The blazing heat of the Singapore sun was not enough to stop a group of twelve enthusiastic CKSC scouts from trekking the Lion City.

In fact, they were the chosen delegates from the Philippines to the 1st Singapore International Airboree, spanning six days from the 11th to 16th of February 2014, held at the Sarimbun Scout Camp, a vast outdoor area situated in the north-west region of Singapore.

The contingent was headed by adult leaders Kervin Clyde Go and Ervin Chua Joy. The participating scouts were Anne Cabanatan, Timothy Chiong, Annie Chua, Jim Kenneth Co, Stephanie Co, Bryant Lopez-Go, Catelyn Bryn Lopez-Go, Bernadette Ocampo, Andrew Brandon Ong, and Ze Hong Tan.

Carrying the name of Chiang Kai Shek College and the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), they vowed to do their best during their time in Sarimbun as evidenced by the presentation of National Heritage Badges and Honorary Airman Wing Badges to each of these scouts, during the event’s closing ceremonies.

Besides BSP, the other participating National Scout Organizations (NSO) were Scouts Australia, Cambodia Scouts, Sri Lanka Scout Association, Scout Association of Hong Kong, Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia, National Scout Organization of Thailand, Bangladesh Scouts, Gerakan Pramuka Indonesia, and Singapore Scout Association.

Though their skin colors were inadvertently tanned by the scorching sun, the twelve CKSC scouts had a good learning experience throughout the camp. It was highlighted by visits to the Singapore Aviation Academy and Singapore Polytechnic University, as well as tours around Singapore Science Centre and Gardens by the Bay. The group also went to the Changi Exhibition Centre for the biennial aerospace event dubbed the Singapore Airshow, where they were amazed by the aerobatic displays from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Black Knights’ F-16C Fighting Falcon jets.

They also got the chance to take a peek at Singapore’s sights and sounds during the special event “The Amazing Singapore Race,” taking pictures of almost every historical and cultural sites their radar eyes and ears could detect. Singapore Flyer, Sentosa, Merlion Park, Orchard Road, Marina Bay Sands, the scouts have trekked them all!

Of course, an international camp won’t be complete without the scouts indulging in a night of cultural performances. Our Filipino-Chinese scouts showed the crowd their love by serenading them a multilingual and memorable song – 朋友. They wore native barongs and sayas, as well as oriental qipaos, while giving out little salakot hats to the audience. Their performance ended with the audience giving them a round of applause.

In all, the CKSC scouts were able to discover the international traditions and trends of the largest youth organization in the world. They hope to serve as an inspiration for other scouts, not only to make the country proud, but also to spread the spirit of Scouting.

Contributor: Andrew Brandon Ong