Pinoy Climbers Gear Up to Take on Mt. Everest After Nearly 20 Years

Two Filipino mountaineers are about to chase a dream that hasn't been attempted by any of their fellow countrymen in nearly two decades, reaching the summit of the mighty Mt. Everest. Jeno Panganiban and Miguel Mapalad are packing their gear, their grit, and the hopes of a nation as they set off on their journey.

Their flight was scheduled for Wednesday night, May 14. If all goes well, they'll be standing on the world’s highest point by May 18. The climb is part of the Philippine 14 Peaks Expedition, an ambitious project that aims to conquer all 14 of the world’s tallest mountains, each one over 8,000 meters high.

Jeno Panganiban gave a glimpse into their detailed itinerary through a social media post. The plan is to move from Everest Base Camp to Camp 1 and Camp 2 on May 15. Then, they'll push to Camp 3 on the Lhotse Face by May 16. From there, they aim to reach Camp 4 at the South Col by May 17 and attempt the summit the next day.

They’ve been monitoring weather conditions closely. Although earlier summit windows were available, strong winds and harsh conditions forced their teammates to retreat from Camp 2 back to Base Camp. Based on expert advice, May 14 became their most ideal and safest opportunity to begin the ascent.

Panganiban didn’t just share plans. He also called on Filipinos for moral support, expressing that their mission isn’t only personal, it’s for the country too.

“Time to unite,” he said in Filipino. “This is it. Top of the world. For the motherland. For the Filipino people.”

This climb comes just months after they successfully scaled Mt. Manaslu, the world’s eighth highest peak, in October. Next on their radar, aside from Everest, are Mt. Cho Oyu and Mt. Lhotse, all part of their bigger goal to be the first Filipinos to conquer all 14 of the planet’s highest mountains.

The last successful Filipino summit of Mt. Everest was back in 2007, when Noelle Wenceslao, Janet Belarmino, and Carina Dayondon made history. Now, nearly 20 years later, it’s time for a new chapter in Philippine mountaineering.