9:00 PM, ETD at 7/11 Buendia. Included in the party were: the Black Team of Ed Ocampo, Long Henson, Bob Ali, Bobby Gamboa & Edwin Serapio; The Blue Team of Queenie Tolentino, Edmund Martinez, Ting Ocampo, & Ton Tan; The Red Team of Joan Aday, Racquel Masangkay, Jovert Bautista, Rodel Palisoc & Bong Pico; The Green Team of Girlie Elman, Blanca Ocampo, Boki Olipas, Roy Flores & Jun Tinglao; The Committee Members of Jun Medrano, Merci Guilas and Anne Palisoc and invited guests Shiela and Katkat. It was an ‘All road goes to Batangas’ night due to the 3 day vacation. Queue lines at JAM Transit Corporation indicated that we would be able to ride a bus by past 12. Thanks God there was a colorum bus along Taft Avenue which the group, hurriedly took. There were no compartments underneath the bus, giving the group a challenge in arranging all 23 packs at the center isle of the bus. The outcome- we looked like sardines on separate cans. We were lucky there was no clusterphobic among the group. It was a long (very very unusually long to be exact) trip to Batangas City. Queenie T and Roy F started to sleep very early despite distractions lodged in by the other groups (evident they were serious in getting what is supposed to be their shoe-in awards of the ‘King and Queen of the Mountains’). For the other members, sorry na lang namamahay kayo eh. They tried doing everything to amuse themselves in order to forget they supposed to be sleeping by that time. The Bus was also weird in their song selections, first it was a religious tape (weird indeed for a colorum bus) then a series of rock of the 70’s. We arrived at the pier past 2.

At the pier, we were convinced (after a series of talks) to take the 110 Php speedboat ferry. Showing, Alien 3 and Starship Troopers- paano pa lalo kaming matutulog nito ? 5:30, the ship departed for Muelle pier of Puerto Galera. At the pier, the group loaded their packs on the contracted jeep and started looking for restaurants, but all there was were grocery stores and some souvenir shops. Then a hamburger stand risen up for the occasion (morning of profit) and opened their store for us so that we can eat a series of logs (tapsi, longsi etc). After the hearty meal - Off to White Sand Beach! Despite the driver’s protestation, some members rode atop the jeep. At the White Sand beach, the members were tempted to cancel the events so that they can concentrate on beacheneering instead (is there such a sport?).

Then the 1998 MMS Summer games begun. (first of it’s kind kasi wala nang maisip ang training committee para gawin). But rest assured the games would continue yearly after the popular support and outcome the participants showed. Jun M, the head of the sports committee (tumatakbong President daw kasi), headed the opening program ala Mike Hanopol complete with beret. Raquel M the national anthem, Jovert B the ‘panunumpa sa watawat’ and Blanca O the invocation, how centennial can we get. Long H gave the opening remarks and to sum up his statement: Walang personalan, sports lang! All separated and started to prepare for the event. The Red Team showed their retro-red costume kaya lang, walang best in costume eh.

First event: Climbaton. Erwin Luz of the Blue Team came in exactly before the start of the game but Baby Hualda was still no where in sight making the Black Team accept the committee’s decision of having to get the score of the slowest woman in the competition as their own score. Although Roy F was favored to win the event, the Black Team felt they will win the team event. What a fighting spirit! Then off they go in a time trial fashion. Jun M started to climb ahead to clock the participants but 4 participants passed by him sa sobrang bilis (or bagal ni Jun M). It was the first disaster of the day, some participant offshoot the finish line (mabilis talaga) and some decided to make their own finish line. But it was not anybody’s fault due to unfamiliarity of the terrain (at sobrang initiative ng ibang magdesisyon without Jun M’s approval of the finish line mark). At the end of the day, the basis of the team competition was the individual contestants who offshoot the race. True to what was expected, Roy F won the game surprisingly followed by Ting O then by Long H. Queenie T was awarded the ‘Queen of the Mountains’ living to her names expectation. Mark Salcedo of the Committee arrived in his lonesome to catch up with the activities. Then they had their lunch, brought some friendship bonds (their staple product here) and some babe watching at the White Sand restaurant then off they went to the Long Island (San Antonio) beach via pump boat. Baby H came in to join the group at Long Island.

Night settled in and the second event was ushered - the Cooking Competition. It was a night of good foods, desserts and drinks. But the Black Team seems to be unprepared, has entered an illegal food banned in the climbs of MMS – the corned beef. As a result, they got what they deserve, a last place in the said competition. First place was the Blue Team with their ‘inihaw na isda’ and some desserts followed by the Green Team with it’s delicious ‘sisig’ then the Red Team.

Mark S hosted the first socials of the climb and it started with the status of the competition. Green Team on the lead, Red Team last and MMS, a poor third. In the group performance competition, each group gave their own entries except for the Black Team who were concerned more on their dangal ? Although wala na silang iniingatan. Red team gave their rendition of a song using body parts as instruments- si Rodel P ang nagdala with his arm-pitik where in the group got the third place. The Green team came in with their scandalous silhouette performance of a Xerex Xaviera’s masterpiece, which landed them the 2^nd place. The first place was awarded to the Blue team with their spice girls’ performance. This time there were no question about the rumor that one spice girl being gay- it was Queenie spice. Ting Spice was the favorite of the night although Ton Spice gave her unforgettable moves. Edmund spice was too much concerned with his bumpers. Talk of the night, Doc choreographed the dance- Doc ha ! Next was the ‘muse competition’ but to the surprise of the audience, one entry was shockingly gay – Girlie E of the Green Team who was more conservative than the woman contestants. The others were so natural (the event raised a serious question that mountaineering makes gays out of men). Other contestant were Bobby G of the Black Team, bumbayin ala Susmita Shen (Susmariosep Shen to be exact), Ting O of the Blue Team ala inocente, Jover B of the Red Team which looks more of entering the wrong contest – dapat sa ‘eumorpho lakas tao’ contest. The order of awards – Jovert B then, Ting O, then Bob A, then as expected the gay Girlie G.

