Romi Garduce

Romeo Roberto "Romi" Garduce (born 1969 in Balanga, Bataan), sometimes nicknamed as "Garduch," is a Filipino mountain climber, a scuba dive master (since 2000), an environmentalist, writer, motivational speaker and works as an IT professional. He began climbing mountains for a cause in 1991 as a member of the UP Mountaineers. Aside from being a mountain climber and IT professional, he became one of the host for the GMA Network public affair shows Born to Be Wild and Pinoy Meets World.^[1] He also hosted the GMA News and Public Affairs special entitled Pito Para sa Pilipino (Seven for the Filipinos) with Richard Gutierrez.^[2]

Romi wrote and published his first book in October 2013, entitled Akyat! A Filipino's Journey to the Seven Summits. The book chronicled his adventures and major climbs and expeditions. Akyat is a Filipino word that simply means "climb".

After reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2002, Garduce became the first Filipino to climb one of the Seven Summits. On September 26, 2005, Romi Garduce became the first Filipino to ascend Cho Oyu, a death zone peak at 8,000 metres (26,000 ft), then the highest mountain peak scaled by a Filipino.^[3] That record was broken by Leo Oracion on May 17, 2006 when he was the first to reach the peak of Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth, and planted the Filipino flag.^[4] Although, the Himalayan Database had included Dale Abenojar in the list of Everest North summiteers on May 15, 2006^[5] recognizing him as the first Filipino on top of Mount Everest. Garduce reached the summit of Everest on May 19, 2006. Due to Garduce's feat, he was awarded an Order of Lakandula - Special Class of Champion for Life by then Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo^[6][7] as well as one of The Outstanding Young Man (TOYM) of 2006 for his feats and service to community work.^[8]

Garduce is the first, and to-date the only Filipino, who has climbed all Seven Summits, or the highest mountains in all continents following both Bass and Messner Seven Summits list.^[9]

Biography

Born in 1969, Garduce hails from the municipality of Balanga in the province of Bataan in the Philippines. His father originally comes from Catarman, Northern Samar and worked all his life at Subic. He finished high school at Tomas del Rosario College and graduated Bachelor of Science in Mathematics major in Computer Science from University of Santo Tomas in 1989.^[10] He became a mountaineer since joining UP Mountaineers in 1991.^[11]

Aside from being a mountaineer, Garduce is a scuba diver master, an environmentalist, writer, motivational speaker,^[12] an IT professional and TV host. He works at Procter and Gamble Philippines as systems manager of the financial reporting unit^[13] in the P&G office at Petron Megaplaza, Makati City.^[14] In 2006, Garduce became one of the hosts for Pinoy Meets World and, in 2007, he became one of the original presenters for the travel and wildlife show Born to be Wild with veterinarian Ferdinand Recio. He appeared at one of the episodes of the children's educational show Art Angel. He also hosted the special entitled Pito Para sa Pilipino (Seven for the Filipinos) with Richard Gutierrez.

In October 2013, Romi launched his first book entitled Akyat! A Filipino's Journey to the Seven Summits at the Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City. Akyat means "climb" in Filipino. The book tells his mountain climbing adventures and struggles as a mountain climber. He hoped to inspire people through his book.^[12] In September 2015, Garduce became a global ambassador for Johnnie Walker^[15] and appeared in the said whiskey's commercial. In November 2015, Garduce briefly returned in Born to be Wild as guest host.^[16] In the episodes that he appeared, Garduce went to Mount Makiling as part of his training to climb Mount Ama Dablam in the Himalayas.

Initial Seven Summits climbs

On January 1, 2005, he was the first Filipino to climb the highest mountain outside Asia and the highest mountain in the Americas, Mt. Aconcagua, which was then the highest altitude reach by any Filipino. On September 26, 2005, Romi Garduce became the first Filipino to top out an 8000m peak, Cho Oyu, then the highest mountain peak scaled by a Filipino. On May 19, 2006, he climbed the summit of Mt. Everest, his third Seven Summits Peak after Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua.

Mount Everest climb

Garduce attempted to reach the peak of Mount Everest in an expedition sponsored by GMA Network concurrently with Leo Oracion's team, the First Philippine Mount Everest Expedition (FPMEE) and principally sponsored by ABS-CBN.^[17][18] On the North side of Mount Everest was Dale Abenojar without network sponsor and corporate financial support. On May 19, 2006, Garduce reached the summit of Mount Everest from the south ridge after Leo Oracion and Erwin Emata.^[19] However, Mount Everest chronicler Elizabeth Hawley said that another Filipino climber, Dale Abenojar, is the first to summit on May 15, two days before Leo Oración.^[20][21] The Himalayan Database published by American Alpine Club had included Abenojar in the list of Everest North summiteers for Spring 2006 on May 15,^[5] recognizing him as the first Filipino on top of Mount Everest.

