The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Nestor Cuartero
Loosely translated, the Philippines’ 10th and latest Mount Everest conqueror Miguel Mapalad said, “How can you reach for your dream when all you think of is fear?”
Here’s another: “Nothing is impossible if you work hard for it.”
Now, it’s time to draw your parallels.
Miguel shared these chicken-nuggets of wisdom as he met media June 11 in Makati during a homecoming event arranged by Delimondo, the corned beef brand that helped sponsor his climb to the world’s tallest mountain culminating on May 18.
Known for its perilous terrains and extreme weather conditions, Everest stands tallest globally at 8,849 meters.
Miguel, from San Juan City, reached the world’s highest point together with his co-mountaineer, Jeno Panganiban of Pasig City. They formed part of the Philippines’ 14 Peaks Expedition Team that attempted to scale the Everest.
Looking very dark physically but quite radiant in attitude, Miguel said Everest is a symbol of dreams, of passion. It isn’t just a mountain-climbing activity.
The 42-year-old added that all of us have our own mountains to climb, and that it takes guts, grit and perseverance to overcome them.
On his way to the top, he said he encountered extreme thirst, hunger, body pains, snow blindness. Passing through an area called Death Zone gave him the scare of a lifetime. Seeing a few dead bodies along the way, some torn in half, including that of an unfortunate comrade, Philip ‘PJ’ Santiago II, an engineer, tortured him furthermore along the way.
Yet, he held on. Strengthened by faith and prayer. Hanging on to his longtime dream. Proving something to himself and to the world that he, too, could do it.
Looking back, Miguel lamented the fact that mountaineering isn’t considered a sport and has remained a hobby in the eyes of many. “We in the mountaineering community hope and pray that we can get government support somehow,” he said.
He said he was lucky to have found a willing supporter in the JAKA Group that helped sponsor his journey. Miguel stressed the value of caring for the environment as he partnered with Delimondo in launching a special Miguel Mapalad-Mount Everest packaging of their products. The effort will help raise funds to support the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), the group in charge of cleaning up the Himalayas.
After having scaled the Everest, Miguel said his dream, together with his teammates, is to summit the other tallest mountains in the world, all 14 of them. He also wants to extend and develop furthermore the Mindanao Trail that he has started in the south.
Dedicating his world-class feat to his son, Kidlat, Miguel urged Filipinos to dream big, soar higher, and not be afraid.