Aeta Boarding House - Sitio Sagpat, San Felipe, Zambales

This all started after visiting a nearby waterfall and hearing that kids sleep on the sand. These students are from Sitio Banawen, a neighborhood in the mountains that entails trekking and river crossing and is not a feasible daily trip. There is an elementary school up in the community, but to get to high school, students will have to move to the field; Lucky for those who has relatives there, but with some who has none, they stay on a vacant shanty on a roadside where kids sleep straight on the sand. I did not ask further how the case is when it rains.

This shanty is built next to the roadside, atop a community drainage. The kids sleep on the sand (right side on the picture) and it is disturbing to realize their heads will lay just a foot away from the edge of the road and atop the drainage.

Now, it will be my 40th birthday next year, and thought it will be a good reminder of the time I have existed on the earth if I can do something worth that time. 

With the help of a fellow Kakampink Architect (based in Shanghai, China) who I worked with during the campaign, he immediately sent me a design with the specs I have mentioned to him. There was also that friend Kristine in Canada, who has for years, been randomly chatting me to check if there are some community projects that needed funding.  

For this project, we are building a 6-10 pax boarding house for Banawen Residents. I have checked with teachers from Banawen, and class sizes are about 10 per grade level. We will look for a land which we can purchase at a reasonable price, so in the future, we will always have the boarding house for the kids and the aeta community up there. 

(Update from Dec 04: Most of the land are rocky and slopes, there is one land with an unfinished house we saw but the asking price was P180,000. However, the house is right next to the high school and it is 300 square meters. We might choose this for its convenience for the kids, and also the land size as the parents of these kids usually sleep sunday night with their kids, as they have to be early in the market during mondays and thursday San Felipe Market days where they sell their goods. In this case, we are setting an additional budget of up to 50K for renovation and completion of the house). 

The materials cost for the project is around P110,000, and expected labor to be at P55,000, and we're setting a budget of P30,000 for a 50sqm land. Total is P185,000.00.

Here is a google sheet link for the cost. Here is also the google drive folder for the rest of the pics/plan

For the interior and furnishing, we have another kakampink friend Sofia who volunteered to do the total furnishing, including the fundraising. It will be heaven's grace if we have someone who can also work on getting them a sattelite based internet service, which will help not just these kids, but the whole community in general.

If you are interested in helping out, please do let us know via www.facebook.com/limbonis/ or shot us a comment/email here.

As of August 08, 2024 We have the house running with currently 4 students. See the fb page Balemahi:

This all started after visiting a nearby waterfall and hearing that kids sleep on the sand. These students are from Sitio Banawen, a neighborhood in the mountains that entails trekking and river crossing and is not a feasible daily trip. There is an elementary school up in the community, but to get to high school, students will have to move to the field; Lucky for those who has relatives there, but with some who has none, they stay on a vacant shanty on a roadside where kids sleep straight on the sand. I did not ask further how the case is when it rains.

This shanty is built next to the roadside, atop a community drainage. The kids sleep on the sand (right side on the picture) and it is disturbing to realize their heads will lay just a foot away from the edge of the road and atop the drainage.

Now, it will be my 40th birthday next year, and thought it will be a good reminder of the time I have existed on the earth if I can do something worth that time. 

With the help of a fellow Kakampink Architect (based in Shanghai, China) who I worked with during the campaign, he immediately sent me a design with the specs I have mentioned to him. There was also that friend Kristine in Canada, who has for years, been randomly chatting me to check if there are some community projects that needed funding.  

For this project, we are building a 6-10 pax boarding house for Banawen Residents. I have checked with teachers from Banawen, and class sizes are about 10 per grade level. We will look for a land which we can purchase at a reasonable price, so in the future, we will always have the boarding house for the kids and the aeta community up there. 

(Update from Dec 04: Most of the land are rocky and slopes, there is one land with an unfinished house we saw but the asking price was P180,000. However, the house is right next to the high school and it is 300 square meters. We might choose this for its convenience for the kids, and also the land size as the parents of these kids usually sleep sunday night with their kids, as they have to be early in the market during mondays and thursday San Felipe Market days where they sell their goods. In this case, we are setting an additional budget of up to 50K for renovation and completion of the house). 

The materials cost for the project is around P110,000, and expected labor to be at P55,000, and we're setting a budget of P30,000 for a 50sqm land. Total is P185,000.00.

Here is a google sheet link for the cost. Here is also the google drive folder for the rest of the pics/plan

For the interior and furnishing, we have another kakampink friend Sofia who volunteered to do the total furnishing, including the fundraising. It will be heaven's grace if we have someone who can also work on getting them a sattelite based internet service, which will help not just these kids, but the whole community in general.

If you are interested in helping out, please do let us know via www.facebook.com/limbonis/ or shot us a comment/email here.

