Misadventures at San Jose Circuit (Mt. Kawayan, Mt. Bungkol Baka and Mt. Tangisan)

‘Never let a stumble in the road be the end of the journey.’

From mountain to police station

My San Jose trilogy dayhike climb was memorable in so many ways; but as much as I would like to say that it was in a good way, it’s certainly not. To say that it was also my first home province climb would not ease the disappointment I felt either. My angst about what transpired in scaling the three mountains of San Jose, Tarlac was mainly due to the challenges posed by some unestablished part of the trail, the unreliability of some of our guides, how mediocre the three mountains seemed, and the unfortunate incident involving the local authorities of this town. The latter was an ordeal that I would rather forget. Until this moment, I couldn’t believe how we ended up in a police station after a whole day of trekking three mountains. I consider it as one of the worst days of my life and of my novice hiking career. Still, like in every climb I’ve been to, my journey to this place proved to be a learning experience. It made me realize that sometimes what actually happens is more bizarre than anything that you could’ve ever imagined.

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'Obstacles are as big as you personally make them.’

Starting with wet feet at Kawayan

Having a climb nearby your place of residence has its advantages. The town of San Jose, where the three mountains collectively known as San Jose Circuit is located, is less than an hour drive away from where I lived. Actually, San Jose used to be a part of Tarlac City until it became a separate town from the province of Tarlac on April 1990. Given that fact, I was able to catch up with my sleep and wait for the group along Tarlac City proper at a latter time instead of my usual routine of going to Cubao or Pampanga at late midnight. The rest of the group was not fortunate as I was though, as it took them more than three hours before reaching Tarlac City as they got lost on their way to my home town.

We arrive in Sitio San Pedro past six in the morning. The guides are already waiting for us as we arrive at the jump off point. Alvin hastily made the necessary registration at the barangay. A total of ten guides were provided to our group which is composed of 54 participants. This particular climb is rare because of the huge turnout of participants. It is a deviation from our regular climb which usually compose of two passenger vans. I was surprised how many people are interested to join this particular climb. I guess it’s because Alvin only organized such event only once every year. It was December of the previous year when he organized a same climb in this town which I was supposed to join but had to back out because my mother was hospitalized.

After a short orientation from the head guide and a short prayer by Alvin, the trek started. It was seven in the morning. It was a late start but since we don’t have an itinerary, nobody seemed to care. I was pessimistic starting the trek late because we had three mountains to climb that day. We were supposed to start from Mount Kawayan, then Bungkol Baka, and finally Tangisan. From the jump-off point we started walking with Mount Tangisan visibly towering in front of us. After walking a few meters from the paved road we made a left turn to a dirt road. The dirt road started wide and lead us to paddy fields. We then started walking by the rice paddies and it is inevitable to have our shoes get wet. It was rainy season, and planting season so it is expected that farm lands are flooded and planted with rice.

It took time before we actually reached the foot of the first mountain and after an hour we reached a river. Obviously, we had to cross it. Some chose to remove their shoes to avoid getting drenched in water. I was preoccupied to follow suit, and hurriedly crossed the river. We took a rest at the banks of the river after everyone was able to cross it. During that time, some members of our group are already ahead of us and on their way to Kawayan summit.

As we continued our journey it turned out that we have to cross countless rivers, thus, all of us had no choice but to brave the shallow waters without removing our shoes. The trek to Mount Kawayan then started with endless assaults. Along the way, I started to notice the prevalence of bamboo grass along our path. It seemed the mountain got its name from the perennial grass, although Banana plants are also abundant in the mountain. The trail was muddy due to previous rain. After the assaults, we finally reached a flat surface but then we had to endure the intense heat as the trail was barren. We began to be inpatient as we all started to get exhausted.

It was arranged before the start of the trek that we should meet members in our group who started the trek ahead of us in a nipa hut just below Kawayan’s summit. It seemed to be a long way to the infamous nipa hut as we are all eager to reach it. When we saw a nipa hut we became ecstatic but it turned out to not be the one we were anticipating. Nevertheless, we took refuge in the humble shelter. From there we can actually see the peak of Kawayan. We even saw our group members already in the summit.

