This section features well-known and unknown Filipinos who have made marks in their respective fields, and who, in YTRiP standards, deserve to be read about or listened to. Ultimately this is about ordinary Filipinos who are able to make extraordinary changes and impacts in our lives.

ROMI "Garduch" GARDUCE
Pagbaba mula sa tuktok ng mundo

There is no drama surrounding Romi Garduce. He is straightforward, passionate, methodical and best of all, funny. So much has been written about him however, despite the celebrity status you would still be bowled over by the truthfulness of this person and the encounter. That’s because he is real. This guy has climbed Mount Everest and will eventually finish all the Seven Summits*, yet he remains grounded. He can joke and he can taunt just like the rest of us - Pinoy style and then talk about mountain climbing like it’s an everyday walk. He is passion made tangible. Naks.

For the meantime, he is an active UP Mountaineer and he helps people with ecotours, hiking activities, and school visits. For the future, he hopes to create a support system for aspiring athletes and mountaineers – to teach the basics, to sustain training and transfer of skills and knowledge. This would enable more Filipinos to be involved in athletics. This means more Filipinos will be given the chance to climb higher mountains – literally and figuratively.

He believes in nation building despite its seeming corniness but he can say it with such aplomb that would inspire you. He is definitely going to be around a long time (as he still has a lot of adventures to live), and now whenever we cheer for him, we ultimately cheer for ourselves.

Mahusay si Romi. Mahusay ang Pinoy.

*The Seven Summits are the highest peaks in the world’s seven continents. These are: Kilimanjaro (Africa), Vinson Massif (Antartica), Everest (Asia), Kosciuzko (Australia)/Carstensz Pyramid (Australia/New Guinea), Elbrus (Europe), Mount McKinley/Denali (North America) and Aconcagua (South America). Romi has climbed three of them already.

Text by Clare Amador
Photo by Nards Coll©