Mt. Pamitinan Travel Guide

How to Get to Brgy. Wawa, Rodriguez Rizal

Our meet up place was in McDo, Kia Theater, Cubao. We walked our way to Farmers Market to ride a van going to Rodriguez, Rizal. Fare is 50 pesos per person.

From where you'll alight, you can just ride a tricycle or jeepney to get to Brgy. Wawa.  In our case, we rented the same van for 330 pesos for a special trip to get to Brgy. Wawa. There were 11 of us.

Once you arrive, you would have to sign up, fill in a waiver and pay the environmental fee of 2 pesos per person in Brgy. Wawa/Tourism Office. You would be assigned a tour guide. In our case, there were 11 of us in a group. We were assigned 2 tour guides, Kuya Tomas is the main one, and Kuya Jimmy was his auxiliary.

It’s the Cliiiiiiiimb!

We started the trek at around 9AM. Pretty late compared to those who arrive when the sun was not yet up. This bridge will be the start of your trek.

The trail is very beginner-friendly, but don't be fooled... it's still pretty challenging. 

For rock climbing enthusiasts (and daredevils I must say), there's this part where you can rock climb.

There's a part near halfway the trail where you can rest and buy buko or melon juice for 15 pesos per cup.

It took us two and a half hours to get to the summit. I think we were slower than regular. It was a combination of a lot of factors, like there was actually a lot of people hiking during that time. Di lang sa Manila uso ang heavy traffic. Some of the paths were really narrow so we did a lot of waiting for other people to pass.

Summit 1

We reached summit one, had our lunch, waited for our turn to take pictures. The group before us --- I think they were more than 10 in a group --- took a long time to take their pictures. One of them maybe had 10 poses. We waited, I think, for 30 minutes. We were very patient and even cheered for them when they make their poses, may it be awkward or more awkward. :)

When it was our turn, we took just 1 to 2 shots each. We were very sensitive to those other groups waiting in line, knowing that our group was pretty huge. Unfortunately for us, the group after us were an impatient bunch. Anyway, they didn’t rain on our parade. We left and went to the second summit.

Second Summit

Fro the second summit, you have to use a rope to get to the top. We chose not to get to the second summit. The sun was really high at that point. It was past 12 noon. The lines were long. And we just couldn’t wait any longer, knowing that the group before us in the first summit was also waiting in line, and there was another huge group currently taking their pictures. We left and started our descent. Boo! But honestly, summit 1 was more than enough for me. The view is almost the same.

We started our descent. We took a different route going down. It took us another 2 1/2 hours to descend. This was where we exited.

Here’s some Wawa Dam pictures.

 
How our day went (these are approximations)

Departure from Cubao	6:45 AM
Arrival at Brgy Hall	8:30 AM
Finished Registration*	9:00 AM
Start trek	9:00 AM
Summit	11:30 AM
Finished with lunch, photo op	1:00 PM
Start Descent	1:00 PM
Arrival at Brgy Hall	3:30 PM
Departure from Rizal (after bath)	4:30 PM
Arrival at Cubao	6:00 PM

Note: We were relatively slow in pace. Read other blogs and you’ll know you can do this trip way faster than we did. We were just really taking our time.

*It took us a long time to register. The lines were long. And also, they ran out of barangay-registered tour guides (yung may ID as the locals say) so we had to do some waiting and convincing for some people to be our tour guide for the day.


COST

Van fare, Cubao to Rodriguez, Rizal (and back to Manila)	50 pesos each
Rodriguez Rizal to Brgy. Wawa	10 pesos trike/jeep*
Environmental Fee	2 pesos each
Brgy donation	Any amount**
Melon/Buko juice (optional of course)	15 pesos each
Tour guide	We paid 500 pesos each tour guide***
Bath (again, optional)	25 pesos each

* In our case, we rented the same van for 330 pesos for 11 people
**We gave 100 pesos. We’re generally generous, plus there were a lot of us.
*** We always pay 500 pesos per tour guide wherever we go. But according to other blogs, 400 pesos per tour guide is the usual rate. Just make an additional pay if you're doing a twin hike to Mt. Binacayan. 

