Three Filipina mountain climbers and members of the Philippine Coast Guard – Noelle Wenceslao, Carina Dayondon, and Janet Belarmino -- made history yesterday by becoming the first women from Southeast Asia to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Wenceslao called the Philippine base camp announcing her successful summit of Mt. Everest at 6:10 a.m. Nepal time (8:10 in Manila). "Kaya ng Pinay" teammate Dayondon followed at 6:20 a.m. (8:20 a.m. Manila time).
Dayondon, a native of Bukidnon, was followed by Belarmino who started a slow ascent but upon reaching the summit made a strong recovery.
They are also the first women climbers to reach the Everest summit from the tougher south side of the mountain in Tibet.
The Filipino women, supported by media partner ABS- CBN, will descend to the Nepalese base camp on the north side.
As this developed, Malacanang yesterday congratulated the three Filipino women who made history when they safely reached the peak of Mt. Everest, the highest mountain in the world.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita praised Noelle Wenceslao, Carina Dayondon and Janet Belarmino for becoming the first women from Southeast Asia to scale Mt. Everest.
"We are congratulating these three Filipinas who reached the peak of the highest mountain in the world," he said in a news conference in the Palace.
Ermita said the extraordinary feat of the three women showed that "women are equal, sometimes better than men."
He particularly commended the three women climbers because they are members of the Philippine Coast Guard.
Meanwhile, Vice President Noli de Castro issued the following statement following the successful summit of Mt. Everest by three Filipino women:
"After Leo Oracion, Pastor Emata and Romeo Garduce made good last year’s goal of being the first Filipinos reaching the summit of Mt. Everest, I salute Filipinas Noelle Wenceslao, Carina Dayondon and Janet Belarmino for taking only roughly one year to match the feat of Oracion and company and thereby, show the world that Filipina women can climb the world’s highest peak and achieve their dreams.
"Muling pinakita nina Noelle, Carina at Janet sa buong mundo na ang mga Pilipino, maging mga babae man, ay maabot kahit na ang pinakamatayog sa kanilang mga pangarap kung pagsisikapan lang nang husto ang pagtupad nito.
"Na kahit hindi man sabay- sabay marating ang kanilang minimithi, pasasaan ba’t aabot din sa patuloy na pagtutulungan at pagpupunyagi." (with a report by Genalyn Kabiling)
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