The Freedom Climb in Osmena Peak

         How did you celebrate your freedom this year? Many just stayed at home indifferent of this epic day of the year... For us, we did something very simple yet satisfying... We climbed a mountain, waved the Philippine Flag, and had ourselves part of history as one of the biggest number of climbers in multiple locations to ascend mountains... HELLO GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS!!!

The St. Mary's Academy contingent to the Freedom Climb 2011...

After seeking out parent's permission, together with our students, Brod. Fritz and I rode on big motorcycles for hire called Habal-habal to get to Mantalongon, the Summer Capital of Cebu... This is our jump off location to Osmena Peak...

 It was dusk when we arrived at Mantalongon Elementary School on June 11, Saturday... Lights were not yet installed so the boys have to do it... We are to stay in this old classroom for the night...

Dinner consists of roasted chicken and "puso" that we bought in the Mantalongon Public Market... We formed the desks of the kids as our long dining table...

 After dinner, we decided to sleep to save energy for the hike the next day... Again, we used the desks as our beds... The temperature is almost unbearable to us accustomed to the hot coastal nights... Tap water is like ice water direct from the faucet... 


We decided not to tell ghost stories because the place itself reeks of creepiness... 


You do not see it, but swiftlets ("sayaw," a kind of bird) which were disturbed by our presence kept on flying above our heads... We have at least five nests in the ceiling... 

The door has no lock... We turned all the lights off... and closed our eyes...

The following day, June 12, 2011 is our Independence Day... We woke up at four AM, washed up and ate some leftovers of the previous night... The sun has not risen yet when we put on our yellow official Freedom Climb shirts and hiked toward Villa Caridad to sign the register as one of those who attempt to make a record of biggest number of climbers...

After being given the go signal, we continued toward the peak under the blanket of misty fog and tall prakata trees... The sun did not mind showing up...

Up we climbed the steep, muddy, slippery, deep and dangerous terrain... (notice the overstatement)

We were one of the first batch of climbers to summit... There we had an opening prayer and the singing of the National Anthem... Sonorously! 

The peak was so crowded one could fall into the precipices on all sides... 


I can't describe the feeling of being wet with sweat yet constantly being fanned by foggy and misty cool wind... But I can say I liked it...

After planting our contingent tree, we posed by this tarp... I don't really know what kind of tree it was... It was like a Christmas Tree... If I heard it correctly, they called it "orcalla"... I do not fancy the idea of having trees planted in Osmena Peak... The view will not be complimented by it... Perhaps we should have had the tree planting somewhere else.

Since we were made to take a different way back, we passed by this cabbage patch... The owner did not seem to notice the weeds choking his crops, so I guess it was harvest time already... Some cabbages had been picked by the owner and by the climbers (with the owner's permission of course)...

 To tell you honestly, I tripped... Luckily, most of them were busy maneuvering the muddy path to notice me fall with a thud... LOL!

Another vegetable patch... Pechay???

PIG SANDWICH??? We were starving so we went right away to the public market to find a decent place to eat breakfast... It's already 9 in the morning...

MANTALONGON PUBLIC MARKET... One of our students, M. Yap, has a store that sells baked goodies on its second floor... She offered us some cakes but most of us craved for rice and meat (We're Filipinos... And Filipinos believe that a meal is not a meal without rice... Cakes are snacks not meals)... 


And even so we were accorded with hospitality by the Yaps, our genial hosts, we opted to take a bite at the quaint "carenderia" just opposite their stall... I ordered hot fish soup, sweet and sour pork, rice and a coke... BRUNCH!!!

 After satiating ourselves, we decided to climb down Mantalongon toward Poblacion ON FOOT... Imagine that... Those who had sore feet decided not to follow us in this noble chase of butterflies... Haha!


At first, there were nine of us who agreed to do it...

Then the number of us dwindled as cramps and muscle pain overtook us... Few hitched over passersby vehicles of other climbers...


Unlike climbing up, climbing down involves the muscles of your feet and knees in a brake-like movement... You are always restraining your muscles from not going too fast on a downhill... This makes  it harder... 


Those who saw us walk gave us looks of disapproval... They saw us up to no good... But their stares betrayed their hidden desire to do the same thing given the strength and the will to do what we are doing...

Who would not want to see these things close at hand??? The only way to enjoy it is on foot...


