The 3rd EcoTrek is just around the corner

IT'S TIME for the 3rd EcoTrek of Team BUNDOL Mountaineers!

On November 29-30, mountaineers South Cotabato, Davao, Panabo, General Santos City, and Sarangani Province will come together to advocate Tourism, Education, and Environment.

Now on its third year, Team BUNDOL Mountaineers will bring mountaineers to Lake Mofong in Domolok, Alabel, Sarangani Province to plant trees, to establish a plant nursery, and to distribute school supplies for the pupils and students of Dacera Integrated School and Lilok Elementary School.

After the outreach activity, the mountaineers will then trek to Siniel Falls in Maasim, Alabel, Sarangani Province.

Here is the itinerary of the 3rd EcoTrek:

The 3rd EcoTrek is part of the celebration of the MunaTo Festival of the province of Sarangani.

Registration fee is only P250 pesos, inlcusive of T-shirt, certificate, ID, and dinner.

Slots are limited. You can reserve slots until November 22, 2013. Please contact Mardy (09214679404), Nice (09297266142), Macky (09484417439), or Jay-R (09102134435) for more details.

Team BUNDOL establishes plant nursery in New Canaan

AS PART of the 2nd EcoTrek, Team BUNDOL Mountaineers initiated the establishment of a plant nursery at New Canaan Integrated School, Sitio New Canaan, Brgy. Pag-asa, Alabel, Sarangani Province.

The plant nursery project is our way of making a longer-lasting impact on the communities we visit. An agreement has been forged with the NCIS administration, Parent-Teacher Association, School Governing Council, Supreme Student Government, and local community leaders to make sure that the objectives of the plant nursery project will be achieved.

2nd EcoTrek Double Treat: Twice the Adventure, Twice the Fun

ON ITS second year, the EcoTrek organized by Team Bundol Mountaineers, in cooperation with Madyaw Alabel Mountaineering Association, brought its participants to two potential tourist spots in the municipality of Alabel -- Atnayan and Basyawan Falls in Barangay Pag-asa.

Aside from bringing books for New Canaan Integrated School, as in the 1st EcoTrek, the mountaineers also signed an environment manifesto.

Here is the full text of the manifesto:

1. We, the participants of the 2nd EcoTrek, advocate Tourism, Education, and, most importantly, Environmental Protection.
2. We encourage the local government, the academic sector, the private sector, and the local community to work together for the protection of the natural resources.
3. We encourage the local government to enact ordinances that will lay out policies concerning the protection of valuable natural resources and potential tourist spots.
4. We push the declaration of Atanayan and Basyawan Falls as PROTECTED AREAS, thereby limiting the detrimental practices in and around these areas and enforcing actions that will preserve the natural state of these gifts from nature.
5. We encourage the local government to capitalize on equipping local farmers with knowledge and resources on sustainable farming, whereby they get to earn better profit from farming without causing much damage to the environment. Furthermore, better roads must be built that will enable farmers to easily transport their produce. With this, they will be encouraged to resort to sustainable farming practices.
6. We encourage local communities to support the national greening program of the government and put up their own nurseries, from which they will source out seedlings for their own tree-growing efforts.
7. We encourage schools around protected areas to strengthen the integration of environmental education into their lessons, and to play an active role in the implementation of greening projects.

Teachers and representatives of the local community also signed the manifesto.

Copies of which will be sent to concerned local government units and agencies for appropriate action.

Participants of the 2nd EcoTrek at Atnayan Falls

Mountaineers at Basyawan Falls

L-R: Ariel Lalisan (President, Team Bundol), Ricardo Pañares, Jr. (Supply Officer, New Canaan IS), Narciso Grafilo IV (President, MAMA), and Romeo Domato (V-Pres. PTA) show the books delivered by the mountaineers.

Children in the local community enjoy watching our slideshow.

Explaining the EcoTrek Manifesto

The 2nd EcoTrek would not have been a big success that it was if not for the people who supported us.

We would like to thank Mayor Corazon Grafilo, Vice Mayor Vic Paul Salarda, Councilors Marivic Flores and Irish Louie Arnado, Engr. Vicente dela Cruz, Brgy. Captain Lente Salway, the teachers at New Canaan Integrated School headed by Mr. Maximo Cabanlit, NCIS PTA President Pedro Salway and Vice-President Romeo Domato  for being instrumental to the success of the event.