The trek resumed after our group photo shoot. A little more walk under the intense heat of the afternoon sun and after a few minutes, we finally reached the much longed-for nipa hut. We were surprised to see that there was actually a family occupying the house. They’re accommodating though and allowed us to stay inside their abode. I was starving that time that upon settling down inside I immediately took out my packed lunch and began to eat. We all took our lunch as the rest of the group started arriving. We then learned that the leading members in our group are already on their way to the second mountain – Bungkol Baka.

After our lunch we each took some time to rest. Some took a nap while some just sat outside the hut to savor the scenery. After a few minutes, others decided to scale the summit of Kawayan. I chose to stay behind fearing the intense heat since the way to the summit was bare and open to the elements. I also wanted to take a long rest considering that there were still two mountains in our itinerary. Seeing the summit from where I am located was enough for me at that moment. 

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'Victory belongs to the most persevering.’

In the midst of Cows and Guava trees at Bungkol Baka

After our group photo shoot with Mount Kawayan as the backdrop, we proceed with the trek. It was two in the afternoon when we headed to Mount Bungkol Baka. The second mountain is situated not far away from Mount Kawayan and the two are connected by a ridge. After a few minutes of walking, Bungkol Baka’s summit become visible. It was then that I realized there was a herd of cows roaming around the area, leading to the summit. We made a gradual descent and crossed a river only to ascend again. We reached the second mountain after less than an hour and met other group of hikers there.

We rested a few meters away from the summit. The area was shaded thanks to the Guava trees abundant in the place. A lot of things happened during our short respite there. We were constantly interrupted by the sudden presence of cows which made us terrified lest they attacked us. We hurriedly had our group photo shoot. Then, part of our group decided to go on to the third and last mountain in our circuit climb – Tangisan, while we scaled the summit leaving behind those who chose to stay behind.

I initially thought that Bungkol Baka’s summit is the most scenic among the three mountains of San Jose Circuit but I was wrong. The summit, which had a small area, made me wonder if it’s really the summit of the mountain. The view from there is nothing spectacular. The surrounding mountains and hills far away provided a nice background but there was nothing spectacular about it. Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Bungkol Baka may not be appealing enough for me but it doesn’t mean it isn't worth it. After a few photos in our small group, we started with our descent. It was a short way below the summit. Once reunited with the rest in the group, we all made our way to Tangisan.

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'The journey is the reward.'

Uncertainties on the way to Tangisan 

As we were making our trek to Tangisan, majority of us were unsure if we were to proceed climbing the third and last mountain. Some already made the decision to not go on and proceed back to the jump-off point. I was in a dilemma that time. I was already tired as the rest in the group but I wanted to try my luck and scale the third mountain. As I talked with Mike, one constant climb companion of mine, we agreed that once we reached the foot of Tangisan then we will decide if we will proceed climbing it or not. But as we were along though, a lot of things happened. As we continued the trek, which according to our guides will take four hours leading to the third mountain, the possibility of climbing Tangisan became slimmer.

We crossed countless rivers, passed steep, muddy and slippery paths. It was a struggle as we made our way to Tangisan and we were running out of time. It was already late afternoon and it seemed that if we climb Tangisan it will be dark once we reach its summit. Realizing the possibility of scaling Tangisan at night with no more strength and no headlamp, I finally decided to abort my initial plan of climbing the third mountain. All of us made the same decision and seemed unregretful about it. Climbing Kawayan and Bungkol Baka is enough already as uttered by some of us.

We all made our way back to the jump-off point passing Tangisan along the way. We finally reached the picturesque Pangasaan Dam. It was a refreshing view that somehow energized me from a whole day of exhaustion and disappointment. The group stopped at the bridge above the dam. The rest of the group gathered in the middle of the bridge for our final photo shoot - with Tangisan looming behind us. It was getting dark and we heared thunder signaling a rain. We continued walking until reaching rows of houses that finally led us to the jump-off point.

