Senate honors first Filipina to conquer Seven Summits

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate on Tuesday honored the first Filipina mountaineer to successfully conquer the seven summits of the world.

Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) Carina Dayondon of the Philippine Coast Guard successfully climbed the tallest peaks in  each of the seven continents,  popularly known as the Seven Summits.

Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) Carina Dayondon

Dayondon personally received the commendation from Senate President Vicente Sotto III and other senators.

Senate Resolution 985 states that Dayondon “has once again displayed the brilliance and excellence of Filipinos despite insurmountable odds that brings immense pride and honor to the country.”

Among the peaks that Dayondon conquered were Mount Denali in North America (2006), Mount Everest in Asia (2007), Mount Elbrus in Europe (2013), Mount Kosciuszko in the Australian continent (2014), Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa (2015), Mount Vinson Massif in Antarctica (2018), and Mount Aconcagua in South America (2019).

While Dayondon is the first Filipina to successfully climb the Seven Summits, Romi Garduce was hailed as the first Filipino to climb the  peaks in 2012.

Dayondon was first introduced to camping and hiking through the Philippine Girl Scouts.

She later on became a member of Xavier University-Ateneo Mountaineering Society. (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)