The Balangay crew

CEBU, Philippines - Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation’s Art Valdez, whose organizational expertise and rich experience led the Philippine Mount Everest Expedition in 2007, is the guiding light of the balangay undertaking. His team is composed of the same group who made history in 2007 by scaling Mount Everest’s treacherous heights, namely Leo Oracion, Erwin Emata, Noelle Wenceslao, Carina Dayondon, Janet Belarmino-Sardena, Dr. Ted Esguerra, Fred Jamili and Dr. Voltaire Velasco.

The rest of the crew will be composed of master sailors, academicians and scientists who will employ navigation tools used by the earliest mariners, including the sun, stars, wind, cloud formations, wave patterns and bird migrations, while taking into account the effects of global warming and other corresponding climatic changes. As a major supporter of this historic and massive project, Jollibee will be providing the team with safety and navigation equipment as well as food sponsorships to the Balangay team prior to sailing and in areas where they will dock..

Before the actual transatlantic voyage, Valdez and his team will test the waters, literally, to determine the preparedness of the vessel and its crew for the gargantuan task.

An initial local journey will commence this year, stopping at 75 docking points— many of which have a Jollibee store nearby —from Manila to Davao. This expedition alone will take six to seven months, with the crew spending two to five days in each stopover to conduct medical missions, coastal clean-up and reforestation initiatives. Jollibee will likewise support the Balangay crew and other volunteers during these activities.

From its final stopover in Davao, the bigger journey will commence. The group will proceed along the following global routes: Southeast Asia in 2010; Micronesia and Madagascar in 2011; Pacific Ocean heading to the Atlantic Ocean, then around the world in 2012; and back to the Philippines in 2013.

Using ancient boat-building techniques from Southeast Asia, master boat builders from the Island of Sibutu in Tawi-Tawi constructed the four-to-five-ton balangay at the Reclamation Area in Manila.

Following ancient tradition, these Badjao boat builders used all-native materials such as cabo negro, local plants and nipa palm fruit, among others, in constructing the historic vessel.