It was already dark when we reached the jump-off point where our vans are parked and our drivers were waiting for us. The neighborhood was very laidback. Although electricity was available in this town, the streets are not well illuminated, making it a struggle for a poor sighted individual like me. We managed to find a house to take our baths. While waiting for my turn to the bathroom, I learned about the serious plight our group was currently facing. It all started when the local police and the Municipal Tourism Officer arrived at the jump-off point later that day. We were at Mount Kawayan during that time. It turned out that we were required to register at the Municipal Tourism Office prior to our climb. Since we failed to register at the Municipal Tourism Office, the local police under the directive of the Municipal Tourism Officer, Engr. Ramil E. De Vera, invited our drivers at the police station and had our vehicle plate numbers put on police blotter.

After realizing that we cannot go home and travel with our van’s plate number under police blotter, we had no option but to settle the issues the proper way. I decided to join Alvin, our guides, and another companion when they went to the Municipal Hall compound where the police station is located to settle things out. It was a tiring endeavor but by God’s grace it did go well ultimately. The lone police officer in the station accommodated us as we explained the reason behind our failure to register at the Municipal Tourism Office. It was not deliberately done but we were all unaware of the new advisory from the local authorities. The issue was settled without much discussion. After that we returned to the jump-off point where the rest of the group are patiently waiting and all ready to go home. Soon after arriving we leave Sitio San Pedro exhausted and starving, but more than anything, grateful that our ordeal was finally over. 

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‘Our bravest and best lessons are not learned through success, but through misadventure.’

All’s well that ends well

I was optimistic in our San Jose Circuit climb not knowing the setbacks that await us. The unpleasant event that we experienced was a first to me and my group. I was really saddened to witness the turn of events, and, considering that it happened in my home province made me more frustrated. As far as I know, every climb we make is done legitimately, complying and following local laws and regulations. When we climb mountains it is customary for both the organizer and participants to make the necessary preparations. First is that the organizer of the event will coordinate with the local authorities usually with the barangay who had direct jurisdiction to the mountain weeks or months prior to the actual climb. It is done basically to know of certain fees that need to be paid to the local authorities like; environmental fees, cultural fees, guide fees, barangay fees, etc. Knowing these fees will be helpful in determining how much the organizer will be charging to each participant of the said event, which also includes the rental fee for the van or vehicle to be used. Participants are also oriented on certain rules on the day of the event itself. Rules and restrictions differ from each mountain. Nevertheless, we make sure to abide by these rules as we’re all responsible mountaineers. What happened in San Jose in my opinion is a simple miscommunication between the local guides and the Municipal Tourism Office. They may have misunderstand among themselves and it seems we were dragged in the situation. However embarassing what we all went through, I was still thankful that it was ended and settled peacefully; and from all that transpired that night, I commend Alvin for handling the situation gracefully and calmly. I was glad that the pressure didn’t take a toll on his sanity as I was really expecting for the worst. Who knows we may all end up behind bars?

Scaling the mountains of San Jose was a challenge. Challenging in a way that some parts of the trail were not fully established and tended to be confusing because of the presence of more than one trail on some instances. It is also frustrating that some of our guides are not familiar with the trail and there are times they led us to the wrong way. Some of our group members even waited in vain for the other guides when the guides accompanying them didn’t know the way to Tangisan. We met them on our way back to the jump-off point waiting, and due to frustrations, decided not to pursue the climb to Tangisan. I also noticed the redundancy of river crossing in some part of the trail, where we had to cross the river and then walked by its side before ultimately crossing it again a few meters away to get on the other side. It’s like crisscrossing the same river unnecessarily. We did a lot of river crossing, and while the rivers are shallow, short, and the current is quite manageable, extra precaution is still needed considering a fatal accident occurred in the past in this place. The trail leading to the three mountains should be improved and made easier, safe, and more reliable to hikers. And although the three mountains are not predominantly high, nevertheless climbing them is tiresome. So, in case you decide to visit San Jose and scale its mountains, arm yourself with lots of patience, be prepared physically and emotionally to the daunting task of conquering three mountains in a day (in case you’re doing a dayhike climb), and most importantly, be informed and coordinate with local authorities for safety purposes and to avoid being inconvenienced like we had experienced.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Engr. Ramil E. De Vera
Municipal Tourism Officer
San Jose, Tarlac
Contact number.: 0908-881-9789
E-mail address: redevera33@gmail.com