Apart from the view, I AM AFTER THE EXTRA BRAGGING RIGHTS THAT I HAVE WALKED FROM MANTALONGON TO POBLACION...  Whew! The thought itself always doubles my strength there...

In Sacsac, we passed by this vine with red round fruits... We found the fruits odd... So we picked some... The covering flesh is so hard... Inside is like bagoong (grayish and decaying) but the smell is not repulsive...

A heavy downpour caught us just as we are to have our final descent... So we rested in this small hut owned by that girl beside Brod Fritz... Nearby, police officers are fixing their service vehicle... We thought of riding with them once they fix it... We waited...

THE FRONT OF OUR FREEDOM CLIMB SHIRT... In the hut, we took pictures of our freebies... The shirt, baller and bag tag...

Back of the Shirt with the sponsors... 

Our baller with Guiness Record Number... 

Our bag tags which can also be used as discount card...


The rain stopped, it was almost 2:30... We're so hungry... The last time we ate was at 9 in the morning remember??? The police service vehicle has long been gone... They did not let us ride (Haha! Of course we did not ask them if we could... If they asked us to, we would have readily joined them... But we took it as a sign that if they do not stop and ask us, we should walk the remainder of the journey... Anyway, we're almost through...)

And so, we made it to Poblacion with only aching feet and rumbling stomachs as casualties... But all in all, pride and glory were ours to have... ONLY THE FOUR OF US!!!


WE ARE SO GREAT!!!! LOL!!!!

CLIMB, CLIMB, CLIMB!!! CELEBRATE FREEDOM AND TAKE PART IN HISTORY MAKING...

Jerald Robinson Romero (Hahaha..yahaya kaie...) @ Osmena Peak

A. SPECIFICS OF FREEDOM CLIMB 2011


1. WORLD RECORD CATEGORY: Largest Ascent on a Mountain (Multiple Locations)

...The current record is:

The largest number of people climbing mountains at the same time took place during the "Big Event" on September 10, 2000 when 600 people simultaneously scaled 112 mountains in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

BREAK THE CURRENT RECORD AND SET A NEW CATEGORY:

FREEDOM CLIMB 2O11 - not only aims to break the above record but will set a new category: LARGEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE SUMMITING MOUNTAINS in 24 HOURS (Multiple Locations).

Whereas, in the first category, the participants were only required to complete at least 1,000 feet of the climb in order to be counted towards the final total for the record attempt; Freedom Climb 2011 requires the participants to climb the summit to be counted for the record attempt.

Freedom Climb 2011 is authorized to use the "Guiness World Records" trademark in promoting this event under Claim ID: 339189.


2. MULTI-MEDIA MILEAGE

TELEVISION:
• News-worthy Event right-on the Celebration of our INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Presence of Guinness World Records official Adjudicator/s shall verify on site. GWR Adjudicator/s will evaluate the record attempt and will immediately announce if a new Guinness World Records record has been set, by presenting an official Guinness World Records certificate.

HQ: BURNHAM PARK SOCCER GROUND, BAGUIO CITY
JUNE 12, 2011

A.M. Radio:
• The organizers are currently under-negotiation with a Nationwide Radio Network to exclusively simulcast the events from different localities through AM Radio. Field reporters scattered on different mountain destinations shall feature 'blow-by-blow' details of the event.

PRINT:
• MS.CLAVEL Magazine - Focus on Street Culture. Monthly circulation, distributed nationwide through major bookstores and magazine stands. The event shall be hyped and covered from April, May, June, & July issues.

• FREEDOM CLIMB ANNUAL JOURNAL - included in the Event Kit of every participant, among others, is the magazine: Freedom Climb Journal. Beginning with the 2011 onwards, this journal shall be published and shall be given free to the participants. Magazine specs: 8.5 x 11 inches, glossy, 40pp (min), saddle-stitched, board cover.

Pre-event Advertising shall utilized leading broadsheets to promote the event. The organizers are in tandem with CIRCULATION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (CMAP) which shall promote and endorse the event in their publications.

