Ride a bike, save the forest

MANILA, Philippines - I was the last to make it to the finish line. I really liked the first 20 kilometers. The following 20 kilometers must have been my longest 20 kilometers ever.”

These are the comments of James Guiab, country manager of Sanford Technology Group and one of the participants in the Globe Cordillera Challenge last May 21. The Globe Cordillera Challenge, an annual environmental advocacy of Globe Telecom and Cordillera Conservation Trust, was a 40-kilometer bike ride that started at Burnham Park and ended at the Provincial Capitol of La Trinidad. The bike route was strategically planned so that it provided the participants a scenic view of the mountains as they pedaled their way through Baguio City and La Trinidad. But the mountain bike trail was not always smooth. It also challenged the riders’ ability to navigate through rough and flat terrain, and even uphill, downhill, and off-road tracks.

The bike trek started at 6:30 a.m. and the riders had a choice between stopping at 20 kilometers or continuing the trail. The cut-off time was 3 p.m. At around this time, it was mandatory for the remaining bikers to get on the sweepers’ truck for safety reasons, but Guiab refused to get on the truck. He was adamant about finishing the 40 kilometers even though it was well after the 3 p.m. deadline. With the help of marshals Bhakie Saltin and Reuben Muni, he inched his way to the finish line. And as Guiab crossed the finish line, he was met with cheers and applause.

Why he stubbornly refused to get on the truck was not because of pride. The 40-kilometer bike ride was not a race. It was a pledge to rebuild our forests. Finishing first or last did not matter. The pledge itself was what mattered. Despite knowing that he was the last rider, Guiab was not fazed, nor was he embarrassed. There was no reason for him to be.  

Happily anticipating the ride

“Great ride! Especially the first half where we were going up to Tiptop and going through the forests of Baguio, all the way to the strawberry fields of Trinidad,” he said. “Really, really beautiful! I look forward to next year’s ride.”

Despite the long and tough ride, Guiab was still able to notice how beautiful our forests and mountains are. His persistence showed how serious he is in supporting the cause of rebuilding and protecting the forests of the Cordillera. And this support is what is truly important.

The Globe Cordillera Challenge was a fundraising event to rebuild the forests of the Cordillera Mountains. This may seem idealistic to some, but the beneficiary of the event, the Cordillera Conservation Trust, is not just focused on tree-planting activities. The environment is not just about trees. The community is a big part of environmental conservation. Even if more trees are planted, if no one will maintain them and if people do not understand their importance, then all efforts will be for naught. Local involvement actually plays a very big part in this reforestation project.

Tourism also plays a big role in the conservation of our environment. Every year, we lose around 300 hectares of natural land because of forest fires, illegal logging, and land conversion. The Cordillera Conservation Trust intentionally chose to include routes that went off the main roads and through the mountains and forests of La Trinidad and Baguio to provide the bikers a view of the mountains that we should safeguard.

Ten-year-old Sophia Gabrielle Vizcarra is one of the two youngest bikers to join the challenge.

One of the positive side effects of this challenge is to raise environmental awareness. People must not forget that there is beauty in nature. There is also legitimate economic gain in conserving the mountains. Tourism is not just about hotels and restaurants. We don’t need to put up buildings to draw in tourists. The Cordilleras, in all its natural glory and splendor, is an attraction already. After this event, when passing through mountains, maybe people will realize that it is not just a road, it is also a tourist destination. Then there will come a time when people will visit the Cordilleras to stroll through and feast their eyes on the natural scenery.

This year’s Globe Cordillera Challenge is the largest environment-related advocacy for the Cordilleras. With the help of all the participants and sponsors such as Dong-A Pharma, distributor of Bacchus energy drink, Cordillera Coffee, Manila Water Co., and The Philippine STAR, the Cordillera Conservation Trust was able to raise P600,000 for the reforestation project of the Cordillera Mountains. The money will be used to buy seedlings, put up nurseries, and maintain them. With the funds raised, the Cordillera Conservation Trust will be able to purchase 40,000 different species of seedlings. This June, tree-planting activities will be held to give these seedlings new homes in various tree-planting sites in Kapangan, Tublay, Kabayan and Bukod. Compared to 2010, this year’s Cordillera Challenge had bigger local involvement. There were more enthusiastic riders and dependable marshals from Baguio and Benguet.

Difficult uphill route

Hopefully, in the months to come, more people will be drawn to the cause. And every year’s Cordillera Challenge will be more successful than the last.

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Anyone interested in helping save the Cordilleras may donate through GCash (text DONATE <space> <amount in increments of P20> <space> MPIN <space> CORDI and send to 2882 or through the Cordillera Conservation Trust’s Banco de Oro (BDO) savings account, Tignayan Para Iti Konserbasyon Ti Kordilyera, with account number 5180031673. For more information about the Cordillera Conservation Trust, visit www.kristusway.org/cordilleratrust/cordilleratrust.org.htm.