And We Thought It was Easy
We have been climbing Mount Makiling for years, especially as UPLB students, and it would be a loss iof we graduate without reaching Peak 2, the highest part of the legendary mountain. Up the mountain, it will take you only four hours, and the presence of linta or limatik (bloodsuckers and I was lucky I did not encounter them). Going down is only two hours.
Yet accidents can happen.
From Today:
Physician dies in bid to climb Makiling
By RECTO MERCENE
TODAY Reporter
A member of the Philippine Heart Center Mountaineering Club (PHCMC) was killed while climbing Mt. Makiling on Sunday afternoon after reportedly slipping on rain-soaked soil and tumbling down a steep ravine.
The body of Dr. Rimando Pimentel, 49, was airlifted to Manila Monday morning by an Air Force (PAF) helicopter from sitio San Bartolome, Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
Besides Rimando, three other members of the PHCMC ascended Mt. Makiling on Saturday in an attempt to cross the 3,642-foot mountain from Batangas to the Laguna side.
PAF spokesman, Col. Resty Padilla, identified the three others as Lolita Ramos, 53; Jun Tominis, 31; and Frenzel Bawaan, 20.
Tominis, who accompanied the body of Rimando to Villamor Air Base, told the media that the victim slipped in the soft soil and came tumbling down a ravine, apparently hitting a rock.
His ÒbuddyÓ Lolita Ramos also slipped but luckily, she got entangled in a tree that arrested her fall.
It was Tominis -- who was trailing behind them -- that came down the slope to find Rimando, unconscious but breathing although blood was seen coming out of the head and mouth.
He shouted to Ramos to ask for help and she dialed 117, the interior and local governmentÕs rescue team, including some of her friends.
Other mountaineering groups, such as the Mozart Mountaineers, also got the message and they alerted the authorities in Los Ba–os.
The message was eventually relayed to the 505th Search and Rescue Group at 6:30 p.m. but since it was already dark, the flight was rescheduled to Monday morning.
Monday, parajumpers and paramedics from the 505th under Maj. Arnold Constantino took off and linked up with the ground rescue team that eventually led them to the area where Rimando was taken.
It was the Los Ba–os Safety and Engineering Team, Inc and other volunteers that recovered RimandoÕs body and brought it to the Batangas side.
According to Tominis, their group started their ascent at the Almeda Farm, Sto. Tomas, Batangas, around 3 p.m. on Saturday.
However, the climbers failed to locate a trail that would have led them to their destination and instead blazed their own trail and finally stopped under a giant Balete tree around 7 p.m. where they spent the night.
The next day, the four continued their climb and reached Mt. MakilingÕs peak at 2 p.m.
When they descended to the eastern side, they again failed to find the trail that would lead them to the UP College in Los Banos, so they decided to return to Batangas.
Yet accidents can happen.
From Today:
Physician dies in bid to climb Makiling
By RECTO MERCENE
TODAY Reporter
A member of the Philippine Heart Center Mountaineering Club (PHCMC) was killed while climbing Mt. Makiling on Sunday afternoon after reportedly slipping on rain-soaked soil and tumbling down a steep ravine.
The body of Dr. Rimando Pimentel, 49, was airlifted to Manila Monday morning by an Air Force (PAF) helicopter from sitio San Bartolome, Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
Besides Rimando, three other members of the PHCMC ascended Mt. Makiling on Saturday in an attempt to cross the 3,642-foot mountain from Batangas to the Laguna side.
PAF spokesman, Col. Resty Padilla, identified the three others as Lolita Ramos, 53; Jun Tominis, 31; and Frenzel Bawaan, 20.
Tominis, who accompanied the body of Rimando to Villamor Air Base, told the media that the victim slipped in the soft soil and came tumbling down a ravine, apparently hitting a rock.
His ÒbuddyÓ Lolita Ramos also slipped but luckily, she got entangled in a tree that arrested her fall.
It was Tominis -- who was trailing behind them -- that came down the slope to find Rimando, unconscious but breathing although blood was seen coming out of the head and mouth.
He shouted to Ramos to ask for help and she dialed 117, the interior and local governmentÕs rescue team, including some of her friends.
Other mountaineering groups, such as the Mozart Mountaineers, also got the message and they alerted the authorities in Los Ba–os.
The message was eventually relayed to the 505th Search and Rescue Group at 6:30 p.m. but since it was already dark, the flight was rescheduled to Monday morning.
Monday, parajumpers and paramedics from the 505th under Maj. Arnold Constantino took off and linked up with the ground rescue team that eventually led them to the area where Rimando was taken.
It was the Los Ba–os Safety and Engineering Team, Inc and other volunteers that recovered RimandoÕs body and brought it to the Batangas side.
According to Tominis, their group started their ascent at the Almeda Farm, Sto. Tomas, Batangas, around 3 p.m. on Saturday.
However, the climbers failed to locate a trail that would have led them to their destination and instead blazed their own trail and finally stopped under a giant Balete tree around 7 p.m. where they spent the night.
The next day, the four continued their climb and reached Mt. MakilingÕs peak at 2 p.m.
When they descended to the eastern side, they again failed to find the trail that would lead them to the UP College in Los Banos, so they decided to return to Batangas.
posted by Ardythe Santos | 11:57 AM
1 Comments:
was just browsing the net when i saw this blog "speak it out". it reminded of my worst climb ever. those times were remarkably unbelievable. just want to share the story.
1. my phone had no battery but i was able to get the message from jun before it went dead. it was only when i left peak 2 when i got the message. that was after two hours of waiting.
2. i was able to get down from peak 2 to the Laguna side (Brgy. Malaking Bato if not mistaken) that fast without rest. "thanks to the residents who helped me getting assistance to the mayor" and to that white good looking dog whom i was with on my way down from peak 2 to laguna. the dog must have been an angel.
3. 'twas just past 6pm when i was in the mayor's residence. i was wondering that time why we are not yet moving while i told them it is an emergency. past 10pm when we moved out from laguna to santo tomas, batangas. i couldn't do anything only to find out that the mayor waited for mediamen (that long) before deploying. Doc must have been saved if rescue was there earlier! POLITICS AGAIN!!
4. 'twas raining that night. we (with rescuers from laguna) went up again the trail my friends went through 'till we found the last place we took rest with my co-climbers. i end up sitting on a dead creek after almost 2 hours of search. weather wasn't still good but i couldn't believe i was able to get a sleep for 2 or 3 hours despite the rain, with my clothes wet. they found doc, jun and tita lolit not that far from the creek. doc was already dead when they found the body. i heard jun and tita lolit were on there way down when i started moving. my body aches, feet with blisters, hunger, were not as important those times. i need to see my friends and they need to see me.
5. i wasn't able to thank mayor and his group especially doc. abraham(i forgot his face but i didn't forget his name) who led the rescue.
6. POLITICS again! i felt bad on the next morning when i saw the paper with the mayor as one carrier of the body. all i know is he didn't climb with us during the search.
hope u enjoyed reading..
frenzel,
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