Not just because it’s there
May 22, 2006 | 12:00am
It’s the high point for Pinoys the world over so far, what with three of our countrymen claiming the summit of the world’s tallest mountain for the glory of the Philippines, if only for a few precious photo-op minutes. While I may not share the passion for climbing up to oxygen-sparse and dizzying heights, I can empathize with the sense of satisfaction these extreme athletes must get when they summit – in less arduous but equally stressful circumstances. In my own field, I do get that adrenaline rush when my team and I are able to peak and close a big corporate account in the more horizontal landscapes of corporate Makati.
With the entire team of Filipinos getting ready for their collective climb next year, we give credit to Oracion, Emata and Garduce who have blazed the trail, in a manner of speaking, to the top. At this point, I must confess that my romantic notion of lonely trekkers braving the mountain’s treacherous ascent was somewhat diminished when I read that these rugged, adventurous individuals do not actually go up to the summit on their own. They’re usually part of a large team – 30 members for Oracion and 60 for Imata – who are prepped and preceded by their Sherpa guides.
Be that as it may, the Philippines joins a select crowd of nations who have successfully reached the crowded Everest summit, what with the approximately 2,000 individuals who have made it to the top since 1953 when New Zealander Sir George Mallory claimed it for the Western world. In the same period, about 200 people have died trying to get to the top.
While I am all for the continued victory of our current gladiator, Manny Pacquiao, in his up-and-coming fights, I must say that our newfound hero’s feat is a more palatable one for me, scaling stratospheric heights instead of pounding and beating flesh and bone to a pulp. It would be nice to have more than Pacquiao to talk about and idolize, for a change. I don’t doubt that good times are in store for our Everest conquerors once they arrive back in the Philippine lowlands; product endorsements, are waiting in the wings, I’m sure.
It’s heartwarming that our new crop of athletes is not only committed to personal triumph but offer their victories to national pride as well. What Oracion did was to plant the Philippine flag on Everest’s summit, a fitting metaphor for a country laboring to ascend to heights of global competitiveness, notwithstanding the dire circumstances it finds itself in. One of the members of the First Philippine Mount Everest Expedition remarked that Oracion’s success is a testament to what Filipinos can do when they work together.
In fact, Oracion’s triumph, at least in its final stages, was hardly the result of a collective national effort. From newspaper reports, what should have been a team effort was diluted when, suddenly, there was more than one group pushing to reach the top. We cannot fault anyone for wanting to reach the summit in whatever capacity, but that certainly raised the competitive hackles on all the parties concerned. Thus, the race to get to the top first.
When you think about it, the entire incident merely reflects the reality of how Filipinos go about pursuing their goals. The traditional bayanihan image of an entire village putting their collective shoulders to helping move a neighbor’s house masks the intrigues, back-biting and politicking that goes on behind this seemingly harmonious picture. Whether it is in far-flung villages or the halls of Congress, there always seems to be that nasty Filipino habit of one-upmanship and looking-out-for-oneself to diminish the luster of working together for a common cause.
Filipinos, as individuals, are a hard-working, diligent and committed lot. But when they get together, and work and live with each other, it can become a tinderbox just waiting for a spark. The recent incident on the world’s largest luxury cruise liner, the Queen Mary II, betrays this uniquely Pinoy malaise. One Filipino crewmember was stabbed dead by another Filipino in the ship’s hold, an incident that took place away from the sight of its passengers, but was witnessed by fellow crew members. A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman admitted the odds that the crime was, indeed, committed by another Filipino, considering that Pinoys seem partial to knives.
Oracion’s success is not reduced by the "network wars" the climb has purportedly spawned; in fact, it is made more noble because Oracion, as many dedicated athletes are, was able to keep his focus, despite the many distractions that surrounded him, network wars and all. I look forward to this week’s newscasts when all these worthy athletes are photographed side by side and featured in both ABS-CBN’s and GMA’s evening news, without rancor and with a great collective sense of fulfillment.
Perhaps among the many who have scaled these perilous heights, none bring greater significance to their countrymen as these three have. After all, as a nation, we are hungry for affirmation of our worth as Filipinos who are, at the same time, global citizens, having been under the shadow of Western and domestic imperialism for so long. It is not only pride but also the renewal of self-confidence, knowing that we can measure up to the best of them. At this stage, we’ll take whatever affirmation we can get – whether from the boxing ring or from 30,000 feet – having had our national psyche pummeled and beaten to a pulp by internal wranglings over politics, economics and government.
When they arrive back home, let’s shower Oracion and company with confetti and treat them to a national parade fit for heroes. They deserve it and we deserve it even more as a people. While Mount Everest is, to be sure, an overwhelming challenge, we as a nation face even greater heights to scale, if we were to try to bring all our countrymen to a life that is beyond merely surviving. Just like Oracion, we can do anything we put our hearts and souls to, and keep ourselves from being distracted by lies, deceit and grandstanding.
British mountaineer George Mallory was interviewed prior to his attempt in 1923 as to why he wanted to climb Mount Everest. Exasperated by incessant press questions, Mallory was said to have responded, "Because it is there." I’d like to believe that our Filipino mountaineers did not go up there just "because it is there." We are a more emotional and spiritual people, and we seldom do things without rhyme or reason, or, at the very least, justification. Having said that, this week we are a nation united, if only fleetingly, to celebrate Oracion’s triumph.
