2nd Jiabong Caving Exploration 2007

2007-05-13T00:03:00.000-07:00

SAMAR ISLAND GUIDE: EXPLORER JONI A. BONIFACIO TEL: 055-2512301
CELL:09192943865 / 09053233572
WEBSITE: www.bonifaciojoni.blogspot.com

2ND JIABONG CAVING EXPLORATION 2007
BRGY.TAGBAYAON,JIABONG,SAMAR
MAY 4-6,2007

THE CAVES:

*PANAGHOYAN CAVE- 900 M LONG
*LOBO CAVE- 5 KM LONG
*KAMANOOG CAVE- 300 M LONG
*NAPONOD CAVE - 1 KM LONG

PARTICIPANTS:

1. JONI A. BONIFACIO--- TREXPLORE/ORGANIZER CATBALOGAN,CITY
2. SHERWIN S. ORBETA--- TREXPLORE/ASSISTANT GANDARA,SAMAR
3. NELSON LABRAGUE---TREXPLORE/ASISTANT JIABONG,SAMAR
4. DIOVANE B. CABAGNAN-----TREXPLORE/ASISTANT JIABONG,SAMAR
5. MARIA ANGELMAE P. ROLDAN---CATBALOGAN CITY
6. OLEGARIO B. MABANSAG--SAMBA BIKERS CATBALOGAN,CITY
7. JHUN TY----DELTA CATBALOGAN CITY
8. NATHANIEL CASAS ----TREKKERS CATBALOGAN CITY
9. HELLY ASOY---TACLOBAN CITY
10.MARY ROSE CRUZ --- MAKATI CITY
11.JOSHUA VINCENT CRUZ-- MAKATI CITY
12.FLORDELUNA ROSALES---MAKATI CITY
13.RAFAEL C. TURA---CEBU CITY

1st Jiabong Caving Exploration 2006

2006-06-13T22:02:00.000-07:00

SAMAR ISLAND GUIDE: EXPLORER JONI A. BONIFACIO TEL: 055-2512301
CELL:09192943865 / 09053233572
WEBSITE: www.bonifaciojoni.blogspot.com

1ST JIABONG CAVING EXPLORATION 2006
BRGY.TAGBAYAON,JIABONG,SAMAR
JUNE 10-12,2006

THE CAVES:

*PANAGHOYAN CAVE- 900 M LONG
*LOBO CAVE- 5 KM LONG
*KAMANOOG CAVE- 300 M LONG
*EVEREST CAVE- 600 M LONG
*NAPONOD CAVE - 1 KM LONG

PARTICIPANTS:

1. JONI A. BONIFACIO--- TREXPLORE/ORGANIZER CATBALOGAN,SAMAR
2. SHERWIN S. ORBETA--- TREXPLORE/ASSISTANT GANDARA,SAMAR
3. AARON GARCIA---TREXPLORE/RESEARCH CATBALOGAN,SAMAR
4. NELSON LABRAGUE--- TREXPLORE/ASISTANT JIABONG,SAMAR
5. BELINDA B. MORILLO---COMMUNITY ORGANIZER MATUGUINAO,SAMAR
6. OLEGARIO B. MABANSAG--SAMBA BIKERS CATBALOGAN,SAMAR
7. PITZ TAN---CATBALOGAN TENNIS CLUB CATBALOGAN,SAMAR
8. JOHN BARGH---CANADIAN ROSARIO N. SAMAR
9. ERIC ADA--- UEP LAOANG N. SAMAR
10.MICHAEL DILODILO--- UEP LAOANG N.SAMAR
11.BILLYJACK B.BAHIAN---OPS CEBU CITY
12.DOWELA M. DEMETILLO---OPS CEBU CITY
13.JEAN MONDRAGON---ORMOC CITY
14.GRACE RAGASA---TACLOBAN CITY
15.CHARMEN L. CINCO--CALBIGA,SAMAR
16.AURELLO YABON---TREXPLORE/LOCAL GUIDE JIABONG,SAMAR
17.BENBENIDO CABAGNAN---TREXPLORE/LOCAL GUIDE JIABONG,SAMAR

The 1st Jiabong Caving Exploration held June 10-12, 2006
By: JoniMaine

Come June 10, 2006, a group of eager young and old participants to the said exploration met at the agreed place of Explorer Joni A. Bonifacio at the Abisamis residence in Allen Ave. Catbalogan Samar in preparation for going to Brgy Tagbayaon, Jiabong W. Samar , were they’re bound to see some of those Cave systems that are as spectacular and splendid as those that could be seen books.

