They are officially the first South East Asian women to reach the top. Not only that, they are the first women to traverse Everest, climbing from the North Side to the peak, then down the South Side. I don't think the guys (Leo Oracion, Pastor Emata, and Romi Garduce) took the same route last year. Noelle Wenceslao reached the summit first, followed by Karina Dayondon and then later by Janet Belarmino.
Janet Belarmino, by the way, was my classmate from Grades 1 to 6 in the Saint Mary's College Elementary Central in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. I remember that she used to belong to the NKOTB fans club...he he he She was an avid lawn tennis player even then but I had no idea that she will turn out to be the super-athlete among us. I think she was a tennis varsity player in UP. Aside from mountaineering, she also participates in triathlons (champion), adventure races (winner) and Dragon boat competitions. She just gave birth to her baby boy, Himalaya, five months before the climb.
Congrats to the Pinay Mount Everest Expedition Team for making the Filipino nation proud.
Congrats to Janet for her double blessings. Thank you for making us Novo Vizcayanos prouder.
Let's pray for their safe return.
