From Two Bikes to Every Mountain

How one hiker's journey through Iloilo's trails became EventTara

The Journey

2019-2022: The Beginning

My fitness journey started during the pandemic when I bought my first bike—a mountain bike that opened up a whole new world. I fell in love with the sport so deeply that I upgraded every single part until it wasn't the bike it was before.

Eventually, I bought a second bike—this time a road bike. One for the roads, one for the trails. Long road rides and exciting trail rides became my escape during those isolated years.

2024: Crossfit to Running

In 2024, I joined Ironforge Crossfit in Iloilo. That's where I learned to run—it was part of the routine. I started with a 3km charity run, then The Imperial Run 10km got me completely hooked.

One week later, I jumped to the UP Run 21km. Then came the Bucari Extreme Trail Run—27 grueling kilometers organized by PESEC (Philippine Extreme Sports and Events Collective). That trail run changed everything.

2024: Discovering Hiking

I started hiking to prepare for the Bucari trail run. My first hike was Mt. Igatmon in Igbaras—I call it my "mother mountain." Standing at that summit, I knew I had found something special.

Every weekend brought a new mountain: Mt. Napulak, Mt. Loboc, Mt. Taripis, Mt. Lingguhob, Mt. Opao, Mt. Pulang Lupa. I joined hiking groups—Journey Through Trails (JTT), Rubo-rubo lang, Five Thirsty Trekkers, and Yenergy Outdoors. I found my community.

January 2025: The Turning Point

In August 2024, I signed up for the 42km Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon. My goal: finish the "running era" with a full marathon. But two days before the race, my grandfather passed away.

I almost backed out. No training. Deep grief. Bad condition. But I grabbed myself and showed up to that race as a tribute to my late grandfather. I finished in 7:59:01—dead last, 159th out of 159 runners. But I finished.

"When you're grieving, anything is possible."

Present: From Runner to Hiker to Builder

That 42km was my last run event. These days, I'm hiking full-time. But I kept running into the same problem: finding events was a pain.

Every weekend, I'd scroll through dozens of Facebook groups, DM organizers to check availability, compare prices manually, and hope I didn't miss registration deadlines. There was no central place to see what's happening in Panay Island. I knew there had to be a better way.

The Problem

Every weekend, I'd scroll through dozens of Facebook groups trying to find hiking events. I'd DM organizers to check availability, compare prices manually, and hope I didn't miss registration deadlines. There was no central place to see what's happening in Panay Island. As both a participant and someone who wanted to support local organizers, I knew there had to be a better way.

The Solution

EventTara started as a weekend project in my room in Iloilo. A simple platform to find and book outdoor events—built by someone who lives this life, for others like me. No corporate backing, no big team. Just a hiker who codes and wanted to solve a problem I faced every week.

The Vision

We're starting here in Panay Island—my home trails, my community. Every mountain I've climbed, every organizer I've met, every group I've joined. Once we prove it works here, we'll grow across Visayas and eventually the entire Philippines. But we'll always remember: we're built by the outdoor community, for the outdoor community.