Pinoy climbers to scale Mt. Everest

New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay did it on May 29, 1953. A total of 660 more came after the two brave explorers, including Indonesians and the Malaysians. But no Filipino climbers.

That would soon be a thing of the past as the Philippines formed a united front to accomplish the rare feat — scaling Mount Everest, known as the tallest mountain in the world with a height of 29,035 feet or 8,850 meters which is equivalent to 20 Empire State Buildings.

A total of 29 brave souls — a combination of Christians, Muslims, Lumads and Igorots, including three women, will undergo rigid training here and in alpine locations abroad hoping to become the first group of Filipinos to ever reach the crest of the great Mt. Everest.

"The first Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition is a big test to show the indomitable spirit of the Filipinos. It’s through this extra-ordinary feat that the Filipinos can show to the world their perseverance and determination in achieving a daunting task amid extreme challenges," said Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Undersecretary Art Valdez, who is the team’s expedition leader.

"The expedition will be like a fresh mountain breeze that can energize our nation’s spirit of unity," added the former chief of the Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines, Inc. (MFPI), the local governing body of natural mountain climbers.

The Mt. Everest Expedition, which was registered in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last year, was officially launched Tuesday night at the underground parking lot of Rockwell in Makati City with no less than former president Fidel Ramos and ABS-CBN’s Gina Lopez as special guests.

Backing up the three-year training, which will culminate in the climb on 2007, is Uniglobe Travelwear Company, Inc., the exclusive distributor of The North Face mountaineering gear in RP, a brand serious mountain climbers in the world popularly used.

Expedition spokesman and MFPI president Regie Pablo said the 29 aspirants will travel outside the country four times every year and the best seven among them will be the ones to embrace the danger that Mt. Everest offers.

"It’s basically about who is brave and strong enough to last three years of intensive training," said Pablo, who is a mountaineer himself having reached the crest of the dreaded Razdelnaya Peak in Kyrgyzstan.

In the team are Choi Aquino, Ray Sumagaysay, Erwin Emata, Chris Eyao, Wendell Bamba, Johnny Anonuevo, Leo Oracion, Larry Honoridez, Danny Dematera, Levi Nayangahan, Bobby Acosta, Bubut Tan-Torres, Chico Estrera, Surit Palena, Goad Sibayan, Bobby Mengito;

Nick Dimaampo, Janet Belarmino, Ariel Ambayec, Noel Wenceslao, Lito Manansala, Karina Dayumdom, Noy Caimoy, Wrendolph Pangamba, IT Gonzales, Joel del Sol, Mon Ruiz, Dr. Tedoro Esguera, Allan Cabizares and Valerio Ramos, Jr.

Joining Valdez and Pablo to help ensure the success of the expedition are Butch Sebastian, who has done alpine climbs in himself in the Himalayas and the United States, and Jong Narciso, a climbing gym instructor and advneture race course setter.