A historic moment in Philippine mountaineering was celebrated anew as two pioneering Filipina climbers reunited with teammates and supporters to mark the launch of Live the Dream 2, a book chronicling their record-setting ascent and traverse of Mount Everest in 2007.
Held on May 17, 2025, at Rockwell Center—the very site where the original Philippine Everest Expedition was announced 21 years earlier—the event brought together Carina Dayondon and Noelle Wenceslao-Penetrante, who, along with Janet Belarmino, became the first and only all-Filipina team to successfully scale Everest from Tibet and descend into Nepal. The feat remains the only documented female traverse of the world’s tallest mountain.
The book, authored by expedition head Art Valdez, revisits the team’s 2007 triumph and the personal and collective battles behind it. “Mount Everest was never just about the summit. It was about belief, courage, and the unshakable will to rise to the top,” Valdez said at the launch.
Corporate support from First Philippine Holdings Corporation (FPH), then led by the late Oscar M. Lopez, played a pivotal role in enabling both the 2006 and 2007 Philippine expeditions. Lopez, a passionate mountaineer himself, remained a staunch supporter until his passing in 2023.
Reflecting on the expedition, Dayondon—now a commander in the Philippine Coast Guard—shared, “Our story is every Filipina’s story. It’s about rising above doubt.” Wenceslao-Penetrante, a PCG petty officer, emphasized their legacy as one of representation: “We hope other women will see that they can take on their own Everest.”
Live the Dream 2, co-produced and printed with support from FPH, is now available for P2,000. Orders may be made via the Balangay Voyage Facebook page.
