Philstar.com
October 21, 2025 | 10:30am
MANILA, Philippines — Standing over 8,000 meters above sea level, Mt. Everest is a mammoth to be reckoned. Summiting and surviving it requires years of preparation, solid teamwork and sheer willpower. It’s in this hostile environment that a handful of Filipinos have made history.
This October, R.O.X. (Recreational Outdoor Exchange) pays homage to Filipinos who have stood on the world’s highest peak, Mt. Everest, which is considered as every mountaineer’s dream.
It recently held the photo exhibit “Ating Tugatog: Filipinos on the World’s Highest Peaks” in its Bonifacio High Street store.
The exhibit showcased 40 rare photographs chronicling the five Filipino trailblazers—Romi Garduce, Carina Dayondon, Noelle Penetrante, Miguel Mapalad and Jeno Panganiban—who have stood atop the world’s most unforgiving peaks, including Mount Everest.
Garduce, Penetrante, Mapalad and Panganiban attended the exhibit opening and they shared their personal anecdotes of hardships and triumphs.
Who could forget Garduce, one of the first Filipinos to summit Mount Everest in 2005, and later, the first to complete the Seven Summits—the highest peaks on each continent.
Rare images from his Everest expedition capture both the enormity of the climb and the humility of the man behind it.
Of his many memories, he also recalled how he had to carry a set of production equiptment for TV including a camera and satellite among others so he could document and time his time at the peak of Everest.
Philstar.com / Euden Valdez
Garduce’s discipline and methodical approach shaped his remarkable career as a mountaineer. As such, he shared his advise to young—and old—Filipinos aspiring to climb Mt. Everest.
“Really build your name,” he said in gaining the trust of sponsors. This include investing in oneself, going on your own expeditions and trips so that sponsors would be familiar with your name.
“When I felt that I was ready, that’s when I started doing my program to start my Seven Summits journey. I made a structure and sponsorship [program],” he added.
Penetrante, who was among the first Filipina Mt. Everest summiteers, echoed this and added, “You will have to be creative, makapal ang mukha at desidido sa gagawin mo kasi ang daming lunok ng pride din talaga.”
Penetrante was part of a team of Pinays who summitted Mt. Everest via a reverse traverse in 2007. Together with Carina Dayondon and Janet Belarmino, the trio redefined what Filipino women could achieve in extreme adventure despite countless sacrifices.
Completing the lineup were Mapalad and Panganiban, who recently made history when they successfully summitted Mt. Everest in May.
Mapalad, who had long dreamed of climbing Mt. Everest way back in early 2000s, felt that it was the right time for him, beyond the physical, mental and financial preparations.
“May tamang oras para sa akin, o para sa kung sino mang gustong umakyat [ng Mt. Everest],” he said.
Both Mapalad and Panganiban are now part of the Philippine 14 Peaks Expedition Team, aiming to scale all fourteen 8,000-meter mountains.
Their stories bring a modern perspective to the pursuit—balancing ambition with environmental responsibility and community advocacy.
As it highlights real stories even from the world’s most unforgiving environments, R.O.X. affirms its role as the outfitter of choice for explorers—providing globally trusted, high-performance gear that empowers them to reach new heights—both on the mountain and beyond.
Editor’s Note: This article is published by the Advertising Content Team that is independent from our Editorial Newsroom.