Going home, we rented the same van we rode going to Rodriguez, Rizal, then Brgy. Wawa. If you want to do the same, just get the kuya driver's phone number and talk to him about picking you up from Brgy. Wawa to Cubao.We paid kuya driver 1000 pesos. 

Hope you find this post useful!  Good luck on your next hike! Please be extra careful. And enjoy! Please remember "to leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but pictures".  Let's all do our part to make sure that other people, especially the next generation, will get to enjoy this adventure.

3-Day Stay in Low-key Mindoro (Bongabong & Bulalacao)

For this year’s sembreak, we sailed to Mindoro. Well, we didn’t really ‘sail’. But unlike our usual roadtrips, this time we were mostly traveling by water. A welcomed first for our law school #squad since we usually travel north to the boondocks.

Mindoro trip satisfied more than I expected. It’s the kind of vacation I needed. Satiated my wanderlust. Relaxed my stressed mind.

First RoRo Trip Ever

It was APEC week in Manila (and I honestly didn’t want to be a part of all the crazy). We left Tuesday night, right before the start of the declared holiday. We departed from Manila 7pm and arrived in Batangas at 10pm. Reina Delas Flores of Montenegro Lines departed past 10:30 pm.

It was my first time on board a RoRo. I did expect to get scared since I fear being in the middle of the ocean, or space, or anything endless really. But the whole ride was okay. I didn’t get sea sick or scared. Just a little anxious at first. The RoRo trip lasted for 3 hours.

Inside RoRo Pilot House

My friend, Cindee, befriended the officers manning the vessel. We stayed in the Pilot House (or Bridge as they call it abroad). There were two officers there who explained to us the different apparatus they use. I remember the radar and forgot everything else. Very educational really. For a first-timer, a visit to the Pilot House was pretty spectacular.





Day 1 in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro 

We arrived in Calapan, Mindoro around 2am. Since we were starving, we stopped at this roadside eatery. They serve goto, mami and bibingka. They also give salabat for free. That was the nicest salabat I tasted. Their goto was different. It looked more like papaitan, but really delicious. I would probably be looking for this goto one of these days after a booze fix. Their bibingka was simple and tasty and cheap. We ordered 7 gotos and 4 bibingkas. It only cost us 280 pesos all in all. 

By the way, the couple who run this gotohan sent their 3 children to school using their income from this small business. So a plea to all travelers who care to listen: when you go to the provinces, spend your money on these small businesses. They need and deserve it more.

We drove from Calapan to Bongabong.

Our first day in Bongabong, Mindoro was pretty laid back. We just rested, talked, ate and ate some more. Thank you to Cindee Guno's family for their warm welcome and for spoiling us. 

The latter part of the day was spent on Lito Camo’s beach house, which he offered for free. Thanks to Niño Liwanag for arranging this accomodation for us and for accompanying us on most of the places we visited. 

Lito Camo's Beach House

We capped off the night lying by the beach, chatting, looking at the stars -- one of my favorite parts of this trip. 

Day 2 in Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro 

We woke up at 4am to start our day.We traveled to Bulalacao by car, had a brief courtesy call with the Bulalacao Mayor. He arranged for our boat ride for our island hopping. Again. For free. A lot of freebies for this trip.

Island Hopping. By island hopping, we mean 2 islands. The islands are separated a little far from each other. And we didn’t get to go to the other islands because of the huge waves that day.

Aslom Island. There’s nothing much on this island. It’s actually mostly privately owned and still under construction. We were still allowed on some parts however. It was windy here. I can imagine a lot of water activities, like windsurfing, that travelers may patronize. We just had our lunch there and left. 

Aslom Island

Tambaron Island. This is the highlight of our trip. We were the only ones in Tambaron (except for the caretakers of course). Imagine an entire island all to yourself. It was beyond words. The pictures cannot capture the serenity that this island has left me. 

