The BMC experience with the First Philippine Everest Team

I had a tiring but fun and informative weekend. Our outdoor group together with other trainees from Miriam college and some other working professionals just finished the lecture part of our Basic Mountaineering and Wilderness Leadership course led by Dr. Rted Esguerra, the physician of the First Philippine Everest Team. We met some of the other members of their team too. We received climbing tips and Everest stories - straight from Janet Belarmino and Noelle Wenceslao, two of the female trio who successfully traversed Mt. Everest last year. We were also trained to do Basic Life Support and first aid by some members of the American Heart Association, one of which was Peter Negrido. He was assisted by some of the members of the Paranaque Elite Rescue Unit and Val – an Igorot Emergency Medical Technician. We also received a lecture on intro to mountaineering by Fred Jamili, one of the pioneers of mountaineering in the Philippines. Bubuy Lagunday, also taught us emergency evacuation and some tricks on surviving in the wilderness. I now know how to use a condom in a wholesome manner. Hehehe! Really, did you know that you can use a condom to store water?!

It was one of the best trainings I’ve attended in my entire life and it’s not over yet because this coming weekend, we will have our practical application and we will be tested on how much we have learned. We will also have one major climb with them around October. Whew! There were a lot of useful information taught to us but the most important part of their lecture was about climbing ethics. We were oriented to be responsible not just for ourselves but also to our family and to the locals in the community of the mountain we are visiting, to support local products, climbing equipment and to give back to the community we are visiting. They’re really great people enlightening others through teaching what they know best. What I love most about them is their humility and openness to help others learn. How many veteran climbers can do that?! Unforgettable experience (and I just have to share this) Janet Belarmino and Fred Jamili personally assisted me how to tie a knot (screw what type of knot it was) so I was a bit giddy when they helped me out. The feeling is like having Ronaldo teach you how to kick a soccer ball. Hahaha!

Here are some of the pictures. I got them all from Rhone and Miracle – my co-trainees. I was too busy absorbing everything, I didn’t take a lot of pictures. We were in the Philippine Coastguard facility in Manila and I was so some amazed with the ships and all the muscular men around..hehehehehe!