The last time that I climbed a mountain with amputees was last November 2009, at Mt. Batulao. Back then, we had with us a group of motley individuals—some first-timers, and some who had already scaled a mountain no less than Mt. Apo, the highest peak in the country—to support and encourage each amputee. It was an impressively inspiring feat: the first amputee climb, wherein four amputees assaulted the nine peaks of Mt. Batulao.

Mu brods with former triathlete Al Fernandez, prior to ascending Mt. Pico de Loro

Sir Al Fernandez is an amputee who used to be a triathlete, until an accident left him with only one leg intact and prosthesis as replacement for the other. He originally planned to participate in the first amputee climb, but was unable due to unforeseen circumstances. This year, the chance was given to him to scale Mt. Pico de Loro. On November 27, a small team composed of Sir Al, and three Mu brods, including me, decided to make the ascent to the parrot’s beak.

Sir Al, who missed out on the first Amputee Climb four years back, treated this as a dry run for Mt. Pulag on February

To the seasoned mountaineer, a day-climb in Mt. Pico de Loro in Ternate, Cavite may pose no challenge at all. Even someone with who is a first-timer to mountain-climbing but is an active triathlete may find no difficulty in climbing the mountain. However, our small team had neither seasoned mountaineer nor active triathlete. I only enjoy a climb once in a while, and Sir Al is a triathlete no more. However, Sir Al had with him the passion and the vision: he wanted to show his fellow amputees that they can do what any normal individual can do, or even better.

So there we were, with no hardened mountain-climber to guide us, and only a camera to document our ascent, making our way through the forests of Mt. Pico de Loro. Trail food and the sharing of anecdotes by Sir Al sustained us during the climb. At various times, when we felt that we were getting lost, the team would joke around that perhaps we were not destined to reach the top on that day. Eventually, we encountered various teams—many of them first-timers—who decided to join us as we toiled our way to reach the top. Not one of them was aware that Sir Al was an amputee, for he wore jogging pants that hid his prosthesis.

During one of our rests, however, Sir Al joked around that with his three legs—a stick he picked up along the way, his intact leg, and the artificial one—he would reach the top. He then showed them his prosthesis. Many of our companions were surprised and inspired by Sir Al, giving them the resolve to finish scaling the mountain. After what seemed like an eternity going this trail and the other—I have to admit that we did get lost—the peak showed itself to us: the grandeur that was the parrot’s beak rising above the greenness, basking in the rays of the afternoon sun.

All of us were content that we were able to reach the peak, but Sir Al was certainly more excited at what lay ahead of him. After conquering this mountain, he said, definitely the next to conquer is the highest peak of Luzon, Mt. Pulag. With that, his resolve to become part of 2012’s Amputee-Charity Climb was solidified.

The team of four, close to Mt. Pico De Loro's summit

 

On November 27, 2011, a team composed of Sir Al Fernandez, Bearer of the Staff Marvin Masalunga MΣΦ ’14, Alf Pacheco MΣΦ ’15, and Denor Sotalbo Class 2016, made their way through Mt. Pico de Loro to officially launch the 2nd Amputee Climb. The Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity will hold the 2nd Amputee Climb at Mt. Pulag, Benguet this coming February 2012. Amputees, including Sir Al, along with other participants, will join in scaling the highest mountain in Luzon. A health mission will also be held as part of the event. This project is part of the Fraternity’s MUbility project, which aims to empower our differently-abled countrymen.

Photos by Marvin Masalunga MΣΦ ’14

The Amputee-Charity Climb Launch is part of November 2011's Service Month celebrations. See more about Service Month 2011 here.