As of August 08, 2024 We have the house running with currently 4 students. See the fb page Balemahi:

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Fundraising for Yaman Pawikan - PAWICARE San Narciso, Zambales

PAWIKAN LAYING EGG season is about to start and we need to build the hatchery very soon (target  date is Sunday 17 Sep 2023). This would have been the 5th year that I try to get involved to the capacity that I can with Pawicare rangers in their effort to sustain the turtle population in our seas. I've always aspired to getting them an uninterrupted funding for their needs annually, though that is yet in the works.

For the several years that they have been operating, there had been releasing joiners who had been looking for memorabilia and I've, for a time, been thinking of how to have a sellable (for their additional funding) craft that is not made by machine, or a blank template that is rather just labelled (such as these corporate promo items).

This past week, I had been crafting sellable-wearable souvenier for YAMAN PAWIKAN  guests and interested donors. As of yesterday, I was able to do a resin mix of ZAMBALES BLACK SAND and crushed leftover TURTLE EGG SHELLS -  (pls see pics and vids). 

Now, we're going to pre-sell the necklaces to come up with the needed funds for the hatchery.

There are 2 variants of the necklace. The flat one pre-sells at P160 and the more realistic 3D is P290. 

To order, please fill in this Pawicare Necklace Order including reference number for your payment. Pls dont forget to add P50 sa shipping to Luzon, P90 for Visayas and Mindanao 

As of 24 September, we started building the hatchery and moved to doing inventory of the equipment and paraphernalia needed to resume the 2023 season. 

Here are the list of items next to source:

10 December 2023

As of this date, we have already hatched and released 5 nests, and right now, I am working on generating funds for their Christmas party on December 28. We are continously selling the necklace, and we have also setup a booth in an event in Liwliwa, Zambales (looking forward to taking the 2 junior rangers to events like this so we can do face to face information dissemination and awareness.

Pawicare is a volunteer organization of fishermen who has realized that as much as we want fish, we need to take part in ensuring that tomorrow, our seas will still have fish. 

Formed in 2010 in Barangay La Paz, San Narciso, Zambales , it is formed by 14 Rangers (12 seniors, and 2 Young Adults). These men are divided into groups and schedules and walks nightly from around 8pm until about 4am along the 9km shoreline of San Narciso. The task is to spot nesting mother turtles and with careful handling, pick and move the eggs to the hatchery where they will be far from being poached, eaten by animals, infected by shore trash, etc.

This nesting season happens during the cold -ber months, and lasts until around February-March. Incubation takes about 50-60 days and so releasings may reach all the way to May. 

See this google sheet of the people who purchased and where allocation went. Some Receipts here.

Follow Pawicare on Facebook

Follow Ian on Facebook and Instagram

 

PAWIKAN LAYING EGG season is about to start and we need to build the hatchery very soon (target  date is Sunday 17 Sep 2023). This would have been the 5th year that I try to get involved to the capacity that I can with Pawicare rangers in their effort to sustain the turtle population in our seas. I've always aspired to getting them an uninterrupted funding for their needs annually, though that is yet in the works.

For the several years that they have been operating, there had been releasing joiners who had been looking for memorabilia and I've, for a time, been thinking of how to have a sellable (for their additional funding) craft that is not made by machine, or a blank template that is rather just labelled (such as these corporate promo items).

This past week, I had been crafting sellable-wearable souvenier for YAMAN PAWIKAN  guests and interested donors. As of yesterday, I was able to do a resin mix of ZAMBALES BLACK SAND and crushed leftover TURTLE EGG SHELLS -  (pls see pics and vids). 

Now, we're going to pre-sell the necklaces to come up with the needed funds for the hatchery.

There are 2 variants of the necklace. The flat one pre-sells at P160 and the more realistic 3D is P290. 

To order, please fill in this Pawicare Necklace Order including reference number for your payment. Pls dont forget to add P50 sa shipping to Luzon, P90 for Visayas and Mindanao 

As of 24 September, we started building the hatchery and moved to doing inventory of the equipment and paraphernalia needed to resume the 2023 season. 

Here are the list of items next to source:

10 December 2023

As of this date, we have already hatched and released 5 nests, and right now, I am working on generating funds for their Christmas party on December 28. We are continously selling the necklace, and we have also setup a booth in an event in Liwliwa, Zambales (looking forward to taking the 2 junior rangers to events like this so we can do face to face information dissemination and awareness.

Pawicare is a volunteer organization of fishermen who has realized that as much as we want fish, we need to take part in ensuring that tomorrow, our seas will still have fish. 

Formed in 2010 in Barangay La Paz, San Narciso, Zambales , it is formed by 14 Rangers (12 seniors, and 2 Young Adults). These men are divided into groups and schedules and walks nightly from around 8pm until about 4am along the 9km shoreline of San Narciso. The task is to spot nesting mother turtles and with careful handling, pick and move the eggs to the hatchery where they will be far from being poached, eaten by animals, infected by shore trash, etc.

