Three Filipino climbers reach Mt. Everest summit

The list of Filipino mountaineers reaching the summit of Mt. Everest has grown with the addition of Ric Rabe, Jeno Panganiban and Miguel Mapalad.

- By JOEY VILLAR

Rabe, who hails from Cotabato City, was the ninth Filipino to hit the highest peak in the planet, completing the feat Friday while Panganiban and Mapalad, who are from Pasig and San Juan, respectively, followed suit yesterday.

And they were thrilled and joyful to be on top of the Earth's highest mountain with an elevation of 8,848.86 meters, or 29,031.7 feet above sea level.

The feats of Rabe, Panganiban and Mapalad came 19 years after Dale Abenojar and Leo Oracion accomplished what no other Filipino before them had done – taming the feared Himalayan mountain called in other tongues as "Holy Mother" and "Skyhead."