2006 Philippine Mount Everest expedition
One of the expedition members, Leo Oracion, became the first Filipino to reach the summit of Mount Everest and put the Philippine flag on top of the mountain on May 17, 2006, at 3:30 p.m. Nepal time.
[4] In a press conference on March 23, 2004, the group announced the establishment of the expedition and opened the application process to local mountaineers, athletes and sports enthusiasts.
[7][9] Given his job at a top multinational IT firm, which would make it difficult for him to commit to the preparations, Garduce ultimately declined the national team's invitation to join the expedition.
[10][11] Garduce eventually decided to organize his own expedition in 2005 and received financial support from TV network GMA 7, which had exclusive coverage rights to his climb.
They adopted the training program designed by David Lim, leader of the First Singapore Mount Everest Expedition, albeit with some adjustments based on the team's schedule.
[3] The group organized several minor climbing expeditions in the Philippines and abroad to prepare the 29 applicants, including treks in the country's 10 highest mountains.
During the group's preparatory climb in New Zealand, Globe Telecom, one of the Philippines' top telecommunications companies and where Pablo was an executive, sponsored them.
During the Mustagh Ata expedition, the team slept at the airport and ate food samples from vendors to save the $100 per diem given to each member.
The group then approached rival TV network ABS-CBN who provided funding and sponsorship in return for exclusive coverage rights of the ascent.
[8] Before the expedition, ABS-CBN sent journalist Abner Mercado to follow the team during their training in New Zealand and report on their preparations in the network's primetime newscasts.
During the expedition, the network also sent Mercado and fellow ABS-CBN journalist Vince Rodriguez at the Everest Base Camp with a broadcast team to report live via satellite on the climbers' preparations and ascent progress.
[19] Oracion together with Sherpa guide Pemba Chhoti left the EBC on May 13 and arrived at Camp IV (7,900 meters) on the morning of May 16 where the pair rested.
[19][21] After Oracion and Chhoti arrived from their descent of the summit, Emata and his Sherpa guide Lakpa Gyalzen left Camp IV at 10:20 p.m. of May 17 under windy conditions.
Then Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo called it "a mark of Filipino excellence, perseverance and courage in braving the hard trek of nation-building.
He has shown the world the stuff Filipinos are made of.On February 7, 2007, Arroyo conferred to Oracion and Emata the highest civilian honor called the Order of Lakandula with the special rank of "Champions for Life.
[18] Likewise, Emata was met with a grand welcome upon his arrival in Davao City and his hometown of Tagum City, Davao del Norte[30] With the success of the First Philippine Mount Everest Expedition, the organizers were able to organize a successful all-female Mount Everest expedition composed primarily of Wenceslao, Dayondon and Belarmino during the spring climbing season in 2007.
[31][32] According to a press statement by Abenojar's wife Liza, her husband actually reached the summit at 8 a.m. of May 15 — two days before Oración and Chhoti, but his attempt was undocumented.
[31] After nearly a month, Everest chronicler Elizabeth Hawley listed Abenojar's claim on The Himalayan Database, which records every ascent in the Himalayas region since 1903.
He gave me two photos of a person on the top, and one of these clearly shows Makalu (but not Lhotse) in the background, which means that it was shot by someone at the summit of Everest from the north side.However, in her route notes for Abenojar in The Himalayan Database, Hawley also included this statement which she made in response to a correspondence with mountaineer James Ben Mallen: I have not specifically stated that Mr. Abenojar was on the summit.
