ROADTRIP: Bangkong Kahoy Valley

An isolated valley spared by modernization, Bangkong Kahoy (BK) in Quezon Province is the perfect place to unwind with the trees, butterflies, dragonflies, and geckos. It is one of the places where you can bring your friends, family, or loved ones to enjoy the unspoiled beauty of nature. Located between Mount San Cristobal and Mount Banahaw, BK Valley is situated in the middle of vegetable fields.


How to get there
From Letran-Calamba, take a jeepney going to San Pablo City. There is a terminal near the San Pablo’s public market with jeepneys going to Dolores Quezon. From the church of Dolores, you can take a tricycle going to Brgy. Kinabuhayan. From there, Bangkong Kahoy Valley is a stone’s throw away.
There is one important thing you should secure before going to Bangkong Kahoy, and that is reservation. They impose a limit on the number of visitors for an isolated experience. You will have to arrange with the owner how you want to get to BK Valley.
If you are energetic and ready to explore every bit of the trip, you can go for a three-kilometer trek guided by some local residents. If you want something less tiring but equally exciting, you can arrange for horseback riding. And if you want a bumpy ride, you can ask the owner to pick you up with his Hummer.

Facilities
At present, BK Valley has two cottages good for four people and another one that can accommodate six to 10 people. But if you prefer to camp out under the stars, there is an available site as well. There are about 100 tents with different sizes available to anyone who would settle with an overnight camp.
BK Valley also has courts for tennis, basketball, and volleyball. It also features an “honesty bar” where visitors or locals can get refreshments. What makes it unique is that you have to do the transaction yourself because no one is there to guard the goods. Honesty is being practiced all the time at BK Valley.
More fun, more excitement. The beauty about the place is that there is no dull moment for an adventurous person. There are varied activities available for visitors such as zip lining or flying fox, trekking the hanging bridge, swimming at the falls nearby, bird watching, butterfly watching, and even community interaction.
You can enjoy all of these in a clean and safe environment. After experiencing BK Valley, you’d feel like you are ready to give up the life of electronics and internet.

On Earth-keeping
Meanwhile, BK Valley’s main objective is to protect the environment. Lectures on how to maintain the delicate balance of nature are given at BK Valley. The owner, Mr. Dion Pullan is a hard core environmentalist. Thus, he has dedicated so much time and energy in sharing his expertise and knowledge in conservation, sustainability, and reforestation. BK Valley also has projects like tree planting and harvesting.

BK Valley is indeed a gem in the heart of Southern Tagalog. There is no better time than today to reconnect with nature. The next time you plan a trip, why not head to the supple mountains of Quezon?


For more pictures visit http://s917.photobucket.com/albums/ad15/jovymerryl/Bangkong%20Kahoy%20Valley/

RAFTING: The Unwanted Advice

Cagayan de Oro City is home to the White Water Rapids—the best site for a high-powered, high-adrenaline, high-energy sport like rafting. Rafting is a team sport done on rough cascading waters for several hours. In rafting, your best competition is nature itself.Getting Started: Safety First White water rafting is very dangerous, especially if instructions and precautions are ignored. Paddlers are tactically placed in every part of the raft (an inflated boat) for balance and control. Unity is the key to avoid tipping over the raft. Without this, you’ll end-up falling into the water or between boulders of rock with the rest of the group. Helmets, life vests, paddles, and your navigator’s voice are the most important tools in this sport. Don’t ever dare to cross the rapids without securing those four requisites.Getting Familiarized: Know your Rapids The rapids have several levels or classifications. The international standard for white river rafting has six classifications. Level one is “friendly” while level six is the “most dangerous”, or should we say, life-threatening. The White Water Rapids is divided into three: the easy, medium, and hard. Each lasts for one, three, and six hours, respectively. Some falls could cause the raft to go overboard. This is why it is important to have a navigator who knows the river. Six to seven people are allowed in each raft including your navigator. Multi-tasking is a key element, since you need to paddle and listen to whatever your navigator is saying.

Following the Navigator

The navigator shouts eight commands:
“PADDLE!
HARD PADDLE!
RIGHT PADDLE!
LEFT PADDLE!
EASY PADDLE!
HOLD THE LIFE LINE!
LOCK YOUR FEET!
STOP PADDLE!”

The navigator is the boss, and all you need to do is follow him without any complaints to hold on to your dear life. As passenger, you need to maneuver your way along the rapids or in between rocks. From time to time you will hear different instructions like PADDLE RIGHT that means only the people seated at the right side of the raft will paddle and PADDLE LEFT which implies that only the ones seated on the left side will paddle. STOP PADDLING means you’ll just go with the flow of the rapids.

Rafting is a rigorous sport. You should give yourself a resounding “HIGH FIVE!” after every bump on the raging water. Rafting is a great way to let loose of those nerves, and feel the exhilaration of a true water sport.

**Published in The Knight, 2010

The Simplicity of Being A Role Model

Everywhere you look, you see great people doing great things. They shine and bring honor to their families, school, and even to their countries—but we choose not see that. We choose to ignore the many accomplishments being done; hence, we are never satisfied with anyone’s performance. If they can’t be role models, how much harder is it for a normal person?

There are many people worth being role models. But who among us is righteous enough to be considered fitting as a role model? The concept of being such changes from time to time, differs from place to place, and varies from one’s perception to another.
For example, Kim Jong Il, North Korea’s dictator, has been ruling the country for quite a long time. He is mocked by many other world leaders and deemed crazy by many critics. It is difficult for me to think that some people actually look up to his style of leadership.
Come to think of it, even a thief such as Robin Hood was an idol. He was seen as a dreadful person by those he was stealing from, but a hero to those whom he helped. After all, doesn’t a coin have two sides?
Let’s not look far. Even in my circle of friends, there are people worth looking up to. I know someone who may be annoyingly geeky to others, but is overly good in every aspect to me.
The picture is that the criteria are not universal. It varies. But then, I think you don’t need to be popular, rich, powerful, or intelligent. It is just a matter of touching one’s life to be a genuine role model. It is to have a sincere connection to the heart of others. To be a true role model is to inspire someone else to be a better person.
It is in fact amazing how much even the little things, like acts of kindness and gestures of care, can help someone—most especially when that someone is going through tough times. The essence of being a role model is measured not so much by the position you have reached and the status you have gained, it is by how deep your life has touched another human’s life.
We see acts of kindness and acts of compassion every day. If we only choose to acknowledge them and show a little act of kindness ourselves, this world will be a better place. Thus, to those of you who are performing small deeds, do not be discouraged by the abuse of the selfish. Do not be deterred by people who refuse to acknowledge your goodness. Continue touching people’s lives. Continue being who you are.
There is a role model in all of us. It’s just a matter of perspective before we know how much we’ve changed the world. You might not know it yet, but as I speak, someone is looking up to you and wanting to be like you.

**Published in The Knight, 2010