Stargazing, hot choco and bibingka, ‘Sawa’ and other things you may experience from Masungi’s Celestial Nights
Everyone told us we were lucky.
From the security to the ranger, to the astronomer, everyone remarked how lucky our group was. Because for the first time after several weeks of overcast skies, the stars finally decided to show up, and boy was it damn pretty.
Our group of seven set out a few hours before midnight for Masungi’s Celestial Nights, a night hike toward a rocky peak, where, in between cups of hot chocolate and warm bibingka amid the cool and crisp mountain air, astronomers tell the story of the cosmos.
Before our trek, Masungi project leader Vienna Lagdaan told our group that Georeserve’s policy revolves around one word—“respect.” Aside from keeping our voices low in deference to the local ecosystem, we were also asked to use the red light from our headlamps as our illumination, as this would be less disruptive to the living things in the area compared to the bright white lights.
A Masungi ranger guides participants while telling stories
A program is held inside a cave in case of bad weather
Dinner before participants depart
Huddle with ranger
Hot choco, bibingka, puto bumbong, and pillows where participants could rest on atop Nanay
A Masungi ranger guides participants while telling stories
A program is held inside a cave in case of bad weather
Dinner before participants depart
Huddle with ranger
Hot choco, bibingka, puto bumbong, and pillows where participants could rest on atop Nanay
CLOSE
“Sa inyong paglalakbay, hayaan niyong ang kalikasan ang inyong maging daan, at ang mga bituin ang inyong maging tanglaw,” Vienna said, as she bade us off.
Led by our ranger Patrick, we went on our way along the trail. As we walked one cautious footfall at a time, we were welcomed along the trail path by the songs of cicadas, the twittering of nocturnal birds, and the rustling of leaves and tree branches. I initially clutched my collar to gather more cover against the prevailing trade winds, which was sending a chill up my spine, but I, fortunately, acclimatized after some time.
Crossing two hanging bridges under cover of darkness in the middle of powerful Amihan winds was quite an experience. Of particular note was the bridge called “Sawa,” where you have to hang on to alternating rope handles for balance, as you slowly make your way to the other end, all while the bridge playfully dances along with the gusty winds.
As we crossed the second bridge, our friend Shannah Orencio, a painter who organized the trip, remarked how “poetic” the trip was turning out to be.
Shortly before we reached the peak, Patrick reminded us about the story of the Three Kings, who traveled and persevered in their search for Jesus Christ under the guidance of a star.
When we reached the peak of the limestone formation called “Nanay,” experts from the Philippine Astronomical Society indulged us with stories about the stars, celestial bodies, and visible constellations.
Sitting on that peak, one could sense and appreciate how pitch dark our entire surroundings were, and how utterly bright the night sky was. The contrast created by the absence of light pollution was clearly unmistakable. Quite literally, to better see the lights, one has to bask in the dark.
Armed with a powerful laser pointer, experts from the Philippine Astronomical Society traced constellations in the sky, such as Taurus, Orion, and Cassiopeia among others. I learned too that Filipino ancestors also had their own names for constellations, which included “Balatik,” a hunting trap for pigs that our ancestors imagined within Orion’s Belt.
After the stargazing session, we descended from the peak and repaired to a dining hall underneath a rock formation for a candle-lit dinner. In the middle of the forest, we partook in rice meals wrapped in banana leaves, calamansi juice, and tea brewed from kayumanis, a type of local cinnamon.
We left Masungi past two AM, with our hands crossed tightly across our chests to fend off the cold mountain breeze. Marilaque at that hour mirrored the night sky, a slithering dark with passing vehicles like traveling stars. Riding shotgun as we descended the highway down to Antipolo, I tried to look at the night sky to trace whatever mythological figure I could find but no such luck.
I honestly can’t make heads nor tails of any constellations still, but I just think it was quite magical to sit on a rocky and jagged outcropping that was once part of the seabed millions of years ago while listening to a scholar as he tells stories about the night sky millions of miles away. From the sea to the sky, we made sense of our world through our stories. To be and feel alive at such a moment, how lucky we were indeed.
Masungi’s Celestial Nights is open for bookings until January 26. Interested individuals could book their slot by visiting this link.