We were accommodated by Tambaron Green Beach Resort. (See below for cost and contact details)

You can go to the other side of the island by trekking for 15 minutes or so, or you can go there by boat. It is as beautiful. I don’t know if there are accommodations available on the other side. We just had our photo op and went back.

Tambaron Island

You can go swimming and boating in Tambaron. Here’s a picture of my friends as I watch them own that part of the sea. They were the only ones there. I mean...it was beyond amazing.

Tambaron Island

Tambaron Island

Mandatory sunset pose!

Tambaron Island

And of course drinking session near a bonfire, by the sea, under the stars. What more can I ask for?

I woke up at 5 am, sat by the shore alone, watched the light breaking through the darkness as I hear the calm waves hit the sand, deep in my thoughts. No pictures. Just me, and the ocean, and the sky. It was my favorite part. 

Day 3 in Bongabong, Mindoro 

We had our breakfast in Melzar’s Restaurant. Very scenic. Food needs improvement.

We went around Bongabong, Mindoro. We lounged by the river...

Bongabong Mindoro

We walked around...

 And we went up this lighthouse.

Bongabong Lighthouse

It was my first time to ever go up a lighthouse. Usually pictures are just taken with lighthouses as backdrop.. We were allowed to go up and I have to say...it scared the hell out of me. I’m not afraid of heights or of narrow places; I anticipated that kind of steel ladder; I’ve always wanted to go up a lighthouse; but I didn’t expect it to shake so much as we climbed up. There were 6 of us who were supposed to go up and I seriously didn’t think that the lighthouse could carry all the weight of 6 people, but I went up anyways because #YOLO. Two of us fortunately yielded so I breathed a little. I was still scared since it shook a lot when somebody was using the ladder. That lighthouse seems short, but it felt like forever climbing up the ladder. The thrill was nice though. And that’s a part of my non-existing bucketlist crossed out.



We departed from Mindoro at 4am November 21, 2015. If I felt anxious on my first RoRo ride, I was asleep the entire trip on my second.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Cost
What we spent during our entire trip. Note: The table below does not contain our expenses for food (except for the one in Tambaron).

	Expenses
RoRo Fare - Montenegro Lines (for Private Car, one way)	1,600 pesos approx. (Depends what car you have)
RoRo Fare (one way)	192 pesos per head (No fee for the driver)
Gas (Manila to Batangas,Batangas to Manila, around Mindoro )	2, 000 pesos approx
Toll fee	600 pesos approx.
Tambaron Resort Overnight Dorm	350 pesos per head
Boat ride fee fromTambaron Island to Fish Port*	700 pesos
Dinner in Tambaron Island	1, 500 pesos  (Enough for 8 people)
Tips	600 pesos

*We got a free boat ride from Bulalacao fish port to Tambaron. If you want to go to Tambaron Green Beach Resort, you can just contact them and they will arrange the boat ride for you (back and forth). Here are their contact details:

Mt. Sipit Ulang Dayhike

Mt.Sipit Ulang was a pleasant surprise. I didn’t even know this mountain exists until last week. They said Mt. Sipit Ulang's Paniki trail is a recently opened trail. In fact, Pinoymountaineer just recently blogged about this mountain last August 31, 2015. Just barely a month ago.

Mt.Sipit Ulang is located at Brgy. Mascap, Rodriguez, Rizal. We went there by car.

TIP #1: For those who would bring a car, you can park for free near the barangay hall.

We planned to be there by 7am, but because of few bumps in the road, we arrived at 9:30am.

TIP #2: Arrive at around 7am or 8am to enjoy the entirety of the Paniki trail. Because we started the trail around 9:45am, the tour guides made us take the Banayad trail halfway to arrive at the summit by noon. [We did ask them to take us to a route where we would arrive at the summit by noon since we plan to be home early.]

Once you arrive in the barangay hall, you would have to register and pay 50pesos each for environmental fee. For the tour guide fee, they recommend 400pesos.