This nesting season happens during the cold -ber months, and lasts until around February-March. Incubation takes about 50-60 days and so releasings may reach all the way to May. 

See this google sheet of the people who purchased and where allocation went. Some Receipts here.

Follow Pawicare on Facebook

Follow Ian on Facebook and Instagram

 

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Covid-19 Quick Relief for Brgy Sto Nino, San Felipe Zambales

For a community whose economy rely hugely on tourism, the surprise implementation of community lockdowns amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, left everyone sitting over how to sustain living moving forward?

The government said that it will be providing subsidy, supposedly from the barangay level, from the municipality, and then from the national government. However, not all barangays may have enough necessary budget to sustain food provisions for its consituents; maybe not even one time distribution.

Almost 2 weeks have passed since the community lockdown, and I've heard that people in our barangay have not received any rations. Hence, I have called on friends who'd like to help out.

In about 12 hours, I have received P62,500 worth of cash donations thru BPI, Gcash and Paymaya.

We have called local vendors in town (San Felipe) immediately the following day but none of them have enough stock. They have complained that deliveries have been delayed. I have secured a travel pass from Pampanga, but was also equally advised that Olongapo city has been very strict (not counting that I will need to secure another travel pass in Bataan and another in Zambales).

I have called the San Felipe Zambales vendors again but there is still no stock, neither an idea of when they will have stocks. With the worry that the time is running, I decided to hand it over as cash instead. After all, beyond rice, sardines, and noodles, the people surely have other needs too, and giving them cash will be better off.

A total of 246 people received P250 each, total of P61,500.

A remaining balance of P1,000 is available for the next distribution in Sitio Mabato in Paeta, San Narciso once all funds needed are completed.

This google drive folder COVID-19 Sto Nino Felipe Zambales has the excel file of all donations and distributions done, along with the receipts from the purok leaders and recipients (though others are still pending received from the purok leaders. folder will be updated upon updates from the leaders.)

Thanks to everyone who has contstantly been sharing in the efforts.

For a community whose economy rely hugely on tourism, the surprise implementation of community lockdowns amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, left everyone sitting over how to sustain living moving forward?

The government said that it will be providing subsidy, supposedly from the barangay level, from the municipality, and then from the national government. However, not all barangays may have enough necessary budget to sustain food provisions for its consituents; maybe not even one time distribution.

Almost 2 weeks have passed since the community lockdown, and I've heard that people in our barangay have not received any rations. Hence, I have called on friends who'd like to help out.

In about 12 hours, I have received P62,500 worth of cash donations thru BPI, Gcash and Paymaya.

We have called local vendors in town (San Felipe) immediately the following day but none of them have enough stock. They have complained that deliveries have been delayed. I have secured a travel pass from Pampanga, but was also equally advised that Olongapo city has been very strict (not counting that I will need to secure another travel pass in Bataan and another in Zambales).

I have called the San Felipe Zambales vendors again but there is still no stock, neither an idea of when they will have stocks. With the worry that the time is running, I decided to hand it over as cash instead. After all, beyond rice, sardines, and noodles, the people surely have other needs too, and giving them cash will be better off.

A total of 246 people received P250 each, total of P61,500.

A remaining balance of P1,000 is available for the next distribution in Sitio Mabato in Paeta, San Narciso once all funds needed are completed.

This google drive folder COVID-19 Sto Nino Felipe Zambales has the excel file of all donations and distributions done, along with the receipts from the purok leaders and recipients (though others are still pending received from the purok leaders. folder will be updated upon updates from the leaders.)

Thanks to everyone who has contstantly been sharing in the efforts.

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Climbing Mt Cinco Picos

Back in our disaster climb in nagsasa 2 years back, I've come to know about the water sources in the neighboring mountains; especially with what they said was a water basin at the summit of balingkilat. I have a biased interest for such convenient water supple mountains, thus I've maintained a solid interest with mt balingkilat and cinco picos; The latter's name, being hispanic-sounding also makes it enticing for me; So, when I saw an event for my group for this mountain, I immediately hit going; Besides, it's been a while since my last climb and my legs are itching some heights.

Then again, just weeks before the event, the organizer had backed out due to some school requirements; and having no back up plan for the date, and considering the thrill i have for this mountain, i thought about taking the lead.

The group agreed to meet in victory liner cubao terminal at 2:30 to catch the first trip to olongapo at 3. While some of us had been in the terminal as early as 1am, no one thought about buying the tickets right away. By the time we were going to get our tickets, all seats in the first trip are all booked! Dang..