PHILIPPINES STATE UNIVERSITIES & COLLEGES (SUC) - the organizers are working with various universities mountaineering groups. Posters, flyers, leaflets and other collaterals shall be distributed to more than 100 SUC's nationwide.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS - Several weeks prior to the event, streamers and welcome banners shall be strategically displayed on Boundary Markers of every Province, Municipality or City that participates in the event. A Gateway Booth shall be built on every participating LGU as the main entrance of all participants to register and make sure that they are part of the count on the record attempt.

LOCAL SPORTING GOODS AND OUTDOOR SHOPS - posters and banners shall be posted on selected shops nationwide which shall also act as registration centers.


INTERNET:
• Viral promotion of the event via internet shall be capitalized through social networking sites such as Multiply, Facebook, Google and Yahoo. Most of the more than 500 Mountaineering Clubs/Associations in the country have their own networking sites.


3. GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

Tree-planting and clean-up activity – JUNE 11, 2011

• To help sustain and protect the environment, there shall be a limit on the number of participants for every climbing destination. All participants shall be required to register and reserve a mountain.

• The participants shall be required to plant a tree on the way up, and collect garbage on the way down. In conjunction with the DENR, plans are being drawn how this added feature of the event will be executed efficiently without affecting the attempt for the world record.



DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM (DOT)

• Promotion of Local Tourism; the influx of visiting participants shall boost the tourism of participating LGU's. Also, invitations are extended to International Participants as in the previous freedom climbs (2009 & 2010)


PARTICIPATING LGU’S & PNP

• Support of the LGU's and PNP shall be utilized to make the event as orderly and peaceful as possible. Representatives from LGU's shall act as GWR-verification officials.
• Additional climb Marshalls will be assigned at point of entry and at the summit to document and authenticate all summit attempts as regulated by Guinness World Records, Organizers and HQ in Baguio.




B. MECHANICS OF FREEDOM CLIMB 2011


1. PRE-REGISTRATION

• There will be a pre-registration period starting March 15, 2011 to April 15, 2011. “ONLY THOSE WHO REGISTERED WILL BE COUNTED & WILL BE GIVEN CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT” by the Organizers as authorized by Guinness World Records. Deadline of registration is on May 15, 2011. There will be a master-list of all registered participants.

• To help sustain and protect the environment, there will be a limit of participants for every climbing destination. Participants must reserve a mountain. “NO ONE SHOULD CLIMB ALONE”; a participant must belong to a club. Beginners and enthusiasts are required to form a group of at least ten members, or become a member of an existing club or association before they can register with the event.


2. GOVERNMENT AGENCY COORDINATIONS

• The event is coordinated with the Philippine Government Agencies: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Departmentt of Tourism (DOT), and the Local Government Unit - Municipality or City (LGU) that owns the mountain.

• There will be an assigned Organization, Club or Association for every mountain that is based on that locality to be the Area Coordinating Team; to facilitate the event and to guide the visiting participants.

• Peak Coordinators will be working together with the DENR, DOT & LGU representatives. Together they form the verification committee for each mountain. They will take oath to honestly and truthfully perform their duties as officers of the event and together sign a Declaration of Principles pertaining to the event.


3. THE ASCENT

• STEP-1: There will be a Gateway for every mountain. All participants MUST PASS through the gateway. Each gateway has the list of registered participants reserved in that particular mountain. The officers of the event will check the identity of the participants and make them sign opposite their names. They will be given a special card with a number corresponding to their number in the master-list. They will also be given 1 seedling to be planted as per instruction by DENR Marshalls.

REMINDERS: In order to get the approval & authentication of the summit Marshall, you must not forget to register at the gateway. NO CARD NO GWR AUTHENTICITY and will not be include in the national list.

• STEP-2: at base camp near the summit, another set of officers are stationed with identical master-list. The participant shows the card from Gateway (to be marked by the officers) and signs opposite his/her name before proceeding to summit.

• STEP-3: at the summit, a designated officer/s will give a Special Wrist Band (summit band) with the engraved logo of GWR & Event Title for every participant with a marked/stamped numbered card from acquired from Gateway (step 1).

• FINAL STEP: Going down, ONLY after showing the special Summit Band, will the participant be counted as "OK" by the officers at STEP 2 base camp. After all the participants had finished, the officers shall sign the pages of the master-list documents.


4. TIMING CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE RECORD ATTEMPT

• The designated mountains have different levels of difficulties; the 24-hour period will start on June 11 at 12:00 noon at the base camp near the summit. A participant shall not be allowed to start summitting before the appointed time otherwise he/she will be disqualified and will not be given a certificate and will not be included in the national list.

