𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬, 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐂𝐈𝐂 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐤𝐞

With enthusiasm and a shared love for exploration, Lapulapu-Cebu International College’s (LCIC) Hiking Club, together with the Center for English Language Studies (CELS) Department, ventured into the lush trails of Budlaan Falls and Mt. Kang-Irag on April 11, 2026—marking their first interdepartmental hike.

Spearheaded by Joem Orbeso, a CELS instructor, and assisted by Shiela Belocura from the same department, along with Johnrey Baring, the Hiking Club’s president, a total of 32 participants joined the activity. To ensure safety throughout the journey, two experienced guides, JM Araneta and John Rey Lopez, accompanied the group.

Beyond the numbers and coordination behind the activity, the hike became a reflection of a growing desire to reconnect with nature, and there is no better way to do so than by stepping outside. Orbeso emphasized that the hike was more than just a recreational activity. “I decided to create this hiking activity because it’s timely and relevant in Cebu, especially with the growing interest in outdoor and wellness activities,” he shared. “My goal is to allow them to experience Cebu’s natural beauty while they develop teamwork, resilience, and a deeper appreciation for the local environment,” he added.

This vision reflects a growing shift among students who are seeking more meaningful and active ways to spend their time beyond the walls of their rooms and the screens of their phones. In a generation often defined by endless scrolling, activities like hiking offer a refreshing pause—one that reconnects individuals not only with nature but also with themselves.

𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘻𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵?

For some participants, the experience was both challenging and rewarding. Benny Daryll Quioco, a first-year student from the Bachelor of Arts in English Language Studies (BAELS), shared that it was his first time hiking. Quioco felt exhausted and anxious during the hike, as he thought he was slowing others down by falling behind. “I was quite scared that others might see me as a burden,” he said. However, what he encountered instead was encouragement—from fellow hikers who congratulated him and guides who patiently supported him along the way. This sense of support ultimately pushed him to complete the entire journey. “I’d definitely be happy to join another hiking trip now that I’ve learned from my mistakes, and I’ll be more prepared this time,” he said when asked if he would join another hike.

Orbeso also assured that this will not be the first and last. “Of course, this is just the beginning, as we plan to introduce more trail hiking activities in the future,” he shared. The hike was not just about reaching the destination but about embracing the process. Being unfamiliar or afraid is part of the experience—but what matters most is choosing to keep going despite it.

𝘍𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭?
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