After the Filipinos successfully reached Everest's peak, Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to step in the peak of Everest, was interviewed by GMA Network in his Auckland home. He congratulated the three Filipino men (Romi, Leo and Erwin) for their determination and gave his greatest respect to the Filipino expedition team.^[22] The Himalayan Database published by American Alpine Club had included Romi Garduce in the list of Everest South summiteers for 2006.^[23]

Succeeding Seven Summits climbs

On August 25, 2007, Garduce reached the summit of Mount Elbrus (18,510 foot-high or 5,642 meters), Europe's highest peak located in the Caucasus mountain range within Russia's boundaries and the fourth of the Seven Summits that he reached.^[24]

On June 6, 2008, 9:30pm Philippine Standard Time, Romi Garduce reached the summit of Mount Denali, Alaska, making his fifth summit among the Seven Summits. Mount Denali is the highest peak in North America. Only three out of their 9-man team made it to the Denali summit. Garduce climbed with a team from the American Alpine Institute (AAI).^[25][26]

After Mount Denali, Romi went on the climb Mount Kosciuszko, Australia in 2009 and Carstensz Pyramid, Indonesia in 2011 with another Filipino, Levi Nayahangan. Finally, Garduce completed the climb of the Seven Summits of the seven continents of the world last January 6, 2012 when he reached the peak of Vinson Massif in Antarctica.^[27][28]

Climbs in the Philippines

In November 2014, Romi completed his personal quest to "day-climb" Philippines' top five highest peaks, a project he called "5 peaks in 5 days." ^[29] In 2015, he also climbed Makiling, a mountain in Laguna, Philippines, to prepare for his climb on Mount Ama Dablam in Nepal.^[16]

List of mountains climbed

Denali
(6,194 m)

Blanc
(4,810 m)

Elbrus
(5,642 m)

Everest
(8,848 m)

Kilimanjaro
(5,895 m)

Aconcagua
(6,961 m)

Vinson
(4,892 m)

Kosciuszko
(2,228 m)

Puncak Jaya
(4,884 m)

Map of the Seven Summits (actually nine, depending on definition). Garduce climbed all of these mountains except for Mont Blanc, which is not listed on Bass and Messner lists.

Unknown dates

• Mount Nagcarlan, Laguna, Philippines
• Mount Apo, Davao del Sur and North Cotabato, Philippines (first time)
• Mount Halcon, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines
• Mount Guiting-Guiting, Romblon, Philippines
• Kanlaon, Negros Island, Philippines
• Mount Pulag, Benguet-Ifugao-Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines (first time)
• Mount Daeunsan, South Korea
• Mount Rokko, Kobe, Japan

Known dates

• Annapurna, Nepal (November 1998)
• K2, Pakistan-China and other countries (September 2001, reached base camp only)
• Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (September 2002)
• Pokalde, Khumbu, Nepal (October 2003)
• Gokyo, Nepal (October 2003)
• Kala Pattar, Nepal (October 2003)
• Cerro Bonete, La Rioja, Argentina (December 2004)
• Aconcagua, Argentina (January 2005)
• Cho Oyu, Nepal-Tibet (September 2005)
• Mount Everest, Nepal-Tibet (May 2006)
• Mount Elbrus, Caucasus Russia (August 2007, turned around 200m before summit)
• Mount Denali, United States (2008)
• Mount Kosciuszko, Australia (2009)
• Carstensz Pyramid, Indonesia (2011)
• Vinson Massif, Antarctica (January 2012)
• Mount Apo, Davao del Sur and North Cotabato, Philippines (November 2014, second time)
• Dulang-dulang, Bukidnon, Philiippines (November 2014)
• Mount Pulag, Benguet-Ifugao-Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines (November 2014 second time)
• Kitanglad, Bukidnon, Philippines (November 2014)
• Kalatungan, Bukidnon, Philippines (November 2014)
• Mount Makiling, Laguna, Philippines (2015)
• Ama Dablam, Nepal (2015)

Filmography

See also

• Leo Oracion
• Erwin Emata
• Dale Abenojar

References

External links

• Everest 2006: Philippine Everest 2006 Expedition
• Romi Garduce's personal website.

Order of Lakandula - Special Class of Champion for Life recipients
Erwin Emata Romi Garduce Leo Oracion Manny Pacquiao Precious Lara Quigaman