Pamumuwesto (Filipino)

Sa Herusalem, maraming mga banal na pangyayaring naganap, ngunit wala na roon ang mga eksaktong lokasyon. Naniniwala ang mga taga-Bundok Banahaw na ang lahat ng ito ay nalipat sa Bundok Banahaw. Tinagurian nilang "Bagong Herusalem" ito. Ang mga nakatira doon ay mga "Rizalista". Naniniwala sila na si Rizal ay kapantay ni Hesus. Ito ang ilan sa mga pwesto:

Ang Iba't-Ibang mga Pwesto

Ilog

Ang Ilog na ito ay tinaguriang Ilog Jordan. Sinisimbolo nito ang kalinisan at pagiging dalisay ni Hesus.

Lagusan ng Herusalem

Ang Lagusan ng Herusalem ay sinasabing pasukan ng Bundok Banahaw. Nakikita sa larawan na mayroong napakaraming mga watawat ng iba't-ibang bansa na sinisimbolo ang pag-abot ng kabutihan ng Diyos sa lahat ng mga bansa. Kita rin sa larawan na mayroong dalawang espada sa taas nito. Sinisimbolo nito ang labanan ng KKK at ng mga Kastila noon. Habang ang nakaimprinta namang Kapayapaan sa isa ay ibig sabihin na ang mga "Rizalista" ay mga mapayapang tao at inaalala lamang nila ang nakaraan.

Aklat ng Buhay

Ang Aklat ng Buhay ay isang bato na mukhang libro na nasa may baba ng Bundok Banahaw. Inilagay ito roon upang magkaroon ng ligtas na pagpasok sa Kaharian ng Diyos, ang Bundok Banahaw.

Kweba ng Husgado

Sinasabi na ang Kweba ng Husgado ay naghuhusga sa bawat taong papasok sa loob nito. Mayroong paniniwala ang mga taga-Bundok Banahaw na kapag nakalabas ka nito ng walang sugat, pinatawad ka ng pitong (7) taon ng pagkakasala.

Krus

Ang Krus ay sinasabing pareho sa krus na binuhat ni Hesus paakyat ng Bundok Kalbaryo at kung saan din siya ipinako pagkatapos. Ito ang simbolo ng paghihirap ni Hesus.

Paghahambing ng Dalawang Paniniwala

Mayroong dalawang paniniwala sa mga pwesto ng Bundok Banahaw. Isa ay ang Kristiyanismo at ang isa ay ang "Rizalismo".

Tayo, bilang mga Kristiyano, ay naniniwala na ang mga pwesto ay hindi naman talagang banal, ngunit dapat ay respetuhin pa rin, upang huwag magalit ang mga taga-roon. Tinitingnan lamang natin ito bilang medyo espiritwal na paglalakbay na pwede sigurong gawin isa o dalawang beses. Maaaring paalalahanin nito sa atin ang ibang mga importanteng pangyayari at lokasyon mula sa Bibliya. Maaari natin itong gamitin bilang representasyon ng mga importanteng pangyayari at lokasyon mula sa Bibliya.

Sa kabilang dako naman, ang mga "Rizalista" ay naniniwalang talagang banal ang mga pwesto. Sa tingin nila, si Rizal ay si Hesus at ang ibang mga bayani ay ang kanyang mga apostol. Iniisip nilang ang lugar na ito ay talagang "Bagong Herusalem". Para sa kanila, ito ay isang napaka-seryosong espiritwal na paglalakbay na kailangang gawin ng madalas. Ang kanilang relihiyon ay nakapalibot sa mga pwestong ito, at syempre, kay Rizal.

Ang mga lugar at gawain sa Bundok Banahaw ay sinasabi ng mga taga-roon na banal at sagrado. Habang ang Simbahan ay nagsasabi na ito ay isang  minoryang relihiyon na mayroong pagkahawig sa Kristiyanismo.

Documentary at Mt. Banahaw (Religion, Science, Filipino)

Documentary

Last September 28, 2012, we went on our field trip to Mt. Banahaw. We squeezed through Husgado. Then, we climbed Kalbaryo. Afterwards, we cooled off (maybe even a little too much) at the River. We departed as early as 5:30 am and came back to Marist as late as 10:00 pm.