E-mail bongo@vasia.com or bongo@campaignsandgrey.net for comments, questions and suggestions. Thank you for communicating.
With the entire team of Filipinos getting ready for their collective climb next year, we give credit to Oracion, Emata and Garduce who have blazed the trail, in a manner of speaking, to the top. At this point, I must confess that my romantic notion of lonely trekkers braving the mountain’s treacherous ascent was somewhat diminished when I read that these rugged, adventurous individuals do not actually go up to the summit on their own. They’re usually part of a large team – 30 members for Oracion and 60 for Imata – who are prepped and preceded by their Sherpa guides.
Be that as it may, the Philippines joins a select crowd of nations who have successfully reached the crowded Everest summit, what with the approximately 2,000 individuals who have made it to the top since 1953 when New Zealander Sir George Mallory claimed it for the Western world. In the same period, about 200 people have died trying to get to the top.
While I am all for the continued victory of our current gladiator, Manny Pacquiao, in his up-and-coming fights, I must say that our newfound hero’s feat is a more palatable one for me, scaling stratospheric heights instead of pounding and beating flesh and bone to a pulp. It would be nice to have more than Pacquiao to talk about and idolize, for a change. I don’t doubt that good times are in store for our Everest conquerors once they arrive back in the Philippine lowlands; product endorsements, are waiting in the wings, I’m sure.
It’s heartwarming that our new crop of athletes is not only committed to personal triumph but offer their victories to national pride as well. What Oracion did was to plant the Philippine flag on Everest’s summit, a fitting metaphor for a country laboring to ascend to heights of global competitiveness, notwithstanding the dire circumstances it finds itself in. One of the members of the First Philippine Mount Everest Expedition remarked that Oracion’s success is a testament to what Filipinos can do when they work together.
In fact, Oracion’s triumph, at least in its final stages, was hardly the result of a collective national effort. From newspaper reports, what should have been a team effort was diluted when, suddenly, there was more than one group pushing to reach the top. We cannot fault anyone for wanting to reach the summit in whatever capacity, but that certainly raised the competitive hackles on all the parties concerned. Thus, the race to get to the top first.
When you think about it, the entire incident merely reflects the reality of how Filipinos go about pursuing their goals. The traditional bayanihan image of an entire village putting their collective shoulders to helping move a neighbor’s house masks the intrigues, back-biting and politicking that goes on behind this seemingly harmonious picture. Whether it is in far-flung villages or the halls of Congress, there always seems to be that nasty Filipino habit of one-upmanship and looking-out-for-oneself to diminish the luster of working together for a common cause.
Filipinos, as individuals, are a hard-working, diligent and committed lot. But when they get together, and work and live with each other, it can become a tinderbox just waiting for a spark. The recent incident on the world’s largest luxury cruise liner, the Queen Mary II, betrays this uniquely Pinoy malaise. One Filipino crewmember was stabbed dead by another Filipino in the ship’s hold, an incident that took place away from the sight of its passengers, but was witnessed by fellow crew members. A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman admitted the odds that the crime was, indeed, committed by another Filipino, considering that Pinoys seem partial to knives.
Oracion’s success is not reduced by the "network wars" the climb has purportedly spawned; in fact, it is made more noble because Oracion, as many dedicated athletes are, was able to keep his focus, despite the many distractions that surrounded him, network wars and all. I look forward to this week’s newscasts when all these worthy athletes are photographed side by side and featured in both ABS-CBN’s and GMA’s evening news, without rancor and with a great collective sense of fulfillment.
Perhaps among the many who have scaled these perilous heights, none bring greater significance to their countrymen as these three have. After all, as a nation, we are hungry for affirmation of our worth as Filipinos who are, at the same time, global citizens, having been under the shadow of Western and domestic imperialism for so long. It is not only pride but also the renewal of self-confidence, knowing that we can measure up to the best of them. At this stage, we’ll take whatever affirmation we can get – whether from the boxing ring or from 30,000 feet – having had our national psyche pummeled and beaten to a pulp by internal wranglings over politics, economics and government.
When they arrive back home, let’s shower Oracion and company with confetti and treat them to a national parade fit for heroes. They deserve it and we deserve it even more as a people. While Mount Everest is, to be sure, an overwhelming challenge, we as a nation face even greater heights to scale, if we were to try to bring all our countrymen to a life that is beyond merely surviving. Just like Oracion, we can do anything we put our hearts and souls to, and keep ourselves from being distracted by lies, deceit and grandstanding.
British mountaineer George Mallory was interviewed prior to his attempt in 1923 as to why he wanted to climb Mount Everest. Exasperated by incessant press questions, Mallory was said to have responded, "Because it is there." I’d like to believe that our Filipino mountaineers did not go up there just "because it is there." We are a more emotional and spiritual people, and we seldom do things without rhyme or reason, or, at the very least, justification. Having said that, this week we are a nation united, if only fleetingly, to celebrate Oracion’s triumph.
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