Work in the Minesite… Nostalgia…….

It was so cold about 9 degrees and still dark but I fixed myself in my favorite black jacket and black Reebok  rubber shoes to have my morning jog with my workmate as early as 4 in the morning.  I grabbed myself a warm sip of coffee to have some warm up. On the way to the airstrip  of Lepanto high up in the mountains, the sky slowly lightened up and the sun appeared as we walk towards the field. I really admire the Cordillera mountains, it is so unique from its long mountain range. I always imagine the sunrise on the mountain ridges whenever I remember it. There is a dam if you look down where a long river flows. I love to stare at it from the top observing the flow of water; however it was colored brown. I looked up and the sky turned orange to yellow but it still feels cold.  It took an hour for my body to produce enough sweat. I felt thirsty and out of breath. I wished to visit underground so I have to be physically strong. 

After having   3 to 4 rounds of running in the 10 kilometers  airstrip or until we get tired, we drop by at a local store to purchase cold bottled tea or orange juice. If we forgot to bring money we just pay later or the next coming days since the Igorots are very kind in that place. Igorots are local tribes in Benguet who still retain their cultural identity despite modernization. They embrace technology but their culture is engraved in them passed from one generation to another.  Respect them for that uniqueness.

I remembered having our favorite breakfast under the pine trees at the backyard of one of the staff houses. We requested the mess girls with rice, dried fish and tomatoes while having the best brewed coffee  from Mankayan. The tables and chairs are made of pine trees as well. Those were the best breakfast I had in my entire life. In the crispy fresh air with sweet smell of pine while looking at nature enjoying my food, it was like I was on vacation. 

We usually have that morning routine ever since I arrived there before reporting to work.Then we headed down to our accommodation about 5 to 10 minute walk as we prepare for the daily work. After a warm bath we waited for our service. A white van fetches us to go to the surface mine site where we leave one identification card at the gate and do another log in near the office. We have three Identification cards there. The purpose of having multiple ID cards is for attendance check in case a disaster happens,especially those miners assigned underground. 

The workplace at the surface mine site near the shaft was very dusty and noisy. Every morning I sweep the floor full of dust and wipe the tables which almost turned white. My eyes got myopic because of that. 

At 8 in the morning, mine workers come in our office for their concerns after the safety meeting. At 9 I have my coffee and at noon time we have our lunch in our accommodation. The cook usually prepares food from their place and vegetables like cauliflower and carrots is always prepared. I love sayote leaves as side dish with fried chicken. We go back to site at 1 pm and leave work at 5 in the afternoon. We have to get the identification card at the gate for safety check that no one is left behind. 

We reach our accommodation before the sun sets as I look around my favourite view there is the golf fields. Very wide and green, when I visited that place I rolled over the grassland and I felt like a child. I tried playing golf once and it was challenging. Any one can play golf there as long as you have the tools with you. No need for membership.At times cows graze on the fields and kids just play around. There is a bridge there and I walked on it with fear because it is made of wood and it moves every step I make. I was able to cross the other side with lots of bougainvillea plants. I had a remembrance photograph in that area and loved it.

That was how my work routine turned out in my 8 months stay in the beautiful place of Benguet. The environment provided us with work, life and balance. The project provided us free food and accommodation and all we have to do is work and just work. Everyone is like family there and they provided us everything we need. It was like I was having vacation not work. 

The place we worked is 4 hours trip away from Baguio City in the Philippines. Every view is very picturesque on the way up to the mountains. The sky is always blue in the morning and the sea of clouds touches my face even if it is only 4 in the afternoon.The place is like you are overseas because of the tall pine trees and beautiful mountains. Forever in my heart will stay that place where It used to be home for me. I miss the afterwork parties and the cultural celebrations as part of their rituals.I was able to hold the gong and dance the canao dance.I miss my friends there from different areas in the Philippines and from different countries. I hope chance will give us to see them again.

In my short stay in the mountains,I left the place almost 10 years ago early in the morning and the sunrise welcomed me on the way down to Baguio City as I head down home. The lengthy mountain ridge was  4 hours equivalent to my trip. I reached our home in laguna at 11 in the evening. A dog welcomed me,small beagle and forever this dog is part of the memory of always welcoming me after leaving home.