The Philippines being a country rich in
natural resources has no shortages in terms of land forms and terrain.
Scattered around the archipelago are various forests, lakes, rivers and mountain
ranges, which for some people have made it a life-long obsession to conquer.
Media practitioner and assistant director
at TV5, Edzhel P. Herrera is one of those conquerors who plans to seize the
peak of every known mountain in the Philippines. Edzhel gives us a quick peek on his
hobby – mountain climbing and how it has influenced his life.
32 year old Edzhel has long been a fan of
outdoor activities such as SCUBA diving, playing airsoft, canyoneering, skydiving, spelunking, 4-wheel drive
off-roading, rock and wall climbing, running and even fire fighting (he’s also
a volunteer fire fighter). But of all the outdoor sports and activities he has
tried, one of the most fulfilling is mountaineering.
He started mountain climbing back in 1998
when one of his friends, theater director Raymond Alonza, who happens to be a member of PALMC (Philippine
Airlines Mountaineering Club) invited him to climb Mt. Banahaw in Quezon. Since then, the thrill of climbing a mountain
has made an imprint on his personal life. In fact he has made it a point to do
mountain climbing at least twice a month.
For most people, it’s the view on top of
the mountain that gives them a certain “high”, but for Edzhel, It’s actually
the climb that gives him that adrenaline rush. Although he also admits that each ascent to a mountain is usually the hardest part since a climber has to
endure a fully loaded backpack against the force of gravity, he says that
reaching their final destination unscathed makes the climb truly worthwhile.
Edzhel also adds that mountain climbing
helps him achieve inner tranquillity and for a short moment allows him to forget
all of his problems and relaxes his mind.
Just like any mountaineer out there, Edzhel
also aspires to conquer the highest point on the planet – Mount
Everest.
However, he admits that Everest is still too expensive for him and that he
still needs to condition his body for that gargantuan task. For the meantime,
he dreams of claiming the peaks of all the mountains of the Philippines.
When asked if he could give aspiring
mountain climbers some advice, he says that each climber should never forget to bring a backpack,
a camping tent, sleeping bag, food, water, first aid kit, medicines, trekking
shoes, sandals, match and a trekking pole.
As a final note to all our readers, here’s
what he has to say:
Mountains
are an important part of our culture and society. It is a source of livelihood
to a lot of our countrymen and adds aesthetics to our country’s landscape. In
this age of digital living and virtual environments, it’s good to know that
there are still people such as Edzhel Herrera that still respects the value of
these natural wonders.
