#TAMBOLINAW: Conquering Mt Pulag for a cause

MANILA, Philippines – Last February, my friends and I spent our Valentine’s weekend by taking on the Pulag challenge – a leap to see the “Sea of Clouds.”

We drove on a half-cemented road at a 50-degree angle via jeep to the jump-off point when I noticed a shack made up of old gray wood with a visible “Day Care” sign on the door.

Seeing this made me imagine the challenges the children had to go through for decent education. This thought stayed with me as we made our way down to the lowlands.

The climb came to a halt an hour away from the summit, where we were advised to turn back due to bad weather. We journeyed down with weary frost battered bodies, but still carried with us our high spirits and grateful hearts. It was a promise we made to return once more, and conquer Pulag.

Weeks later, an opportunity for a potential comeback rose when our guide shared an event called Pulag: Ready, Set, Glow.

Organized by husband and wife Raul and Donna Boncan, the event aims to provide a generator that would provide electricity for the Mt Pulag Day Care Center which turned out to be the same day care center I remembered seeing a month ago.

The Mt Pulag Day Care Center was established by the government back in 1998 in order to provide the young children of Kabayan, Benguet an opportunity to learn basic education. It is situated at a great height prior to the jump-off to Pulag, about three 3 away from Baguio.

Children in the community experience difficulty financially and physically sustaining an education outside of their area.

Almost 15 years have passed, the school still experiences the same obstacles in teaching their pupils: Learning resources remain very scarce even as volunteers and teachers do the best they can to provide decent education for the children.

As much as I am determined to climb Pulag again, I believe that by giving light, it will provide the children access to a better learning experience which they are entitled to.

I would like to take part in that effort, by gathering a few friends and organizing our own fundraiser gig: #TAMBOLINAW.

The event name is a jargon composed of two words: “Tambol,” meaning drum, and “Linaw,” which means light.

The #TAMBOLINAW event will be a music-filled open mic night which would also feature artists from the metro music scene: Aeon Mapa, Sleepersecond, Fiona, Natasia Cunanan, and Sherman Tupas. We hope to make this as an invitation for aspiring musicians to share their passion and channel their music for a good cause.

#TAMBOLINAW will be held on Friday, March 27, 8pm onwards at Time-Out University Grill, Vito Cruz-Taft. – Rappler.com