So, it was already half past 3 when we left, and when we reached the first (Petron) fuel pump just after the NLEX toll, we were being flagged by the first trip bus. Broke! All passengers of that trip had to stand in our bus aisle (thank God we missed buying tickets early).

We reached olongapo before 7am, and as soon as we got there, although the plan was to take d bus to subic town, i thought about canvassing for a chartered service.

Just like what the blog said, subic-castillejos (blue) jeep were asking for 2500. I walked around and asked elsewhere. I got to a van terminal (olongapo-dau) and asked.. (.. And spoke in kapampangan to affiliate) how much to be dropped in cawag. I was asked P800. Not so bad huh?

So i called in the rest of the gag and off we were to cawag. In less than an hour, we were already in the cawag entrance; Pointed out the way to sitio martin, and as we move further around the twists and turns, i could read the driver's regret of giving that price. So, by the time we reached sitio martin, before he even ask for an additional, i told him we're giving 100 extra (totals 900).

The guides have approached us, and I asked for Marvin, our designated guide, the only guide who agreed for P600 (and its a long story of how i ended up getting that price, had to raise several arguments on several calls with a few people.

Anyhow, it was already almost 9am when we left. By around 11am, we came by an aeta household and decided to prepare lunch and have a break there. There was a river stream next to their house, and so i took a dip, while the rest were having a nap. We resumed the trek at 2pm, and reached the campsite at 5:30. There was again a micro water source in the campsite so i cleaned up (an i really love it when after a lot of sweating, i can wash and soap up; though the morning after, i saw a small frog dipped in the water).

The nextday, we traversed to silanguin cove. We broke camp at past 8 and got to the beachfront at 1pm.


Our guide Marvin, may be contacted at +63 915 328 7285. Please prepare provisions for food for the guide. They also dont have tents, so pls have another solo available.

Total paid fees is 40. 20 for brgy cawag and another 20 for sitio martin. Instead of stopping by brgy cawag, you may pay both fees (P40) at once in sitio martin

Back in our disaster climb in nagsasa 2 years back, I've come to know about the water sources in the neighboring mountains; especially with what they said was a water basin at the summit of balingkilat. I have a biased interest for such convenient water supple mountains, thus I've maintained a solid interest with mt balingkilat and cinco picos; The latter's name, being hispanic-sounding also makes it enticing for me; So, when I saw an event for my group for this mountain, I immediately hit going; Besides, it's been a while since my last climb and my legs are itching some heights.

Then again, just weeks before the event, the organizer had backed out due to some school requirements; and having no back up plan for the date, and considering the thrill i have for this mountain, i thought about taking the lead.

The group agreed to meet in victory liner cubao terminal at 2:30 to catch the first trip to olongapo at 3. While some of us had been in the terminal as early as 1am, no one thought about buying the tickets right away. By the time we were going to get our tickets, all seats in the first trip are all booked! Dang..

So, it was already half past 3 when we left, and when we reached the first (Petron) fuel pump just after the NLEX toll, we were being flagged by the first trip bus. Broke! All passengers of that trip had to stand in our bus aisle (thank God we missed buying tickets early).

We reached olongapo before 7am, and as soon as we got there, although the plan was to take d bus to subic town, i thought about canvassing for a chartered service.

Just like what the blog said, subic-castillejos (blue) jeep were asking for 2500. I walked around and asked elsewhere. I got to a van terminal (olongapo-dau) and asked.. (.. And spoke in kapampangan to affiliate) how much to be dropped in cawag. I was asked P800. Not so bad huh?

So i called in the rest of the gag and off we were to cawag. In less than an hour, we were already in the cawag entrance; Pointed out the way to sitio martin, and as we move further around the twists and turns, i could read the driver's regret of giving that price. So, by the time we reached sitio martin, before he even ask for an additional, i told him we're giving 100 extra (totals 900).

The guides have approached us, and I asked for Marvin, our designated guide, the only guide who agreed for P600 (and its a long story of how i ended up getting that price, had to raise several arguments on several calls with a few people.

Anyhow, it was already almost 9am when we left. By around 11am, we came by an aeta household and decided to prepare lunch and have a break there. There was a river stream next to their house, and so i took a dip, while the rest were having a nap. We resumed the trek at 2pm, and reached the campsite at 5:30. There was again a micro water source in the campsite so i cleaned up (an i really love it when after a lot of sweating, i can wash and soap up; though the morning after, i saw a small frog dipped in the water).

The nextday, we traversed to silanguin cove. We broke camp at past 8 and got to the beachfront at 1pm.


Our guide Marvin, may be contacted at +63 915 328 7285. Please prepare provisions for food for the guide. They also dont have tents, so pls have another solo available.

Total paid fees is 40. 20 for brgy cawag and another 20 for sitio martin. Instead of stopping by brgy cawag, you may pay both fees (P40) at once in sitio martin

Read More »