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JED leads Boy Scouts in launching

GO GREEN project

MAY 24, 2008 – Jose Eduardo C. Delgado (JED), President of Delbros, Inc. and Delbros Waterfront Leasing Co., Inc. led more than 300 Scouts, Scouters, Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) officials, and guests in launching the "Go Green, Go for the Real Thing" project at the BSP National Office compound in Ermita, Manila.

The "Go Green, Go for the Real Thing" (GO GREEN) project is undoubtedly the biggest and most significant project of the Boy Scouts in recent times.  It is a joint undertaking between the BSP and The Coca Cola Export Corporation (CCEC), wherein the latter is bankrolling the entire project including the creation of tree nurseries in designated BSP properties nationwide.

In time for the launch, a 10-minute video presentation was prepared to explain the project concept and show project highlights.  The video clip has been posted on YouTube.  To view the video clip, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sVY9LkhZ2w.

The GO GREEN project was conceptualized about two years ago by JED, who concurrently serves as BSP`s National Program Commissioner and member of the BSP National Executive Board (BSP-NEB), and JB Baylon, Vice President and Director of Public Affairs & Communication of CCEC.

According to JED, "The project`s primary objective is not just to plant at least 100 thousand tree seedlings over the next five years, but also to nurture them until their chances of surviving into fully grown trees will already be much higher."

Even this early JED is already confident that the BSP will easily surpass the 100 thousand target as several other complementary activities under the GO GREEN project are already being prepared.

Essentially a plant propagation and activity concept, GO GREEN is project-managed by the BSP National Program Division.  According to Sophie Castillo, BSP Program Assistant, the project is aimed at "emphasizing among Boy Scouts the importance of trees in our environment."

"Through GO GREEN more Scouts are expected to learn more about trees and hopefully encouraged to plant and take good care of more trees." Castillo added.

Among those who graced the launching event were: Mayor Fred Lim of the City of Manila; David Lyons, President and CEO of Coca-Cola Bottlers Phils. Inc.; Baylon; JED; and several members of the BSP-NEB. #

JED inspects potential Boy Scout nursery site in Baguio

Delbros and Delwater president Jose Eduardo C. Delgado (JED) personally visited the proposed site for a Boy Scout tree nursery in Baguio City on May 16, 2007.

JED is an active member of the Scouting Movement and is concurrently the National Program Commissioner of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) and a member of the BSP National Executive Board.

According to JED, the primary objective of the Baguio visit is “to determine if it is feasible to establish a highland Tree Nursery on the property. Specifically to grow and produce endemic pine trees.”

It is no coincidence that the Baguio visit came a few days before the official and formal launching of the BSP's “Go Green, Go for the real thing,” on May 20, 2008. “Go Green,” a brainchild of JED and project-managed by his National Program Committee, is a flagship project of the BSP in partnership with the Coca-Cola Export Company. The first, and the model, tree nursery under the “Go Green” project is now operational at the BSP National Office grounds. The Baguio nursery can be the second nursery to be put up by the “Go Green” project. Should it push through, the Baguio nursery is expected to be the primary resource and knowledge center for pine tree propagation for all scouts, especially those from the highland communities in Northern Philippines.

The proposed Baguio site is located along South Drive beside “ANG ATING TAHANAN,” the Girl Scouts National Program and Training Center. Its exact address is Lot 4, Residential Section "C", Forbes Park Reservation, Baguio City.

With JED during the site ocular inspection were Regional Scout Director Florencio Atinyao, CSE Ramon Jacinto, and RFSE Mark Cambod. JED was also joined by two BSP National Office personnel in the Baguio visit. They are Sophie Castillo, National Program Assistant, and Derek Bonifacio, BSP's in-house artist and photographer. # /RUS

Mt. Batulao lies at the boundary of Nasugbu and Balayan towns in Batangas. Its summit is 811 meters above sea level (MASL), a relatively “minor” climb.  To better appreciate how high (or low) Mt. Batulao is, it should be interesting to note that Mt. Pulag, the highest peak in Luzon and the second highest peak in the country, is 2,922 MASL at its summit.  Mt. Apo, the highest peak in the Philippines, is 2,956 MASL at its peak.

The AB Normal Club, led by its founder, chief benefactor, and activity master – JED himself – set base camp somewhere near the famous Careluega Church and the Evercrest Golf and Country club in Nasugbu.  With almost 20 camping tents already set up when the participants arrived, the stage was all set for the climb ahead.

