PASKOokum 2018: Alibijaban Elementary School

" It's not about how much we give but how much love we put into giving."

                                                        -Mother Theresa-

We, the Skookum Mountaineers, wish to thank all those who have helped in making PASKOokum 2018 a meaningful event for the students at the Alibijaban Elementary School, in Alibijaban Island, San Andres, Quezon.

As our chosen community for the year, it is our actually our first time to hold Paskookum outside our usual tramping grounds. Nevertheless, we remained true to our advocacy of reaching out to communities in far-flung areas, with the aim of creating smiles and sharing our blessings.

On behalf of the children/students, parents and teachers at the Alibijaban Elementary School, we say our unending gratitude to the generosity of the following sponsors, many of whom have actually shared their blessings every Paskookum Outreach Climb that we have facilitated over the years:

GS Oil Field Solutions Ltd. Co.	Team E1	Celia Rocamora
Josephine Bautista	Tropang Kape	Alvin Fernandez
Marigil Santos	Romel Alcayde	Carol Saplala
Angelo Matthew Santos	Nancy	Joy David
Monette Beltran	Marvin Dineros	SKF Finance Team
Phil John Gil Wycoco	Tony Marquez	Nieda Galapon
Senen Quizon	Janice Loyola	Allan Pore and Family
Pam Quizon	Jude Penamora	Tenten Manaois and Family
BLGF, Department of Finance	Jun Limpin	Roy Dela Cruz and Family
Aissa Buno	Menard Martin	Dhan Osalla
Jackie Lou Chua	Kat Quiambao	Glen Beason
Sgt. Nina Del Rosario	Cha Jimenes Andres	Charmaine Sarmiento
Angel Adriana Druja	Dimple Marquez	Mabel Cantor Dumigpe
Bea Kendra Druja	Melai Marquez	Jaime Octavo Joson Jr.
Sofia Ester Letaba	Marc Taruc	Divine Garduque
Lara Gwyneth Dagdag	Randell Llige	Johna Pascual
Aloha Nietes Valdez	Sie Nna	Stours
RJ Santiago	Paul Vincent Elima	Badfrog
Xenia Andres	Alexis Penamora	Kris Techico
Studio West	Carrie May Rosales	Eileen Dy
Sharon Mendez	Cunanan-Guerrero Family	Sunshine Caralde
Lucho Boom Boom	Eric Angeles and Friends

We also acknowledge the invaluable efforts and contributions of our volunteers who participated and joined us for #Paskookum2018. Your help, much less, your presence during the program itself boosted our confidence. Thank you for believing in our advocacy, for believing in us.

Paula Xenia M. Andres	Freddie Ignacio	Yannah Marrela Posecion
Domingo Arambulo Jr.	Jaime Octavo Joson Jr.	Dhan Osalla
Glean Beason	Janice Loyola	Harry Robles
Kurt Zion Calura	Antonio Marquez	Brian Dwight Samson
Sigrid Alanis Calura	Tony Marquez Jr.	Leonard Mack Samson
Roy Dela Cruz	Chino Marquez	Rome Tongohan

Again, we hope that each and eveyone of us c share happiness. As what we always say, there is a Skookum in each and everyone of us.

Allan Calura              Bette Quiocho          Bryan Bognot           Isagani Dagdag    
Jaime De Leon           Lennon Vic Del Socorro           Oliver Gil Beltran

PASKOokum 2017 - Kabayan, Benguet

The Skookum Mountaineers wish to acknowledge and extend our heartfelt appreciation to those who have provided their invaluable help and tireless encouragement for us to continue with Paskookum 2017 against what seemed to be insurmountable odds. 

While 2017 may not be the easiest for some of us, sheer will, perseverance, and the guidance of those who believe in our advocacy made this year's Paskookum one of, if not the best we ever had since we started this annual event.

