Top of the world
As of 3:30 today, the Philippine flag is finally planted on
top of Mount Everest.
The
Philippine hero’s name is Heracleo "Leo" Oracion. Tonight, he will be joined by his First Philippine Mount Everest
Expedition teammate Pastor Emata. Tomorrow, maverick mountaineer Romy Garduce will hopefully make it
three.
This is a momentous event for the
country. Never mind that the so-called
race to the top of the world is being hopelessly marred by the network wars
between ABS-CBN and GMA. (Oracion and
Emata are being supported by Kapamilya Network while Garduce is backstopped by the
Kapuso Network.)
I rejoice for the three
heroes. I rejoice for their respective
teams. I rejoice for their families and
friends. I rejoice for all Filipinos.
Now, this early, I hope to be the
first to say these:
a. I hope that ABS-CBN would be magnanimous in victory and
spare us all their crowing;
b. I hope that GMA-7 would graciously accept defeat;
c. I hope that the three mountaineers will not turn
politicians on the strength of this feat;
d. I hope that gma,
mike arroyo, mikee arroyo, lito atienza and all administration politicos wouldn’t
try to milk all the political mileage they will try to take from this.
For once, we should all celebrate
this momentous feat with dignity.
