Aiming For The Top Of The World

"Because it’s there."

That was British explorer George Mallory’s famous reply when asked by a reporter why he wanted to climb Mount Everest.

It was 1923 and he was on a lecture tour in the United States, a few months after a disastrous attempt at scaling Everest that killed seven of his fellow climbers.

He tried again the following year, but mysteriously vanished near the end of his ascent. There is no proof that he ever made it to the summit, and Mallory’s death, though tragic, did nothing to discourage other climbers from attempting to conquer the formidable mountain. In 1953 man finally made it to the top of the world: Sir Edmund Hillary and his sherpa Tenzing Norgay set foot on the summit of Mount Everest. Over the next half century, some 600 people from various countries have made it to top of the highest peak on earth.

 If everything goes well, before the end of the decade the Philippine flag will also be planted on the summit.

 "Of course, it won’t happen until 2007, but the groundwork is already in full-swing," says Art Valdez, Undersecretary of the Department of Transportation and Communication (dotc) who will lead the country’s official journey into the Himalayas. Dubbed as the First Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition (fpmme), it aims to set several records, one of which is to put the first Southeast Asian woman on the summit. "That’s why we have to plan ahead," he stresses. "We want to make sure that everything is taken cared of by the time we go up there."

 The team currently has about 20 names on its roster after a recent cut, but the final line-up won’t be known for another two years. Valdez explains that this stretch should give present members enough time to finish all the preparatory climbs. And only then will "the board" trim it down to seven.

 "We’re doing this mainly because it is a nice way to lift our hearts in surmounting the problems facing our nation," he reasons. "I think people need something to look up to, and this expedition will be like a fresh mountain breeze that will energize our nation’s spirit of unity."

 It may sound corny, indeed, but Valdez makes a very good point. Even this early, the thought of a Filipino conquering Everest is generating interest and support from the public.

 Dentist Jennifer Mesina, for one, believes the climb would be an awesome feat for the country. "It would be absolutely fantastic to see our mark up there. At the same time, it’s nice to have something new to talk about with my friends besides the May elections," she laughs. "And unlike the polls, this one can’t be fixed!"

 Taxi driver Cid Morato, on the other hand, believes the journey will uphold the notion that Filipinos are legendary for migrating and are thus seen all over the world. "Masarap isipin na kahit Mt. Everest mararating din ng Pinoy, di ba? Kahit kasi saang bansa ka pumunta, laging may kababayan tayo doon."

 While the attention shown towards the expedition differs from one person to another, it’s generally drawing positive interest. In that, at least, social barriers don’t exist. "Anybody can relate to it kasi, eh," says Valdez. "There are no class distinctions here, and I guess that’s a good thing."

I’m totally ecstatic! I’m really looking forward to this," declares one of the potential climbers, Noele Wenceslao, a P.E. student who recently won the AXN Adventure Race in Hong Kong. "And I‘ll be doing my best since it would be a dream come true to become a part of history." Noele, 24, is one of three women, along with Karina Dayumdon and Janet Belarmino, fighting for a spot on the team.

Janet, a 25-year-old sports buff, says: "We are looking at something extraordinary. Yes, it’s for personal satisfaction, but we’ll also be carrying the Philippine flag up there. So I’m just praying that we don’t screw up. I’m praying for it to be a success."

 There is no argument from anyone–organizers, climbers and supporters–that this mission to Everest will need more than prayers to succeed. The organizers are especially aware of this, and have accordingly scheduled a long list of demanding preparatory activities for the team. "The members will submit themselves to rigorous training over the next two years," Valdez shares. "It’s pretty tough, but it’s absolutely necessary for the fpmee."

 The requirements include, among others, attending various courses on the sport, adapting to freezing temperatures and climbing eight major mountains here and abroad. It all begins this June, as the group travels to Manali, India to enroll at the Malayan Mountaineering School. "We’ll have basic and advanced lessons including crevasse rescue over there," Valdez shares.

In mid-September, they trek to Kyrgyzstan for a training hike. And by next year, the team will take what they’ve learned to the Himalayas where Mt. Everest is located.

"We’ll mostly be in Nepal and Tibet to expose ourselves to high altitudes and frozen peaks," he explains, adding that while Filipino mountaineers may be physically fit in tropical climates, they may not necessarily make it under extremely cold weather conditions. "Our preparatory climbs will culminate sometime in the last quarter of 2006 in Mt. Chooyo–the sixth highest peak in the world."

fpmee organizers cannot emphasize enough the importance of proper training. For although 660 people have already reached the Everest summit, it took some 4,000 climbers and 142 deaths to produce that number. The team will take the southwest face of the mountain.

"Even if you reach the top, coming down is also a big problem because by then you’re already physically and emotionally drained," says Dr. Ted Esguerra, one of two medical doctors joining the team.

Esguerra explains that trekking to very high altitudes usually alters four senses of the brain: judgment, perception, memory and will. And the physical level is just as punishing. He says that if the body gets hit by frostbite, amputation is performed right away to prevent the bacteria from spreading to other parts of the body. "Amputation is common in climbs. And the usual victims are the fingers, toes and ears," he says, adding with a smile, "That‘s why my wife has always been against my mountaineering. I understand how she feels, but I can’t just let go of it, see? It’s part of my art, my philosophy. I’m totally prepared for anything. Bahala na! I even signed an official document stating that I would like to be buried on Everest in case something unfortunate occurs."

A major issue of the group is money. Valdez is hesitant to discuss the topic, but after much prodding he reveals that the entire project would cost roughly $2 million. "We’ll need around $10,000 for each climber, and this still excludes the miscellaneous costs," he points out. "It doesn’t come cheap, I tell you."

The Everest climbing fee alone is pegged at $70,000. And according to Regie Pablo, the team’s spokesman, the squad is scheduled to fly abroad at least four times a year to different peaks in order "to acclimatize our bodies to sub-zero temperatures." This means airfare and other expenses, so finding corporate sponsors are crucial. To date, sportswear manufacturer The North Face has signed on to supply the team with basic mountain outfits and gear.

"We want a sponsor who is just as committed to the mission as we are," Valdez says. "And they can’t be control freaks."

Despite the enormity of the project, team members and organizers are psyched up for this climb of a lifetime. There is so much at stake in this one goal. And it is unlikely that this can ever be duplicated, which is why failure is not an option.

"It’s quite natural for us to be upbeat and feel confident because the scale is still a long, long time from now," Valdez imparts. "But I’m sure that we’ll be feeling a great deal of pressure when it comes closer to the actual climb."

When the expedition reaches the peak, we will become the third Southeast Asian nation after Malaysia and Indonesia to plant its flag on the top of Everest. The group’s ascent to the mountain is scheduled to begin in May 2007, and they’ll be carrying more than just the climbing gear; they’ll also be bringing with them the spirit of adventure of the Filipino.

"Marami kasi ang nagsasabi na kulelat tayo sa maraming bagay. And this is to prove them wrong," Valdez concludes. "We have a great spirit of adventure, and this journey will test and take it to the limit. Ipapakita natin na kaya din ng Pilipino."