meeting mayon (part 2)

It's been said that Her Majesty, Mt. Mayon, only shows her full self to the pure of heart. It was our second day in Legazpi City and I was beginning to despair as, come early morning (when locals say she usually shows herself), cloud-covered Mayon still wasn't in the mood to grant audience to anyone. Okay then, maybe my heart is just not that pure, but after traveling all those miles, a lady can still hope.

Not giving up, my travel buddy Jan and I decided to try what Hollywood star Zac Efron did while visiting Albay about a year ago—the Mayon ATV Tour. We were inspired by the claim of Your Brother Travel & Tours, the pioneering and DOT-accredited ATV service provider in Legazpi, that the best way to fully appreciate and experience Mayon is to be bold and go on an adventure ride along its foothills-- the nearest allowable and “safe” zone for now, set by the volcano authorities.

So as early as 6 AM, Mr. Cyrel Francis Chan –Mayon trail guide and 6-year ATV jock and owner of Your Brother tours-- personally picked us up from the hotel to bring us to the ATV training grounds at Brgy. Pawa, Legazpi. The sky was overcast and yet, he was still cheerful and optimistic for us. You won’t regret it, he said.

I couldn’t help but comment how residents manage to stay so positive and happy despite the continuous threat of Mayon’s wrath. It is, after all, tagged as the most active volcano in the Philippines with about 48 recorded eruptions in 400 years. Just a day before, we visited the Cagsawa Ruins, survived by a lone convent’s belfry after what was reported to be the most lethal eruption in Mayon’s history, burying the whole town of Cagsawa and claiming the lives of around 1,200 locals in February 1814. 

Aren't people living here ever afraid of Mayon’s deadly tantrums? Well, as they see it, Mr. Chan said, it’s just the way of life. They’ve learned to go with the flow. When Mayon blows her top, of course, they try to get out of the way, seeking shelter in evacuation centers. But when she’s done, they always come back. Mt. Mayon, for better or worse, is their home. Then Mr. Chan shared this philosophy: one thing people in Albay learn to live by is that, for every disaster you survive, something good is bound to happen.

Leaving us with that thought, we suited up for the ATV ride of a lifetime. We were to embark on a 9-kilometer trail to Base 1 Camp, where a landmark lava wall stands. It was formed by a 6-kilometer spill from the volcano’s crater during Mayon’s 2006 eruption. You can see this black strip running at the center, even from the city.

We followed the trail along the rocky foothills. As we passed by boulders, black soils, and lava rocks amid small rivers, muddy floors and stubborn trees, I pondered on what Mr. Chan said. I considered Mayon’s wrath and her pain. But more interestingly so, I also began to see for myself evidence of her atonement.

 

As product of Mayon's eruptions, the land yields rich vegetation. You will see green fields and small farms built by the charming villagers, who will wave and cheer you on as you pass by. Lava rocks are quarried for free by the locals to build structures or improve livelihood. They have springs, rivers and water buffaloes. And then, I realize, Mayon also generates enough publicity- be it good or bad, to boost domestic tourism.

Braving the lava wall, we climbed and reached the lava bed-turned-helipad, where we were rewarded with a breathtaking 360 view of the Albay Gulf and city. I gazed up at Her Majesty, still partly covered by clouds -- so beautiful yet deadly. I wondered, who are you, Mayon? Are you friend or foe? Provider or destroyer? One thing for sure, I haven't known anyone quite like her.

I would have wanted to interview the lady and get some answers but, at that point I began to accept that perhaps, I wasn’t meant to see all of her. I decided not to push it. As a woman, I was beginning to understand her.

I considered what burden she carries. What is it like to be so perfect all the time? Or when your family’s livelihood somewhat hinges on your stardom? Just like a woman in high heels told to stand still forever as the whole world clicks on and immortalizes your perfection -- in her shoes, wouldn’t you be impatient, angry or a diva, too? She couldn’t even cry in private without the whole world watching. She scarred her perfect cone one day and she drew flak for it. No wonder she hides sometimes, don’t you think?

So I tell her, you do what you have to do, Your Majesty. I judge you no more. By nightfall, I went to sleep, simply grateful for the opportunity to get close.

But then, on my last day, something magical happened. I woke up to a clear view of Her Majesty. From my bedroom window, I could see her with nary a cloud to hide her slender tips, symmetrical body, and earthen robes highlighted in greens and browns. My jaw dropped. Simply amazing and perfect against a canvass of pale blue skies.

Then from a distance, I could see gentle steam coming out from her pointed tip. Looks like Mt. Mayon is preparing my coffee for breakfast. What a lady! Might as well get ready for that interview. Feeling blessed and humbled before such great beauty, I sent a prayer of thanks. Bless you, Legazpi City!

  

--Published SunStar Weekend, July 13, 2013