Mt. Binaratan Summer Climb

April 15-22, 2008 Dacalan Tanudan Kalinga Province
Kalinga Mountaineering Society

Nightmare with magellan GPS device

I have this problem with my magellan GPS, all around the internet i have searched for such answer to the problem but all of the researched i have made has one answer from all over the world user of magellan gps, then you will received such e mail from their very humble technical support!!! "Sorry, we might be afraid that their is no solution for the problem you are experiencing with your own unit, but we are glad to tell you that you can swap your magellan GPS device with a new model with a cheaper price." my gulay!!!!!!! i shouldn't have gambled with garmin GPS.. in my remaining life i will never ever recomend magellan GPS, go to garmins products....our balbalan recon went into failure due to this magellan's GPS device...

The Last Ming Dynasty Gong in Kalinga

I am just wondering about the origins of gongs in Kalinga so i started to ask the elders during an "Am-ammong" a term use to describe a tribal community where they gather at night to tell stories in a fir place.

According to the elders they believed that their are 6 original (First to arrive in Kalinga as barter) gongs from kalinga which they name as Pusok, Bakaw, Tumiknag, Udo-or and the 2 is un named or maybe forgotten by this new generation of elders. The six gong is believed to arrived in kalinga during the Ming dynasty, if i am not mistaken , either 15th century or 16th (i think Ming dynasty lasted til 1662) century so with porcelains, and beads that is being bartered to the kalinga people.

Where are this gongs? Pusok is already broken, it was accidentally drop (Current owner: Mr Bayangan).. Bakaw is still existing (Owner: Mayor Rhustom Dagadag), Tumiknag is still existing (Owner: Dalanao Ayangdo (+) Macario Dalanao (+) but under the possesion of Judge Dalanao}, Udu-or can no where be found but they believed that it is in Sumadel Tinglayan Kalinga.. i Have tried to trace the two remaining gong but to no avail, i still believed they are being sold in the 1980's for the tuition of students and i hope they still exist within the philippines..

By the way if you are wondering about the prices of this gong. During the 1970's it cost 15 Carabaos each..

(The Pictures above are not the gongs i am referring, i have the gong tumiknag beside me but i forgot na pinahiram ko pala digicam ko kaya i can't take a picture of it.) I am not sure kung yung gong na hinahawakan ng son ko sa picture is tumiknag..i just can't identify it , cguro camera effects during the shot pero i am pretty sure the old gongs usually resembles a color with green and shiny gold type

Mt. Binaratan Summer Climb 2008

Itinerary
Mt. Binaratan
Tanudan Kalinga Province

APRIL 05-13, 2008

Major Climb
1886 Meters Above Sea Level
Difficulty: Unclassified
Elevation Gain: "Climb will start at the dacalan river 520ft. ASL"
Hike will start atleast 10 hours fro jeepney jump off to the dacalan river (wet season), atleast 4 hours to dacalan river from jeepney jump off (Dry Season)

Day 0
1800-2100 ETD for Tabuk City via Autobus or Victory Liner (P565) 12 hours journey by bus

Day 1
0900 breakfast/Rest
1200 lunch
1300 Secure guides / Register/Prepare
1800 Dinner / socials

Day 2
0600 wake up call
0700 Board a 6x6 truck to Jump Off Site (Se-et Tanudan Municipality) 200php each fare
0830 Enjoy the ruggedness of the road
1200 Lunch at Jump off Site
1300 Assault to Mt. Tangob
1630 Descent From Mt kokok to Base Camp
1800 ETA Pugo Barangay Lubo Tanudan Kalinga
1830 Set up camp; dinner

Day 3
0530 Await the sunrise; prepare for breakfast and departure
0700 Start Trekking to Barangay Dacalan (Mt. Binaratan Base Camp)
1130 Lunch at Barangay Dacalan
1200 REST
1900 REST and prepare for tomorrow’s assault

Day 4
0530 Await the sunrise; prepare for breakfast
0700 Assault to the Summit of Mt. Binaratan
1130 Early lunch along trail
1830 ETA summit of Mt. Binaratan
1900 Set-up camp/Dinner
2000 Socials/Rest

2 Options

Day 5
0530 Await the sunrise; prepare for breakfast
0700 start descent from Mt. Binaratan
1230 Lunch Barangay Dacalan
1330 Wait for tomorrow to avoid night trekking OR
1330 Trekking to Matabor Falls
1700 ETA Matabor Falss
1800 Dinner
1900 River Night Trekking (Rock Jumping)
2400 ETA Barangay Lubo Tanudan
0100 REST

