo’y aking tinatanggap”
Kaya’t nang kumulimlim ako’y bumangong ganap
Sumiksik sa guang, dingding ay niyakap.

11
Malakas ang hangin, matingkad ang araw
Isang maling hakbang, maari kang pumanaw
Ngunit dahil narin sa kakaibang tanaw.
Kaligayahan sa pagdating ay nag-uumapaw

12
At eto na nga ako sa taluktok nitong dulo
Bubungan nitong lugar na kinatatayuan ko
Ikaw nga’y totoo o “Punsong bato”
Aking dasal at pangako “muling magbabalik sa iyo”.

Bundok Banahaw

Silently, amid the noise and haste....

January 16, 2010. At four o'clock early morning, we eluded. Just before day break, while everyone is still asleep......in darkness we croseed the river and moved towards the trailhead. Clearly as I hear the sound of the chirping birds and the rushing waters of the river....with no lights, on quick and strong but noiseless strides we were up on the ridge in minutes.

Away from the guards and the unnecessary interrogators that asks silly questions, my eagerness of touching Mt. Banahaw again will finally come to a realization. While we took our first rest stop, I grabbed my camera and took a shot. Then thereafter, was an enjoyable journey up to the summit.

Peek at the Peak

It was a clear day. We arrived at the summit camp exactly 1 0'clock in the afternoon. After settling down I noticed clouds were getting bulkier. Strong winds were blown much harder after another with upward strokes coming from the caldera. I rushed at the summit and checked if the horizon is still visible.....it was not, I was late. Then the rain has begun. And it did not stop even until we got down the next day. Soaking wet but able to arbitrate any dangerous slip or fall all throughout the descent. In four hours, we were back at our base camp.

Beauty, Madness and Patience

Lots of beauties were still not captured by my camera but only by my naked eyes. Seeing them is a wonderful experience. Pictures were taken only on the first day. On the second day, we plan to descend by the great waterfalls but rain was pouring hard. Waters were brutal so we moved away from undenying danger instead. A once gentle river suddenly became gruesome. We crawled like cats crossing it and descended further to safety.

Forgive me, but I wtill wish to come back.......soon.