Duacan Primary School
(At the Akiki JOP)

Tinaleb Elementary School

With Tinaleb Kids

On behalf of the children/students, parents and teachers, of Duacan Primary School and Tinaleb Elementary School, we long to say our unending gratitude and utmost appreciation showed by the following sponsors:

Celia Rocamora	Charmaine Sarmiento	Glean Beason
Carole Ramirez	Margie Bello	Freddie Ignacio
Maria Saplala	Ray-Ryan Garduque	RJ Santiago
Bernie Tenerife	Shiena Garduque	Ten Ten Manaois
Kurt Dayrit	Amado Rivera Jr.	Kris Techico
Verlie Gatchalian	Amado Garduque Jr.	Jerome Magdato
Alvin Fernandez	Zenaid Garduque	Francis Maglinao
Percy Datayan	Gui Sigua	Rhunna Parinas
Louwella Lusong	Jocelyn Naverra	Mary Rose Maceda
Joyce Samonte	MJ Sebastian	Freeiah Louisse
Martin Rante	Jayson Adra	Thor Libay
Faith De Sagun	Che Picache	Alger Salise
Jhen Cordeta	Eviv Belle	Sharlene Diaz
Jhian Nazario	Jaime Octavo Joson Jr.	Ronelle Cruz
Claire Holdem	Wilson Mina	Jessa Camille Yamar
Randy Racelis	Tau Gamma Phi Central Paniqui Chapter	Marvin Dimarucut
Jong Baua	Alia Travel and Tours	Pauleen Soriano & Family
Bryan Bognot	Hendrix Calura	Alvin Christian Madriage
Johna Pascual and Friends	Paula Xenia Andres	Lorevie Mariano
S'tourS	Djoan Rae Canono	Geovanni Tacla

Team E1 GS Oil Field Solutions Ltd. Co. Senen Quizon Tony Marquez Marry Anne Purcia Atty. Jennylyn Reyes Janice Loyola  Emem Atty. Shirley Tuazon Menard Martin Phearl Durado Ed Warren Balauag Melanie Marquez Studio West Family Willy Jimenez Jovel Marquez Aloha Nietes Valdez Ferdinand V. Beltran Myk Asuncion Lazol Pediatric and Family Clinic Quintin Beltran Jr. Ferdz De Guzman Meech Villahermosa and Friends Quintin Josh Beltran Charmaine Jimenez Arguelles Family Marigil and Archie Santos Verjun Legisma Sunshine Buenavista Caralde Angelo Matthew Santos Katherine Quiambao Hair and Nail Camp Salon Phil John Gil Wycoco Paul Vincent Elima Early Orolfo Monette Beltran Carrie Rosales Sherealyn Estrada Apanto Kaye Corpuz Fusilero Vanessa Cunanan and Family Michelle Naje Abegaile Cortes Sharon Firme and Family Inah Angelica Bunag and Friends Lucho Boom Boom

Moreover, aside from their priceless donations, we similarly acknowledge the invaluable efforts, care and contributions of the following volunteers who participated and joined us for #Paskookum 2017. As we keep on saying, it is our pleasure that you have joined us for Paskookum 2017. We cannot do it all, but with your help, we felt everything is possible. We hope that you will join us again in the future.

Paula Xenia M. Andres	Jerome Tordesillas Magdato	Kurt Zion Calura
David Zacharias A. Arambulo	Francis Maglinao	Sigrid Alanis Calura
Domingo Arambulo Jr.	Angeline Marquez	Freddie Ignacio
Glean Beason	Antonio Marquez	Janice Loyola
Chariza Bernardo	Chino Marquez	Earvin Francis Pore
Angelyn Arambulo Bondoc	Menard Martin	RJ Santiago
Rosendo Bondoc	Juliet Orbase	Rome Tongohan
Inah Angelica Bunag	Johna Mae Anne Pascual

Packing 101

Packing 101

Let us keep on sharing happiness. There is a Skookum in each and everyone of us.

Allan Calura

Bette Quiocho

Bryan Bognot

Isagani Dagdag

Jaime De Leon

Lennon Vic Del Socorro

Oliver Beltran

#Quecha

#happy

Elate to see you again Kiddos

May pa-Chicken Joy si Sir Domeng kahit galit sya sa Jollibee heehee.