The Tour Guides

We had two tour guides, Pogs and Meljoe. They were substitute tour guides since all the regular tour guides were already taken when we arrived. Pogs and Meljoe were to be taken as one since they merely tag teamed as newbies. We paid them 500pesos each. We thoroughly enjoyed their company. I think they are cut to become regular tour guides. They are two of the best I’ve met so far. They were enthusiastic, patient,and communicate really well.


The Trails

There are two trails. The Banayad and Paniki trails. The Banayad trail is the easier one and is recommended to take for the descent. The Paniki trail is the more challenging trail going up.

You would have to enter some caves...

climb this tall ladder...

 and rock scramble...

It was not that exhausting because you would have to pause from time to time to let your companions catch up because sometimes you can’t do the task all together. If you don’t mind getting dirty, tight places and interesting obstacle courses, you would definitely enjoy Mt. Sipit Ulang.

TIP #3: Bring some gloves. The rocks are really sharp. Anyway, I had no bruises in my hand so you’ll survive without one. But really, bring one to make things easier for you, especially in maneuvering in the sipit ulang rock formation in the summit.

There are a few stops like this along the way.

And a lot more of breathtaking views.

The Summit

For the summit, you would have to climb the sipit ulang rock formation. I’m telling you, it’s not an easy climb. It takes guts to do. Just trust your tour guide. Make sure you hold on tightly, that you have a good foothold, and voila! Epic summit shots!

It's achievable. Just be really careful. One slip can be fatal. Take your time.

Itinerary.

Pinoymountaineer's itinerary compared to how our day went.

Pinoymountaineer's itinerary

0400 Take van from Cubao to Eastwood, Rodriguez, Rizal 0530 ETA Rodriguez, Rizal; take trike to Brgy. Mascap 0630 Arrival at Brgy. Mascap. Register at barangay hall 0700 Start trek up Hapunang Banoi via Paniki Trail 0930 ETA summit. Explore rock formations 1000 Retreat to the benches - possible lunch stop* 1030 Start descent via the Banayad Trail 1200 Back at Brgy. Mascap. Tidy up. 1300 Head back to Rodriguez town (or proceed to Mt. Ayaas) 1400 Back in Eastwood, Rodriguez. Take van back to Manila 1530 Back in Manila. How our day went 6:30 am - Left McDo Bustillos 9:30 am - Arrival at Masicap (we got lost plenty of times so it might take you a shorter time) 9:45 am - Start hike 12 noon - Summit 12-1pm - Lunch and wait for your turn for summit photo op 1pm - 2pm - Summit Photo Op (Because we were the last group and no one was waiting for us to finish. Plus it’s really hard to maneuver in the summit) 2pm-3pm - Descent 5:30 - Back in Manila

Budget

I spent a total of 500pesos. 200pesos for gas. 50 pesos for environmental fee. 200 pesos for tour guide fee. 50pesos for food.

Kwentong Atty. Amurao

This post is a tribute to my most favorite law professor, Atty. Amurao. He passed away last Thursday. Atty. Amurao was well-known for being one of the most -- if not the most --  feared professor in San Beda Law. He is also one of the most loved and respected. 

Photo Credit: LSG San Beda Law Mendiola

Unlike the others, I’m not going to say that Atty. Amurao taught me how to persevere nor would I say that he instilled in me the discipline needed to study and love the law. He didn’t inculcate in me the importance of getting back up after failing. I already knew all those before I had him as my Criminal Law 2 professor. 

But why do I respect him so much? And why do I feel so heartbroken that he would no longer walk the halls of San Beda? Because I idolize him. He didn’t compromise. From the very first meeting to the last, he was consistent with his ethics and professionalism. His dedication to teaching is immeasurable.

***

Lahat naman ng recit sa law school, nakakakaba, pero iba talaga yung kaba sa klase ng isang Atty. Amurao. Yung puso ko parang lalabas sa dibdib ko sa sobrang tibok. At hindi yun nawala. Usually, masasanay ka sa prof at magiging kampante, pero kay Atty. Amurao, hindi. Hanggang huling araw ng klase, malala pa rin yung pagkabog ng puso ko.