A lot of thanks for Madyaw Alabel Mountaineering Association, which has always been our partner.

Our gratitude also goes to SABAYAN (Sarangani Bay Youth Action Network), of which Team Bundol Mountaineers is a member, for helping us promote the activity and to the participating mountaineering groups,Earth Island Outdoor and Environmental Club, Dadiangas Explorers, Calumpang Youth for Empowerment (CALYE), Katribu Botini, Wasalak, Hymnagsikan, PGP SakBu, and members of Kwerdas Band, for making the 2nd EcoTrek an event to remember.

Photos of the First MunaTo EcoTrek

THE FIRST MunaTo EcoTrek was an overwhelming success for Team Bundol Mountaineers, Madyaw Alabel Mountaineers Association, and Magu Sarangani Mountaineers. We were able to deliver more than 300 books for the pupils and students of New Canaan Integrated School and plant trees in the area.

We are very thankful to all the mountaineering groups and freelance mountaineers for actively participating in the activity: NITO,WATO, Baktas MSU, GeMoC, Sandawa Apo-Kabacan, D-Ex, LGUs of Tupi, Malapatan, and Glan,  Antos, Higher Ground, Educator's Mountaineering Club, Tungas, The Bivouac Adventure and Team Building Events, and Dolefil Mountaineering Club.

We would also like to thank the local government of Sarangani through Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez, the local government of Alabel through Mayor Corazon Grafilo and Vice Mayor Vic Paul Salarda, Sarangani Tourism Office, Quality Education for Sarangani Today (QUEST), Bacquiano Art and Sign, Antos, and Southern Peak Outdoor Depot, who all helped ensure the success of the 1st MunaTo EcoTrek.

View and Download all photos here

Everything is set for the 1st MunaTo EcoTrek!

EXACTLY ONE week from now, over fifty mountaineers will unite to discover the beauty of Sarangani hidden  behind the mountains of Alabel and to exercise their love for the environment and education as they participate in the 1st MunaTo EcoTrek to Atnayan Waterfalls in New Canaan, Barangay Pag-asa, Alabel, Sarangani Province.

At this point, registration has been closed as the limited slots have already been filled. Only those who have pre-registered and reserved slots will be accommodated.

To avoid hassles, those who have pre-registered shall confirm their registration by paying the fee on or before November 24, 2011 at the Provincial Capitol Building. Contact Alma Gabuat (09427381996) of Magu Sarangani Mountaineers for the registration.

1st MunaTo EcoTrek

Assembly Area: In front of Provincial Capitol Building
Assembly Time: 6:00 AM

See you there!

More than Just an Outdoor Adventure

NOT ONLY shall the 1st MunaTo Festival EcoTrek give its participants the opportunity to appreciate the wonderful gift of nature to Sarangani but also the chance to be agents of change for the environment and for the Sarangan children.

The participants will be planting trees in the areas designated by the local leaders, who will then be taking care of the planted trees. The National Greening Program of the government seeks to plant 1.5 billion seedlings in 1.5 million hectares of public lands nationwide in six years. One of the goals of the MunaTo Festival EcoTrek is to support this program.

In partnership with Quality Education for Sarangani Today (QUEST), the EcoTrek participants will help bring books for New Canaan Integrated School pupils. The organizers are also gathering books for the school's library.

You, too, can be part of this endeavor. Feel free to contact us.

Join the 1st Munato Festival Eco-Trek!

TEAM BUNDOL Mountaineers, in partnership with MAGU Sarangani Mountaineers and Madyaw Alabel Mountaineers Association, host the 1st Munato Festival Eco-Trek on November 26-27, 2011.

Refer to the photo for the itinerary.

The First Munato Festival Eco-Trek aims to:

1. promote eco-tourism of Sarangani by exploring potential tourist sites in the province;
2. advocate the protection of the province’s natural resources; and
3. drumbeat sustainable development in the local community.

Contact us for more details.

Please confirm your registration by paying the Registration Fee on or before November 24, 2011 at the Sarangani Provincial Capitol, Alabel, Sarangani Province. Look for Ms. Alma Gabuat at the Second Floor Lobby Front Desk.