Happy Kiddos

Skookum Girl

Courtesy of the Teachers at TES

Happy Volunteers

Masaaaraaap ang Sopas!

Approve ba?

Sack Race

Mt. Timbak...covered with clouds.

PASKOokum 2017 - Skookum Outreach Climb

Now on its 4th year, the annual outreach climb of the Skookum Mountaineers dubbed as PASKOokum (from the words "Pasko" (Christmas) and "Skookum") will be held on December 16 - 17, 2017.

For this year, we shall be coming back to the Duacan Primary School in Tujakap, Duacan, Kabayan, Benguet and the Tinaleb Elementary School, in Sitio Tinaleb, Ballay, Kabayan, Benguet. At least 180 students are expected to benefit for this year.











Everyone is invited to join this noble activity. Should you have questions or wish to make your donations in support of this activity, you may comment below or contact the Skookum Mountaineers at the following numbers: +63 927 7470339 (Isagani), +63 906 4412618 (Oliver) and +63 917 5537819(Jaime).

PASKOOKUM 2016 - Mt. Pulag Elementary School; Duacan Primary School; Tinaleb Elementary School

"Happiness is not so much in having as sharing.

We make a living by what we get,

But we make a life by what we give."

                                                                -Norman Macewan-

As mentioned in my previous posts, while our initial plan for PASKOokum 2016 is to just return to Duacan Primary School for us to be able to reach out again to the kids that we bonded with last year, the unexpected surge of donations/sponsors, would be participants, and personal requests made by our contacts from other schools that sustained damage from the onslaught of Typhoon Lawin, made us decide to include all the students of Mt. Pulag Elementary School and Tinaleb Elementary School as recipients.

A daunting task as it may seem to do an outreach climb in three different schools who are located on the different sides of Mt. Pulag National Park, we gamely took this challenge so long as we can reach out and bring happiness to kids in the far flung areas. And this is our story.

Jump Shot with the cultural dancers of Mt. Pulag Elementary School

Duacan Primary School

The next-day morning at Tinaleb Elementary School with our kiddo friends.

While it was really a challenge at first, as we had to spend additional time collecting/picking up donations, buying additional stuff, revising the itinerary, coordinating with our contacts, and packing a lot of stuff, the thought of seeing more smiles and touching the lives of more people made the work look and feel easier.

A week before PASKOokum, donations poured in droves. Hence, our first dilemma was how to bring all these stuff (at least 4 huge balikbayan boxes, 12 sacks, a number of boxes, plastic, and eco bags, 2 guitars, books, among others) up in the Cordillera. So, here is how did we did it.

Thank you Sir for helping us transport some of the stuff to the bus stations. May you be blessed a thousandfold.

More or less half of the goodies were transported to Baguio City through a van. We then dividd ourselves into three (3) groups. The 1st group will leave for the City Pines the earliest, through the Joybus of the Genesis Bus. The 2nd group took the 11:00PM bus at Victory Liner Cubao Terminal. And the 3rd group were booked to take the 11:30 bus at the Victory Liner Pasay Terminal.

Ready to go!

Baguio City Market

Just to cut the winding story short, we ultimately left Baguio City for Kabayan, Benguet a shade before 0600H. After an hour, we had breakfast at Danao Rest Stop. Here, we also took the time to celebrate Jaime's birthday. Luckily, they brought a cake for us to dig in. As we went on, we decided to again made a brief courtesy call at the DENR Station. After a brief chat with Sir Roy and a few minutes of photo ops, we continued higher into the clouds, towards our 1st stop.

Happy Birthday Mam Jaime!

At Banao's

Kasya pa ang sampu...sa taas hehe.

Courtesy Call at the DENR

Astig nung shirt...ang ganda tingnan. :)

Mt. Pulag Elementary School - "The School Above the Clouds"

Located in Babalak (also Babadak), Bashoy, Kabayan, Benguet, Mt. Pulag Elementary School is touted to be "The Highest School in the Philippines". In this so-called "School Above the Clouds", we were welcomed by the excited smiles and curious stares of the students, some of whom have tagged along their parents just to be able to attend the Paskookum2016.