Between this point and the summit of Mt. Batulao will be nothing but rocks, dust, and grasses.  The trail goes through a series of several up-down-ups, following the top of the mountain ridge.  Each hump is followed by a higher hump.  The gradually increasing altitude seems to prepare (or wear off) the climbers as they approach the final ascent to the summit.

With the trail following the top of the mountain ridge, there is a clear and breathtaking view on either side.  To the far right are the beaches of Calatagan (or so I was told).  To the left is Balayan Bay.  Slightly to the rear and to the left is Taal Lake.  The higher one gets, the better the view becomes.  On the flip side, the ravines on either side of the ridgeline get deeper and deeper, too.  One wrong step and…

There are plenty of opportunities to get lost.  At about noontime the group was already spread over a distance of probably close to a kilometer.  An isolated climber could easily get himself/herself choosing the wrong prong of a fork.

RUS fell victim to one of these tricky forks.  Trying to catch up with the lead pack after posing for some photos with another group, he found himself in a fork.  Ignoring his instincts and a makeshift road sign in front of him, he followed a small group of climbers he spotted on what turned out to be the wrong path, assuming – wrongly – that this must have been the lead pack.  When he finally realized that he followed the wrong group (there were several other groups of climbers on that day), he had to re-trace his steps to that treacherous fork.  It cost him almost 30 minutes of lost time.  He never caught up with the lead pack until he reached the summit.

Another AB Normal climber who got lost is Fred Quinsay.  Fred chose the wrong path in another fork and found himself at the wrong summit.  This mistake earned him the distinction of being the last person to arrive at the real summit.

The AB Normal Climbers were treated to a rare experience of a passing cloud spraying a fine mist as it rushes by.  For a few minutes there was also a beautiful rainbow which was actually lower than the summit.  Not too many people can say they have looked down, instead of looked up, a rainbow.

Keeping to the tradition of past AB Normal climbs, chilled cans of beer greeted participants arriving at the summit.  Who brought the cans of beer up the summit and how were they kept chilled remain to be a wonder to some.  It's one of those signature JED strokes drawn from his big bag of Boy Scout tricks.

Aside from the chilled can of beer, JED had a little something for each participant who reached the summit – a special edition Delbros cap, a fitting trophy for this historical feat.

MOC out-walked and out-climbed everybody and was officially declared Mt. Batulao's champion climber.  He was first to the summit and was first back to base camp, with enough energy left to cook pancit.

JRC surprised his critics and the doubting Thomases.  Not only did he complete the trip to and from the summit, he even managed to administer first aid to a fallen comrade.

Medel Castro suffered cramps on both legs a few minutes after leaving the summit and while on the most treacherous portion of the descent.  His two teenage kids decided he was too slow and went ahead with MOC in the lead pack.  His wife stayed with him all throughout though and they they had plenty of time for some romantic interlude.  Walking together for about eight hours should easily qualify for an ideal date.

William Ginga surprised those who reached the summit ahead of him when he and RUS emerged at the summit on the wrong side of the mountain, where there was no trail (there is now) and the angle of ascent is close to 80 degrees.

MJ “picture-picture” Volante, Allen Rulloda, Melani Tirona, Carissa “Nene” San Antonio, Aileen Bautista, Aimee Mallen, Ruel Lerin, and Joy Doron were contenders for Mr./Ms. Photogenic.  Among them there should be enough photos to fill half a dozen DVD disks.

Abe Fuentes, one of the latest additions to Delwater's personnel roster, had severe cramps, too.  He also almost converted his pants into a skirt.  Later in the evening Abe would play a major part in a detective mystery: The Case of the Missing Alaxan FR’s.

The real challenge is the distance.  The trail the AB Normal climbers took in ascending the summit, which happens to be a new trail – just two months old – turns out to be a short cut.  For the descent they took the old and long trail.  Reaching the jump off point seemed forever, and everybody was short on everything:  energy, temper, will.  All of a sudden the small bruises and bumps and scratches started to conspire to slow down each climber.  Toes started to blister, too, and each new step became more agonizing than the previous one.

At about 7:30 PM with barely enough light from the few houses to illuminate the path, the last of the AB Normal climbers finally reached the jump off point.  They were immediately ferried back to base camp.  The AB Normal Club’s assault of Mt. Batulao is officially history.