By 12 noon the group of 12 people boarded a jeepney for Jiabong and alighted at the crossing to Brgy. Tagbayaon. It was there were they engage the services of two local guides and 3 more participants joined in with the group. The sun was particularly hot but the day was cool and it’s good for hiking. The group payed homage to the brgy officials and obtained permission from them to conduct their adventure sightings of the caves. An Agreement follows and refreshments were provided out for the group. Noted for was the abundant presence of pineapple fruits which were immediately peeled and sliced for the visitors to savour and eat with gusto after that long hot walk from the crossing to the barangay proper.

While the group of explorers take cover from the hot sun on the brgy. stage to wait for the lowering of the hot temperature, questions and answers and the exchange of ideas could only be expected among the participants, and in summarizing the whole talks, a conclusive picture of the situation was arrived at by the writer of this article.

It was on the 12th of April 2006, when the 10-man Italian Speleologist arrived in Catarman, N. Samar with the intent to explore the Ruben’s cave - named after its local discoverer Mr. Ruben Orsolino. Then our very own National Explorer Mr. Joni A. Bonifacio met them there and informed the group of the presence of another cave in Brgy. Tagbayaon, Jiabong W. Samar, that awaits to be explored. The foreigners agreed to come to Samar then, so they could accompany the team of Joni and Mr. Sherwin Orbeta, the Trexplore the Adventure Asst., in mapping the Jiabong Caves System. So, last April 16 the group of Italian Speleologist Guido Rossi, Lorenzo Sardini, Marco Benvenuti, and Matteo Rivadossi and some others comprising an exactly four (4) spelunking group arrived in Catbalogan and upon taking lodge at the well-renowned Fortune Hotel, immediately got preparations in laying out their plans to map out the exact location and dimensions of the caves. At last, on April 18-26 the 1st formal exploration of these particular caves system in Jiabong, Samar, got started and the expedition group made out their mapings of almost all corners they discovered inside each cave. Among the caves explored, the Panaghuyan cave measured 900m long while the Lobo cave system measures 5km in length. But aside from these two caves, there are still the presence of other numerous caves nearby that awaits exploration which the foreigners agreed to conduct in the summer of next year particularly on the month of March.

Following the move of these Italian speleologist, Explorer Joni Bonifacio again organized the 1st Local exploration held last June 10-12 2006, whereby an adventurous group of eager local explorers joined in to survey and eagerly feasted their eyes on the wonders offered by the mysterious beauty that only the adventurous enough could be given the opportunity to behold and experience. It was these first two explored caves that the local adventurers had roamed in and out with their actual presence inside the cave. Surely, it was a grueling and tiresome activity to behold but the experience is worth rewinding.

Complementing the caving activity, Spelunking, trekking among the wooded areas in going to and coming out of the caves, rock and mountain climbing, rappelling, swimming and river crossing, bouldering, knee-crawling and squatting, sliding, sight-seeing, bird-watching and others, etc, all combined to engrain nature awareness and symphaty on the minds of all participants.

To mention the names of all who participated in the said activity are: Mr. Joni A. Bonifacio the organizer, Mr. Sherwin S. Orbeta and Nelson Labrague, Trexplore Assts., and members Charmaine Cinco and Sr. Aaron Garcia. Also included are participants John Bargh from the country of Canada, Pitz Tan and Olegario Mabansag of Catbalogan, Jean Mondragon from Ormoc City, Grace Ragasa from Tacloban City, Michael Dilodilo and Eric Ada both from Laoang N. Samar, Belinda Morillo from Matuguinao, Dowela Benetillo and BillyJack Bahi-an from Cebu City, and Aurelio Yabon and Benedicto Cabagnan from Jiabong W.Samar.