• The officer/s assigned at the peak, shall be the first to ascend and the last to go down (for low level climbs). For major climb mountains, there will batches of officers at the peak, especially for peaks that have been opened starting June 11. In both situations, the peak-officer/s shall go down last to end the event and sign the master-list documents.

• The base camps are located less than an hour away from the summit, so most likely, the officers will be able to control and calculate the number of participants that have summitted and are still about to summit.

• All participants are encouraged to assemble at the base camp near the summit at exactly 9:00AM of June 12, 2011. In all the mountains, there shall be a simultaneous flag raising and singing of the National Anthem.

• As a counter-measure to validate time: before any attempt to ascend, a snap shot photo shall be taken with all the Base Camp Officers pointing to the first page of the master-list document showing the signature of the peak-officer/s on the top of the list, with wristwatches shown or clock beside the document (at 12:00pm); and if possible, with the camera date and time activated. The same shall be done at the close of the event the following day. The picture shall become part of the documents to be submitted for verification by GWR. The Peak Officers shall ascend first.


5. PRESENCE OF GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS ADJUDICATOR

• BAGUIO City shall be the HQ of the event. All participants within the vicinity of Baguio City shall merge and camp at Burnham Park. There will be a program in the morning of June 13, 2011 with full media Coverage. The Adjudicator will formally announce the success of the record attempt.

• The program shall be attended by Officials of the City of Baguio, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Tourism, and representatives of Major Sponsors of the event.


6. EXTRA FEATURE

TREES WILL BE PLANTED ON THE WAY UP AND GARBAGE CLEANUP ON THE WAY DOWN.



C. RELATED EVENTS

1. PRE-EVENT ACTIVITY

FREEDOM CLIMB CARAVAN (May 1 to 28)
• Caravans shall be set to run in four different locations namely: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The convoy shall complete the full course of the region visiting key Cities and Municipalities to showcase the event. For every stop-over, a camp shall be established within the grounds of the City/Municipal Plaza with booths showcasing different merchandize related to the event.
• The caravan will highlight the mountaineering culture among the locals including our way of life. They will demonstrate how we do things in the outdoors.
• Each caravan will be composed of 5 vehicles which carry with them all necessary camping equipment including photographers, media, mountaineers, sponsor representatives, FREEDOM CLIMB 2011 promo materials.
• The caravan will also meet with local outdoor groups & mountaineering organization and you may join them or follow their caravan.

PRESS CONFERENCE & SEND-OFF CEREMONY (May 28, 2011)
• A press conference will be held highlighting the event. News Media, Radio, TV, Organizers, Sponsors and other guests shall be present.
• Send-off Ceremony shall also follow after the Press Conference for all participants. The Send-off ceremony is a simultaneous event from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Venues to be announced.


2. POST-EVENT ACTIVITY


FREEDOM GIG! / (Grand Party Luzon / Visayas / Mindanao)

• This is where participants of FREDDOM CLIMB converge in a simultaneous celebration from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
• This will the venue where we share information about the Freedom Climb and a celebration of our triumph towards unity and cooperation in the mountaineering community
• This will be a venue where mountaineering groups and outdoorsmen will meet the sponsors, co-organizers, other outdoor groups, outdoor shops and brands, outdoor sport personalities, rock bands and recording celebrities This is like Woodstock, mountaineers style. (Tent City)
• Amenities & other activities will be available at the site such as: Rappel, Zip Lines, Wall Climb, Trade Booths, Games, Group Presentations and a lot more.

FREEDOM CLIMB PHOTO EXHIBIT
• All photos generated in the event shall be gathered and evaluated to be exhibited for public viewing. Venues to be announced.
• To be held mainly at the freedom Gig


FILIPINO MOUNTAINEERS STAND UNITED!

The Dalaguetnon Youth: A vital part of the Body of Christ

Recollections from the 4^th Archdiocesan Youth Congress

“The unity of the Mystical Body produces and stimulates charity among the members of the Body. From this it follows that if one member suffers anything, all the members suffer with him, and if one member is honored, all the members together rejoice. (CCC, p.194)”

The New Testament offers many metaphors for the church, four of which follow. One, it is the Body of Christ. Christ is the head, Christians the many members. Two, the church is related to Christ as branches to a vine. Three, the church is the bride of Christ, an image that stresses the personal, intimate quality of the relationship and the depth of mutual commitment. Four, the church is the people of God, a description that stresses, on one hand, the continuity of the church with Israel and, on the other, the church's potential universality.

