It was my first time to set foot on the hills of the Sierra Madre Mountains. My first time to mingle with Dumagat tribal community living in the vast lands of Sitio Inuman, San Jose del Monte Bulacan. Years before, during my childhood with my father. When I’m unmindful his inspirational bruhahas trying to teach me lessons he learned from his experiences. So suddenly, at this particular present time of my life setting foot on the land, it flashes back little stories of my father’s encounter and living with the Dumagats when he was still with the DENR Region III Cadastral Survey Team assigned at the skirts of the Sierra Madre Mountains in Bulacan. I also recalled my father’s claimed land courtesy of the government during the course their expedition somewhere in Norzagaray. Oh well, little things always means a lot. But the realization always comes on the far end, often times when we can not bring them back anymore. My father’s gone in peace. And the land?, no idea where it is and how can I claim it back!
Going at our planned base camp was a long and bumpy Dumptruck-ride traversing the hills of Montalban, Rizal all the way up on the part of the Sierra Madre Mountains, San Jose Del Monte Bulacan side. We almost got stranded along the way, getting our dumptruck deepstuck in mud for quite awhile. The traverse was such a sight indeed seeing the vast Sierra Madre Mountain ranges. I was in deep awe for such beauty, truly a priceless moment. After the dumptruck-ride was a short one-hour trek towards our basecamp at Sitio Pinaglabanan. It was named so after the tragic encounter between the AFP and the NPA killing one family in the process. One wooden house was left to serve as a reminder of that fateful day.
The dumagats are fun and peace loving brothers. They were forced to relocate in the mountains because of the landgrabbers. Nevertheless, they have managed to preserve their culture in these modern times. With the dumagats helping us, they paved tall grasses the day before to prepare our basecamp. They welcomed us well. They know that we were there because we are going to conduct an outreach program for them: Relief, Medical and Tree Planting Mission.
We arrived at the basecamp several minutes past two o’clock Saturday afternoon. After a little briefing with our friends participants, we immediately proceeded with the Mission. Medical Mission in which I was assigned to lead ended around 7:30 pm. We were forced to install emergency lamps on the mission site. We were the last and most appreciated team to conclude the activity. After dinner, while having our traditional night socials. so much time I had left to gazed at the stars lazily. Such clear nightsky. Still having the night’s socials, I decided to retreat to my tent and called it a day!
Next morning, I got up early and do my morning rituals. Along the way, there was this early riser Dumagat I greeted good morning. I believe she will do her morning rituals too! Afterwards, I took the chance of taking souvenir pictures of the basecamp playfully focusing my subject comparing our camp and the Dumagat’s. After breakfast, we broke camp and proceed to the cold lagoon, our "Sidetrip". we had our quick lunch there. Afterwhich, we had to endure that long and bumpy ride back to San Jose del Monte. We finally arrived SJDM 3:30 Sunday afternoon. A representative from the city government gave a short speech commending the efforts of the Individual Members of the MFPI for a job well done. This project was truly a collective effort realized.
After a brief wash-up and meal, we boarded our bus to Cubao. With Bodjie and a friend from San Pablo City and Ronnie with his girlfriend from Sto. Tomas, Batangas, all five of us got off our bus and boarded another bus going home. I arrived Nagcarlan around 10:00 Sunday evening with Debbie patiently waiting for me.
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