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Garduce back in RP, a week after scaling Mt. Everest
See related stories on our site on Romi Garduce’s Mt. Evererst journey
A beaming Romi Garduce, the country's most accomplished mountaineer, arrived in Manila on Friday, a week after the he reached the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain. In a live interview on Friday evening over GMA7’s newscast “24 Oras" with Mike Enriquez and Mel Tiangco and the GMA Everest team, the mountaineer said he felt relieved more than anything, because he had achieved what he set out to do and came back safely. “Tapos na ang hirap siguradong medyo ligtas ka na kumpara nuong nasa bundok ka pa," he said. Last May 19, Garduce became the third Filipino in as many days to reach the summit of 29,035-foot Mt. Everest. Fellow Filipino climbers Heracleo Oracion and Erwin Emata, both members of the First Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition team, reached Everest's peak on May 17 and 18, respectively. They are expected to return to the Philippines on May 30. Garduce, 37, returned to Manila with friend and UP Mountaineers (UPM) president Henry Nakpil and the five-member GMA-7 Team Everest, which covered the climber’s historic journey since mid-April. They arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at 3:46 p.m. aboard Thai Airways flight TG 620. Garduce also thanked GMA 7 and the sponsors that made possible not only his dream to reach the summit of Mt Everest but also his objective of sharing with the Filipino people – through video and new technologies – the experience of being on top of the world’s loftiest peak. “Dati kasi ang hirap, ngayon with videos napakadali with high-tech satellite and equipment na binili nila ang dali-dali," he said. He also urged the Filipino athletes to take their activities to the next level “para hindi lang kokonting Pinoy ang lumalabas at gumagawa ng kung anu-anong makabuluhang bagay." Teased on whether his next plan was to get married as some of his kin have asked him to, a smiling Garduce answered: “Mas mahirap pa yun kesa sa pag-akyat sa Mt Everest." ARRIVAL “Very flattering itong arrival natin ngayon. I think this is the first time na na-experience ko na very warm ‘yung welcome, GMA and sponsors," Garduce told reporters during a brief press conference at the the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). “Exciting! Exciting, bumalik sa dating buhay. Salamat at nakabalik na sa dating buhay," a smiling Garduce told GMA News upon his arrival. When asked why he ended up the third Filipino to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain when he had originally planned to be the first, Garduce reiterated that he considered his climb as a race. “Hindi naman ako suwapang para ‘sige kailangan mauna ako," Garduce said. “Sabi ko nga may South pole, may North Pole, merong circumnavigation around the world. Marami pang pwedeng gawin ang Filipino and kung Everest lang naman at kung me gustong mauna I’m fine giving up the first chance na maka-summit." The GMA Network, one of Garduce’s two major partners in his Mount Everest trek, also organized a thanksgiving mass and dinner for the climber later in the afternoon. Reporter Jiggy Manicad, head of GMA-7 Team Everest, was also relieved to be back home from spending weeks at the Everest Base Camp, which lies 17,600 feet above sea level. “Eto na siguro ang pinakamahirap na coverage namin sa GMA," Manicad said.
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