Kahit matanda na sya, palagi syang pumapasok. Hindi sya na-late ng more than 15 minutes. Nagbibigay sya ng grade as low as 60, pero kung tuloy-tuloy ang recit mo at wala kang sinabing mali, hindi nya ipagkakait ang 100. Ilang taon na rin akong nasa law school. Marami na kong recit na nakita na sobrang galing pero hanggang 85 lang ang binibigay na highest ng professor. Hindi ganun si Atty. Amurao. Kung deserve mo ang perfect score, yun ang isusulat nya sa classcard mo.

Kahit may Amurao Notes, tadtad pa rin ng 65, 70 at 75 ang recit grades ko. Nakalimang sunod-sunod na bokyang recit ako sa kanya bago ko nakatikim ng 100. Bago yun, naisip kong di ko kaya. Nagalit ako sa kanya. Pero nung nakatikim ako ng una kong 100, sobrang saya ko! Eventually, na-realize ko na kaya ko. Naintindihan ko na gusto nya lang akong matuto.

Matututo ka talaga sa kanya. Kanina nga, nagbibigay ng eulogy yung isa sa mga Beda profs at nabanggit nya yung Art. 247 ng Revised Penal Code. Alam mo yung article number pa lang, naalala ko na agad yung lessons namin. Kasi sobrang tatatak talaga yung mga recitations sa kanya. Syempre marami na kong nakalimutan, pero sa subject nya talaga ko pinakamaraming naaalala.

Sa ibang prof, swerte na yung matawag ka ng 3 beses sa buong semester. Kay Atty. Amurao, 3 beses bawat meeting. Sa ibang prof, pwede kang magbasa ng libro, maghabol ng aral habang nagkla-klase. Kay Atty. Amurao, kelangan makinig ka sa kanya. Hindi sya umuulit kapag nasabi na nya yung tanong. Kelangan din mabilis ka sumagot kasi huminto ka lang ng mga 3 segundo, magtatawag na sya ng sunod na estudyante.

Madalas nilang sabihing malupit sya, pero kung tutuusin, hindi naman eh. Hindi sya sumisigaw. Hindi sya namamahiya. Reasonable ang mga tanong nya sa recit at sa exam. Kaya lang talaga, pag mali ka sa recit, upo ka kaagad. Pag di maayos ang sagot mo sa essay sa exam, 2 over 10 ang score mo. At least may partial points! Minsan nga sa iba wala.

Malupit ba kung nage-expect ang prof na ibigay mo sa kanya yung tamang sagot sa tanong nya? Mabait si sir. Mahirap lang talaga magtanong. Mataas lang ang standard. At yun ang dahilan kung bakit maraming takot at umiiwas sa klase nya.

Sa totoo lang, hindi ko ma-imagine ang law school life ko nang hindi ko naging prof si Atty. Amurao. The Amurao Experience, so far, is the best part of my law school years. It was the most trying and the most fulfilling time. I am very honored to have passed his subject -- one of the only two students in our class who did -- and be called an Amurao Baby.

I would never forget our small encounter in the hallway. I would never forget that smile. Hindi sya ngumingiti sa loob ng classroom kaya sobrang pinapahalagahan naming mga naging estudyante nya yung simpleng ngiti nya sa labas.

I know he was old, but I can’t shake the feeling that he was gone too soon. Wala man lang kaming picture together. Hindi ko man lang sa kanya mapagmamalaki yung grade ko sa Criminal Law sa Bar Exam. Alam ko magiging maayos ang score ko sa Criminal Law. I was taught by the best.

Sir, more than anything, thank you for tearing my confidence down so it had nowhere else to go but up. Thank you for reminding me how to turn fear to inspiration, frustration to hardwork. You are one of my heroes. I’ll keep you in my heart. I feel so privileged to have been under your tutelage. Thank you, sir. Rest in His loving arms.