Filipino Matters invited Janet M. Belarmino-Sardena, one of the first three Filipinas ever to scale the world’s highest point, Mount Everest, to guest in the June 10, 2010 episode of Pinoy Matters hosted by Deanne Hernandez. Janet was part of the nine-man team (headed by former Department of Transportation and Communication Undersecretary Art Valdez) that climbed Mt. Everest last May 16, 2007- a feat she did three months after giving birth to her firstborn, which she and her husband aptly named Himalaya. She and her female colleagues, Noelle Wenceslao and Carina Dayondon, were the first Southeast Asian women to successfully reach the roof of the world and the first women to traverse the earth’s highest peak. Highlighting the difficulty of their climb was the fact that they traverse the mountain using different trails in ascending from the North face (Tibet, China side) and descending on the South face (Nepal side). 

Janet was a Sports Science graduate from UP Diliman. Aside from being a prolific mountaineer, she is also a triathlete, an adventure racer, a SCUBA Dive instructor and an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-B). She is also connected with the Philippine Coast Guard.

Presently, she is involved in the Balangay Voyage fostering to present generations the rich maritime culture of our ancestors- their navigational skills and craftsmanship in boatbuilding and our flourishing seaborne trade. To know more about this noble advocacy, you can visit www.balangay-voyage.com.

Janet believes that through teamwork, unity and commitment, we can reach the greatest of heights and do the impossible as one Filipino people. From humble beginnings, her sheer courage, perseverance and will power pushed her to soar to great heights. May she be a good example to us all- persisting amidst great adversities.

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