Just watch the video for a first person view at the hiking!

Stations of the Cross (Religion)

In Jerusalem, many sacred events took place, but the specific locations are not there anymore. The people of Mt. Banahaw believe that every holy place in Jerusalem was transferred to Mt. Banahaw. They now consider it as "The New Jerusalem". The locals of Mt. Banahaw are called "Rizalistas". They think that Rizal is a prophet or even an equal of Jesus. Here are a few of the complexes/stations:

The Different Complexes/Stations

River

The River is considered to be the Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized. It symbolizes Jesus' purity.

Gate of Jerusalem

The Gate of Jerusalem is considered to be the entrance into the Mt. Banahaw area. As you can see in the picture, there are many flags of different countries which symbolize God's goodness to all nations. You should also notice the two swords on top. These symbolize the KKK's battle against the Spaniards. While the writing of "Kapayapaan" on one of them means that the "Rizalistas" are a peaceful people and they are simply remembering the past.

Book of Life

The Book of Life is a stone that looks like a book near the bottom of Mt. Banahaw . It is placed there to ensure a safe entrance into God's Kingdom which is Mt. Banahaw.

Husgado/Judgement Cave

The Husgado/Judgement Cave is considered to give judgement to the people traversing it. The locals believe that if you get through the entire cave without any scratches, bruises or other wounds, you have been forgiven seven (7) years of sin.

Cross

The Cross is considered to be the same cross that Jesus carried up Mt. Calvary and was later crucified on. It symbolizes Jesus' pain and suffering.

Comparison of the Two Beliefs

There are two beliefs on the stations that are at Mt. Banahaw. One is based on Christianity and the other is based on "Rizalism".

We, as modern Christians, believe that the complexes we visited are not real holy places, but should still be respected, so as not to offend the locals. We simply see this as a minor spiritual journey that we can take once or twice. It can remind us of  some key events and locations from the Bible. We can use it as a representation of the important events and places from the Bible.

On the other hand, the "Rizalistas" believe that these places are in fact holy. They see Rizal as Jesus and other national heroes as his apostles. They think that this place is truly "The New Jerusalem". For them, this is a very serious spiritual journey that must be taken often. Their religion revolves around these stations and, of course, Rizal.

The places and practices at Mt. Banahaw are considered by the locals to be sacred and holy. While the Church considers it as a minor religion with some coincidentally familiar places.

Reflection:
This trip to Mt. Banahaw taught us that we should respect other people, no matter what they believe in. We learned to be kind to each and every person around us. Religions are supposed to make us good people  who accept and love each other, not make us reject and hate each other because we have different religions. Everyone has a right to religion that is inviolable, therefore, we need to accept the fact that people are allowed to believe in whatever they choose to believe in. Even if we are different in our religion, everyone is welcome in Heaven.

We also remembered some important events from the Bible such as The Crucifixion, Jesus' Baptism, The Carrying of the Cross, etc. Aside from this, we remembered important places too: Mount Calvary, Jordan River, etc. This shows that despite the differences in our religions, we still have similarities in our beliefs.

Trigonometry at Mt. Banahaw

Mt. Banahaw's Measurements

• Prominence (the horizontal measurement/the base): 1,919 meters (6,296 feet)
• Elevation: 2,170 meters (7,119 ft) above sea level
• Crater: 1.5 kilometers x 3.5 kilometers and 2,010 meters (6,900 feet) deep

The Triangle Formation in Mt. Banahaw

This is the map of Mt. Banahaw.  Let's have some fun by relating this to trigonometry and finding a triangle formation in Mt. Banahaw. 

Before:

Santos Kalbaryo forms an isosceles triangle with Ina ng Awa. This means that a = b. But more specifically, it is a 45-45-90 Triangle. Since it is a right triangle (triangle with a right angle), we now also know that a^2 + b^2 = c^2.

