Hey Hivers!

Let me tell you something kinda funny,, kinda exhausting, but also unforgettable. 😅 So this year, me and my little fam got invited to a land survey. Why? Because last year, in 2024, my in-laws (mama and papa) bought a lot through a real estate agent. Each lot cost around ₱18,000 to ₱25,000, and they bought one for us too, as a future gift for our family.

Back then, we didn’t ask a lot of questions. We just knew they got land somewhere uphill, and that it was a good deal. Honestly, we didn’t even know where it was exactly not the address, not the layout, not even the barangay. All we were told was, “It’s in a peaceful place, maybe 10 minutes walking from the road.”
Welp… they were wrong. 😂

Site Survey Day: Ready for a Chill Walk (So We Thought)

This 2025, the real estate group finally scheduled a site visit and lot survey, and invited all buyers to go check their future land and pick which block number they wanted. Of course, we joined..

We were told to meet up in the afternoon at a small sitio named Sitio Kinabutan.. It was sunny and nice, so we expected a short walk in the hills, maybe check the land, and then head home. We brought water, wore long sleeves (thank goodness), and thought it would take like one hour tops.

When a Walk Turns Into a Hike

We started walking around 2:00 PM with a group of about 20 people, mostly family members and fellow buyers. At first, the trail looked okay. But after a few minutes, it started getting steeper, and steeper… and steeper.
We passed through narrow trails surrounded by thick trees and tall grass. Some areas were muddy and slippery. We had to hold on to branches to keep balance. It wasn’t flat land — this was serious climbing.
“Kuya, are we close?”
“Almost there po, just a little more uphill.”
He said that three times. 😩
After 1 hour of walking, we were already sweaty and out of breath. We couldn’t believe it. Then, finally, after almost 2 hours, we arrived.

Plot Twist: The Land is at the Peak

When we reached the site, someone from the real estate group casually said,
“Oh, this area is actually at the peak of Bioborjan.”
My brain went: "I’m sorry, WHAT?!" 😳
We had no idea the lot was literally at the top of a mountain. We weren’t ready. None of us expected that the land we thought was just “somewhere uphill” turned out to be on top of Bioborjan Peak itself.
It all made sense now — why the climb was so long and steep, and why we felt like we were in a hiking vlog. 😂

The View That Made Us Forget the Pain (Almost)

But to be honest… when we saw the view from up there, it kinda took our breath away (again, but in a good way this time). 💙
You could see the ocean in the distance. The sky looked bigger than usual. There was a cool breeze, and everything was just green and calm... No building, no cars, no noise. Just nature and fresh air. It felt peaceful. Magical even.

We were tired, yes. But we were also thankful. That land, even if far and high, was a gift from my in-laws — something they worked hard for, so we could have a place to build a home one day.

Picking a Block and Placing “Mohon”

Everyone then started choosing their lots. Some brought a “mohon,” others brought spray paint or markers.
So what is a mohon?
A mohon is a boundary marker. Usually, it’s made of concrete or strong wood. It marks the corner of your land,, so that you and your neighbors know exactly where your property begins and ends. This helps avoid confusion and arguments in the future...

In official land surveys, a mohon is very important. If you don’t place it, there’s a chance your lot might overlap with others later on. Some people even hire someone to dig and place proper concrete mohon, especially before building anything.
We didn’t bring a ready-made one, so we just used red paint and hardwood sticks to mark our temporary corner points. Others had prepared mohon with their names already written on them. Some even brought small shovel to plant them deep in the ground...
everyone was walking around, pointing, measuring with their feet, asking the guides questions. It was like a mini treasure hunt, except instead of gold, you’re looking for the perfect place to put your future home...

The Way Down…

After the markings were done, we all started heading back. Its was already past 5PM the sun is slowly going down. The trail back wasnt as hard, but we were all tired, especially the older people in the group. Still, no one complained. Everyone was happy — excited, even.
While going down, I was quietly thinking about the day. We dont expect anything like this. We dont expect a mountain. We dont expect the view. But we also didn’t expect to feel this much hope...

So yeah… what started as a simple walk turned into a full-blown mountain adventure. But looking back now, I wouldn’t change a thing,. It is a day full of surprises, laughter, sweat, and family love.
Thanks for reading, Hivers! 💛
—Rose Rixon

[//]:# ([//]:# (!worldmappin 9.78992 lat 125.45859 long Bioborjan Peak d3scr))