Three women climbers from the Philippine Coast Guard are out to prove they have the mettle of a Leo Oracion or a Pastor Emata and make it to the top of Mt. Everest this May. And up there, they said, everyone’s just a climber.
The three Coast Guard officers  Seawomen First Class Noelle Wenceslao, Carina Dayondon and Janet Belarmino  confirmed their expedition to climb the 8,848-meter summit in Nepal next month.
The three will be the first women from the Southeast Asian region to climb the world’s highest peak.
The trio climbed Mt. McKinley in Alaska last year. The mountain is one of the seven highest summits and reputedly the world’s coldest mountain.
During the launch of their First Southeast Asian Women Mt. Everest Expedition at the Coast Guard headquarters in Manila yesterday, the three women climbers expressed optimism that their attempt would be successful, citing the support from their employers and the Philippine Airlines Mountaineering Club (PALMC).
The expedition will be funded by the Coast Guard and PALMC through a golf tournament set this March. Organizers said they hope to generate funds for the travel and accommodation expenses, food, permit fees and other expenses of the climbers through the event. – Edu Punay