The event males were waiting for, especially the Black Team believing this was their event, the ‘Drink Till U Drop’ contest followed the ‘muse competition’. True to what they predicted, the Black Team won but tied with the Green Team, followed by the Blue Team. The Red Team conceded the game. Edwin S’s move was the most unforgettable during the contest with a very high starting tagay. The night was capped off by an activity made by Mark S on members discussion of a specific topic related to mountaineering, MMS and training. After the socials, the prominent members of the ‘Drink Till U Drop’ contest gathered to continue their event, and to prove their award were valid. They ended at the wee hours of the night. The victims : Ton T was already makulit, Baby H was evidently wasted, sleeping on the shore till late afternoon the next day.

Saturday morning was a free snorkeling day and everyone enjoyed their new found alternative sport. Ed O and his bata (daughter) Katkat and Edwin S and his bata (syota) Shiela left the group for home after lunch. The members of the Black Team, though lessened made their strategic move of sleeping the whole afternoon to rest and left the others waste their energy swimming. The status as of this time: Blue Team leading followed by Green Team, Red Team and MMS respectively. The oldies (Black Team) surely need some prayers to win. And prayers did come in at the start of the afternoon event. The afternoon will also be remembered as the rise and fall of the Green Team as well as a the ‘minor’ rise of the Red Team (kasi second lang kayo) na according to Rodel P, was also due to an old member- if you know what he means.

Beach Volley elimination resulted in a Green, led by Boki O, Jun T and Roy F, and Black Team (with Long H, Bobby G and Bob A with no reserve) championship match. It was a tight competition though the crowed was one sided in favor of the trainees (the old members was thinking, lagot kayo mamayang gabi pag hindi kayo tumigil diyan). The Green team won first set but the Black team grabbed the rest of the game to win the Beach Volley championship match. Girlie E will be remembered in this match as the pivotal or key player of the game…in their losing streak. The event was followed by the ‘Fill My Cup’ contest where the Blacks again won the first prize. Sunod-sunod na to! –according to one member of the team. Then the "Wheel Borrow’ contest (substituted the ‘Trash Bag Contest’ after long protestation and discussions) where the Blacks got the second after the Red Team. Baby H was sacrificed by the Blacks during this match wherein she literally ‘ate her dust’. Finally, the ‘Tug O War’ (ewan ko kung typo error ito o talagang eto lang ang term ni Jun M dito). Which again was won by the Black team. It was evident, the old members still reigns supreme (bias na bias itong write-up kasi old member ang sumulat ng article na ito..so just wait for your term/time). Don’t worry trainees next year you will already be a part of the winning team- the Black Team. The most frustrated group was the Green Team from leading to last place - the rise and fall indeed. Second on the overall was the Red Team and third was the Blue Team (mini rise and fall din, blue blue blue).

After dinner, it was the awarding ceremony, the competition was already finished. Two special awards were given that night, first was the ‘athlete of the year’, Queenie T and ‘the friendship award’ to Edmund S. To the trainees surprise, the committee gave real medals- kaya nyo rin palang magbigay ng tunay na award. Though the trainees appreciated the Orioles and Chips A-hoy more. The next part of the program was the post training evaluation which was presided by Mark S and Long H. It was a very memorable and emotional night but one thing good about it was the determination of the trainees to insist that this will not be the last time they will climb together. Also worth mentioning other than their strong friendship that was developed were their dedication to the organization, the self improvements they have gained and the internalization of environmental awareness concept. They have also discussed problems they usually encounter as mountaineers particularly domestics. Raquel M was willing to exchange Bob A with MMS daw. The old members gave their advice and habilins. How serious can we get.

After the socials, it was a night of secrecy, and a very different night wherein you would see the trainees very different- ang babait at ang tatahimik nila. The details of this event is a secret tradition of the MMS and will not be written here. Sorry na lang sa hindi umatend.

They finished the night off at around 3:00 AM with the old members congratulating the trainees for passing the training and being considered a member na.

The next day was a lonely day for most of us, kasi it’s not only back to reality, all of us felt being closer to one another that it was already difficult to separate (naks). Ayaw na nga daw umuwi ng iba. The group was transported by the pump boat in three groups to the Balatero pier. From there, they had their snacks then bath (although it was very difficult to find water kasi el niño daw doon. Nagtyaga na lang sila sa mud-puddle filtering balon). Then it was time to board the Viva vessel. Seats were filled already and MMS had to scatter but they preferred staying in one place instead; standing rather than scattered seating- a sign how close they have become. Along the trip, a lot of stories to tell like a man starting to open up to a new found friend.

Land Ho! At the pier, the group rode a jeepney (record breaking 23 MMS with full packs in one jeep) to Batangas City where they ate at a nearby fast food center. Jun M gave the crowd their request of singing Moon Rivers at the Karaoke machine before the group left for the bus station. The group was separated into the Pasay City Boys and the Quezon City Boys. The QC boys left past 4:00. Back at home while packing my things, I felt happy that we have created not only batch 98 but friends 98. Kailan uli ang lakad ?