 After:

Kwento ni Macario Sakay

Ipinapakita ng larawan ito ang istorya ni Macario Sakay, ang isa sa huling sumukong Katipunero, na nagtago sa "Devil's Mountain" na katabi ng Mt. Banahaw. Pinangalanan itong "Devil's Mountain" ng mga Amerikano dahil nga sa kanya. Niloloko kasi sila ni Macario Sakay sa pamamagitan ng pagpapabihis ng ibang mga Katipunero na katulad niya. Lahat sila ay may mahahabang buhok, balbas at pare-parehong damit. Tuwing may naghahanap kay Macario Sakay na Amerikano, tatakbo siya sa bundok na ito at magpapakita ang isang Katipunero sa isang malayong lugar. Magtatago na naman ito at magpapakita na naman ang isa sa malayo. Natakot ang mga Amerikano dahil dito at inakalang demonyo si Macario Sakay.

English Cutline and Article

VBA  students relaxing after climbing Kalbaryo

September 28, 2012

by John Prudente and Group 5

The 43 students of the class of 10-Venerable Brother Alfano, together with their homeroom adviser, Mrs. Rafael, went on a field trip to Mt. Banahaw. It was a long trip from Marist, so many students slept on the way there. They departed at around 5:30 am.

On arrival, there was heavy rainfall. They first warmed up and stretched their muscles, so as not to have trouble later on. They entered the Judgement Cave one at a time, while being assisted by the guides. They were told by the locals that "If you get through the entire cave without any scratches, bruises or other wounds, you have been forgiven seven (7) years of sin. It was a tight fit inside but nobody got stuck. It was lit with candles and filled with lots of twists and turns. Most of the students were able to exit the cave without injuries. They ate their lunch right after getting out.

They then proceeded to climb Kalbaryo. They were told by the guides that Kalbaryo is believed to be the same mountain that Jesus climbed while carrying the cross. The students experienced Jesus' exhaustion, pain and suffering as they hiked up to its peak. They started climbing at around 10:30 and reached the top at a few minutes past 12:00 pm. 

They rested for a while and traveled back down to look for the 300-step descent to their next destination. This was the Jordan River, believed to be the same one Jesus was baptized in. They took an ice-cold bath after an entire day of hiking under the hot sun. 

After the trip, everyone had a weary but happy expression on their face. "It was a tiring but rewarding experience," said one of the students. Another added, "We learned a lot from this trip". They arrived back at Marist at 10:00 pm due to heavy traffic.

Teaser Video

Here's a video of us on the bus on our way to Mt. Banahaw!

Physics

The Long Climb Up Mt. Banahaw's Elevation

Last September 28, 2012, we went hiking up Mt. Banahaw. It was an exhausting, but great experience! We learned a lot from it and had fun.

As we tread the mountain's elevation, the group notices that  we are less balanced than we usually are and we feel a little dizzy. Our breathing also seems to become heavier than normal. This made it a bit harder to climb up. These bodily changes are normal when at higher altitudes since the air pressure is greater and the air has less oxygen.

To account for these bodily changes you can hold on to the objects around as you climb, breathe more slowly and deeply, and lower your center of gravity by crouching. All of these techniques help the body to better adjust to the higher altitude.

When going on trips like this, we should properly prepare ahead of time. To prepare, we recommend that you bring 2-4 liters of water, packed lunch and a jacket. You should also get a good night's sleep of at least 8 hours the night before and eat a breakfast that will last you several hours of hiking. Wear old but sturdy rubber shoes which may be destroyed by the trip but protect your feet or trekking sandals which won't be destroyed but leave your feet exposed. Also, wear a t-shirt and shorts/ jogging pants. It can also benefit you if you sleep on the way there, as long as you're not the driver, to conserve your energy. When you get to Mt. Banahaw, warm up by stretching before you start to climb the mountain.

View from the top of Kalbaryo (lower part of Mt. Banahaw)

Pictures

Sorry about the delay in the posts, guys. To make it up to you, here are some interesting readings and pictures we encountered on our trip.

The 12 Lessons of Christ (found in front of a local church)

The Story of Macario Sakay (found at the bottom of Mt. Banahaw)

Some Interesting Pictures (found in front of a local church)

The rest of these are magnificent views from the peak of Kalbaryo, a lower part of Mt. Banahaw.

Ignore the person :P

That's it for now, I guess. I promise we'll post again in the next few days ;)

VBA Group 5 Members

VBA- Group 5

Members:

John Prudente

Jeric Yu Jeco

Joseph Baltazar

Butchik Buenaventura

Vin Ching

Ken Cabigon