A total of 11 Filipinos have now reached the summit of Mount Everest, following the successful climbs of three mountaineers over the last week.
The Philippine mountaineering community reveled in success over the past week as three more Filipinos reached the summit of Mount Everest in two separate occasions, bumping the list of Filipino summiteers to 11.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Philippine Mt. Everest Expeditions and The Voyage of the Balangay congratulated Ric Rabe, Jeno Panganiban, and Miguel Mapalad for successfully arriving at the peak of Mount Everest last week.
On May 15, Rabe became the first Filipino to perform the feat since the trio of Noelle Wenceslao, Carina Dayondon, and Janet Belarmino did so back on May 16, 2007, almost a full 18 years since the last Filipino reached the highest peak in the world.
Panganiban and Mapalad then followed it up on Sunday, May 18, making it a productive 2025 climb season for Filipinos.
[READ: Filipinos Jeno Panganiban, Miguel Mapalad successfully summit Mount Everest]
In the statement, Expedition Leader Art Valdez spoke about the Filipino spirit in pursuit of the climb.
“When we reached the summit in 2006 and 2007, I dreamed that one day more Filipinos would follow. Today, that dream lives on — proof that the Filipino spirit is unstoppable when driven by an indomitable will, passion, and courage,” Valdez said.
Meanwhile, Panganiban and Mapalad’s Expedition Team, the Philippine 14 Peaks Expedition Team, spoke highly about the role of Valdez and his group in encouraging climbers to reach for the summit.
“You inspired us to keep going, to keep believing, and to keep dreaming. While our paths and purposes may differ, we all share one dream, one heart, and one fire to conquer the highest mountains in the world,” said the Philippine 14 Peaks Expedition Team.
“You made the nation proud. And you reminded the mountaineering community that the journey doesn't stop at 2,000 or 3,000 meters, there’s a whole world above 8,000 meters waiting to be explored,” they added.
However, the triumph comes bittersweet as the mountaineers also mourned the loss of compatriot Engineer Philipp “PJ” Santiago II, who died last week in pursuit of the summit.