PASKOokum 2016 - Maraming salamat po!

Paskookum 2016 is a new high for the Skookum Mountaineers. We are elated to have created more than 400 smiles (we also gave simple gifts to parents, friends, the teachers, and kids who are not actually students of the three schools that we visited but just happened to be there). Though it was really tiring to try and beat the clock (with all the traveling and activities that we scheduled to do in a day), every effort that we shared was really meaningful. Ultimately, the smiles that we received, the warm reception that everyone extended, the friendships that we have created, the friendly banter that we have had with the kids, the laughter that we had together, much less, the magnifient view in the mountains, took all our troubles away and energized our weary souls.

Of course, we could not have given everything so much more without the genuine concern and generosity of our kindhearted sponsors. We share to you our pride and the unending heartfelt gratitude of all the students of Mt. Pulag Elementary School, Duacan Primary School, and Tinaleb Elementary School, including their parents, friends, teachers, and families.

To those whose names were inadvertently omitted from the list below, please accept our utmost apologies and we will surely update the list once we have confirmed the appropriate information:

Vanessa Cunanan & Family	Matimco Inc. Friends
St. Theresa's College Batch 97 friends	Mapet Caralde & Family
Aliah Travel and Tours	Martina Bontongon and Family
MJ Mallari	Rocamora Family
Sharon Firme Mendez	Daphne Maravilla
Dheck Vega	Jek Lambino
Arguelles Family	Glen Beason
ACMI Office Systems Phils., Inc. - Family	Percival Datayan
Amy Cruz	Maria Carol Saplala
Paragua Family	Maria Louella Lusong
Samonte Family	Verlie Gatchalian
Ray-Ryan Garduque	RJ Santiago
Zenaida Garduque	Tony and Team E1
Amado Garduque Jr.	Reppin Camanava Chapter
Aliza Kohata	Aloha Nietes Valdez
Angela Yazaki	Jocelyn Castro
Josette Marasigan	Chris Sabat
Maribel Asuncion	Manaois Family
Rose Salva	Quintin Beltran Jr.
Mary Grace Bibal	Marigil Santos
AIM Global Uplines	Angelo Matthew Santos
Loida Locsin	Orlando Cariaga
Edgardo Garduque	Rosalie Aiza Dela Cruz
Ericka Amrel	Willy Jimenez
Joy Naverra	Senen Quizon
Guia Sigua	Phil John Gil Wycoco
Pauline Soriano	Lucho Boom Boom
Marvin Dimarucut	Bryan Bognot & Friends
Nova Pascual	Lennon del Socorro
Jacie Jacinto Yu	Lorevie Mariano
Alvin Christian Madriaga	Geovanni Tacla
Catherine Santos	Nelson Apostol
Hendrix Calura	Charmaine Sarmiento

We likewise wish to acknowledge our anonymous donors, the teachers, benefactors, and parents at the three schools where we had our outreach activity, most especially to our guides, Mr. Santiago Ballagan and Mang Rudy, and our tireless and efficient driver who surprisingly still had the energy to drive us all the way back to Manila.

Lastly, the Skookum Mountaineers similarly acknowledges with utmost gratitude the priceless contributions of those who participated and joined us for #Paskookum 2016. This outreach climb would not have been a success if not for the assistance and support of the following kind, generous, thoughtful, and compassionate individuals. We look forward to you joining us again in our advocacy.

JR Arambulo	Ayn Arriola	Allan Calura
Tony Marquez	Denise Manahan	Jaime De Leon
Rome Tongohan	Johna Pascual	Isagani Dagdag
Sydney Reluya	Jhen Cordets	Bette Beltran
Sunshine Caralde	Gener De Guzman	Oliver Beltran
Jaime Joson Jr.	Eniv Belle
Andrie Samilo	JejomarCalura

***Credits to the real owners of the photos used in this post. Thanks a lot!