Day 6
0600 wake up call
0700 Prepare to Move /Assault to Mt. Kokok
1200 Lunch along the trail
1600 ETA jump-off site
1700 Take a 6x6 truck ride Back to Tabuk City
2100 ETA Tabuk City
2130 Dinner/ Socials

Day 7
0800 Breakfast
0900 Souvenir shopping
1200 Lunch
1600 Return to Manila/ Baguio via autobus/ Victory Liner/ Gl Trans/ Dangwa Tranco

REGISTRATION FEE: 600 inclusive of Pamasahe Going to Tanudan
CONTACT: NATS DALANAO 09216023500

Overview
Mt. Binaratan is dubbed as the silent Mountain, it is the entry point of General Aguinaldo during his escape. Mt. Binaratan is the boundary between Mountain Province and Kalinga Province.The environment is comprised of dense, mossy jungles, where animals such as wild boars and deer roam, and where limatik (blood leeches) are a constant menace.

Mt. Binaratan according to legend, is the hunting ground of kabunyan "The Kalinga God", Once upon a time when Kabunyan is hunting at Mt. Binaratan, the birds are too noisy that he can't even hear the barking of his dogs and he lose sight of them.He then ordered the birds to keep quite. Today Mt. Binaratan is popularly known as the silent mountain among the locals,

Making some fun during Ullalim 2008

here are some edited videos during the Ullalim festival

Arnel Banasan

Here is the translation for the song


Children who are energetic and explorers
Ladies and Gentleman
Hear me for what will I share
The advice of the elders

You are a human being with intelligence
You should not scold your parents
Because the life you are enjoying right now
Is a credit to your parents and the lord god

Hahahaha hahahaha aaaaaa (tribal Chanting)

If you want to go to school
It's Either Baguio City or Manila
Try your very best
To earn a Diploma/Degree

If you want to marry
Think five times
Ask the elders about life after marriage
Because it is very hard to start a new family

(tribal Chanting) hahahahaaaaa aaaaaa aaaaa

If there are parties or occasion
Get along with the people
Hear the elders with their advice
That is how an ekalinga behave

When they offer wine
A wine that is very tasty
Drink it and enjoy
That is how an ekalinga behave
But don't drink too much
Because it will be bad for you
It will change the way you walk
You will walk in a zigzag pattern like angtan (Ghost)

(tribal Chanting) hahahaha hahaha ahahahaa

Children's!!! Ladies and gentlemen
Hear what I am saying
The advice of the elders

Let's go all learn the pagta (By Laws) of the Bodong
Because it is our law
A law that binds us
A law that dictates how we behave.....

Tribal Chanting...................... (less)

Stranded mountaineers rescued in Quezon

(UPDATE) Stranded mountaineers rescued in Quezon

Sixteen mountaineers stranded in Mt. Cristobal in Dolores, Quezon have been rescued by the Air Force's 505th Search and Rescue Group, ABS-CBN News reported Sunday.

The mountaineers, some of whom came from the Pencil Advertising Group, were stranded near the summit of Mt. Cristobal since Saturday, correspondent Ron Gagalac reported.

Two of the mountaineers identified as Sonny Angeles and Eric Sanchez sustained major injuries and were the first ones airlifted to the military's Southern Luzon Command headquarters in Lucena City.

Angeles had a broken knee while Sanchez suffered a shoulder fracture.

The remaining 14 mountaineers were airlifted in the second chopper to an Air Force camp in Candelaria in Candelaria town. They were being treated by Red Cross medical technicians as of this posting and are scheduled to leave for Manila afterwards.

The Pencil mountaineers were identified as Michael Nisperos, Lan Vilmonte, Oliver John Gomez, Jesus Valmonte, Tady Diaz and Reg Romanilios.

Aside from Angeles and Sanchez, the other injured mountaineers were named as Sam Kabiling, Jeremy Reyes, Teri Binambang, Jean Aparis, Alex Madrona, Coy Roxas, Jaime Magpayo and Arnold Garchitorena.

Officials said the rescue mission was made difficult by the zero visibility and strong winds near the mountain's summit.

The mountaineers said they took the wrong path in ascending the mountain. They said that the path was the one usually used by trekkers in descending from the peak.

Red Cross officials added that the wrong path used was the reason why the mountaineers were stranded.