                Of the four metaphors, the Church as the Body of Christ is the most fitting description to portray the Dalaguetnons and the whole Archdiocese of Cebu today. We belong to a Mystical Body that is constantly journeying towards growth. For this Body to grow, its head, Jesus, provides nourishment through gifts and assistance by which we help one another along the way of salvation. Without unity, the grace coming from Jesus will be futile, and the result would be a lame and a dysfunctional body.

               

                Of the many members or parts of this Body, perhaps it is the youth who do not fully grasped the role it should take to make the body healthy. He does not believe in his capacity to be a catalyst of change. It is ingrained in his psyche that he is only an insignificant detail to the whole tapestry. And his insecurity and his need to be free are unfathomable to the extent of making him a liability rather than an asset to the system.

However, this cultural problem is only a human product and therefore can be corrected by humans. Correction on the other hand is a risky endeavor, and reform must begin while young and with oneself.

In effect, this is a great challenge of the time for the youth to take. And they can only elucidate this by setting themselves free from their delusion that the grownups especially their parents are after their freedom. Parents, in reality, are not after their children’s freedom. Parents are only preparing their children for their independence. How can they free their sons and daughters if they are not yet educated, if they are not healthy, and if they are not successful enough to raise themselves? Can they survive the world?

If the youth empower and change themselves, then they will become leaders, environmentalists, and religious persons.

As leaders, they can lead with participation, transparency, and accountability. They must follow the rules of the law even if others are not looking. They must study Math to become logical. They must read sensible materials like the Holy Bible. And they must involve or link themselves with organizations that develop their potentials. With these, corruption is minimized and good governance with the involvement of all sectors of the society is achieved. Since governance is all around us, the youth must be the first to see the predicament of ignorance vs ignoring in our society. People who are ignorant of the social problems in the Philippines are curable with education whereas those who are ignoring these problems are already malignant and terminal.

As environmentalists, the youth must make themselves aware that they are not a virus but a mammal. A virus destroys its host whereas a mammal has a motherly instinct of preservation and love to those who nourish her. Consequently, the Philippines, especially Cebu, is the center of the center of biodiversity. The youth must save their environment for according to the Vatican recently, doing harmful things to the environment is a sin. The youth must keep themselves informed to know what to change and how to change our condition for the betterment of all beings.

 As religious persons, the youth must make themselves aware of their spirituality and their relationship with the head, Jesus, and the other members of the Body. There is no fixed or normative spirituality. Spirituality begins when a person starts to understand that he is a son of God. It is a feeling of commitment towards the other parts of the Body.



@ Osmena Peak



When the youth becomes united with the other parts of the Body, they start to feel what the others feel as if their relationship is deep rooted and the very essence of the other parts are the same as theirs. The unity of the Mystical Body produces and stimulates charity among the members of the Body. From this it follows that if one member suffers anything, all the members suffer with him, and if one member is honored, all the members together rejoice.

When the youth commence to grow together with the rest of the body, they start to serve other people even if they are naturally selfish and self-absorbed. They set out doing things for love and sacrifice. They begin to realize that the old people have sacrificed themselves for their sake, and through this, they start to discipline themselves. Discipline is an act of sacrifice especially if it is directed to those you love. The youth tend to do these things to become the best persons for those who love them. They become a forgiving part, for forgiveness frees their hearts from the burdens that they do not have to carry. They start to learn that hatred destroys no one but themselves, and that holding grudges has their humanity as collateral for subsequent damages. However, the youth must not act as self-righteous individuals or else others will become “turned off”.

For all of these things, the youth can triumph in playing their vital role in the growth of the Church and of Dalaguete. This however can be achieved only with the eminent assistance of the other members of the Body. The youth cannot do this overnight. They cannot just say to the other parts to change their negative perceptions for them. The youth must act on it first. And together with the other parts of the Body, they will grow together as the Body of Christ.

How about you? Are you willing to take part and stand as a living witness to your being a baptized person and an essential part of the Body of Christ?