EDITORIAL - The can-do spirit

There was national rejoicing when triathlete Heracleo Oracion became the first Filipino to reach the summit of Mount Everest the other day. Oracion’s "conquest" came 53 years after Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Percival Hillary of New Zealand made the first recorded ascent to the peak of the world’s highest mountain, bringing honor not only to themselves but also to their country and, in the case of the Sherpa, to his community.

That’s what Oracion has done, however belatedly his feat may be in world history. Some people like to ask: "Why do you climb a mountain?" And for a long time the standard reply has been, "Because it’s there." The answer is not purely flippant. There is symbolism in every mountain peak conquered, and the power of symbols cannot be underestimated. Oracion has become a symbol of achievement, of a can-do spirit that every nation needs. He has shown that the Filipino can, if he puts his mind to it.

The trek to the Himalayas is punishing, requiring even the healthiest individual to undergo months of grueling preparation. Since 1922 when seven Sherpas died trying to make the first successful recorded ascent, nearly 200 climbers have died attempting to reach the peak.

From 1953 to the end of 2003, nearly 2,000 people have "summited" Mount Everest, with climbers achieving many firsts: the first woman to reach the peak, the youngest at 19, the first son of a climber (Hillary’s) and the first grandson of a climber (Tenzing Norgay’s). And yes, many countries have sent their own teams to the summit to plant their flags on the world’s tallest peak. Now it’s the Philippines’ turn; yesterday Erwin Emata, Oracion’s fellow Coast Guard draftee, became the second Filipino to reach the top, with Romeo Garduce following close behind.

The television network war, with industry giants ABS-CBN and GMA-7 fielding their own teams to the summit, should be seen in the best light: it provided additional impetus for the Filipino climbers to attain their objective. The trip to the Hiamalayas is expensive; Oracion and the rest of the Philippine team could not have achieved their feat without support from the networks. Everyone deserves a pat on the back for planting that Philippine flag on the peak of the world’s highest mountain.