Romi Garduce

Romi Garduce

Romeo Roberto "Romi" Garduce (born 1969 in Balanga, Bataan), sometimes nicknamed as "Garduch," is a Filipino mountain climber, a scuba dive master (since 2000), an environmentalist, and works as an IT professional. He began climbing mountains for a cause in 1991 as a member of the UP Mountaineers. Aside from being a mountain climber and IT professional, he became one of the host for the GMA Network public affair shows Born to Be Wild and Pinoy Meets World. He also hosted the GMA News and Public Affairs special entitled Pito Para sa Pilipino (Seven for the Filipinos) with Richard Gutierrez.

After reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2002, Garduce became the first Filipino to climb one of the Seven Summits. On September 26, 2005, Romi Garduce became the first Filipino to ascend Cho Oyu, then the highest mountain peak scaled by a Filipino. That record was broken by Leo Oracion on May 17, 2006 when he was the first to reach the peak of Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth, and planted the Filipino flag. Although, the Himalayan Database had included Dale Abenojar in the list of Everest North summiteers on May 15, 2006 recognizing him as the first Filipino on top of Mount Everest.

Garduce is the first, and to-date the only Filipino, who has climbed all Seven Summits, or the highest mountains in all continents following both Bass and Messner Seven Summits list. In 2006, he was awarded an Order of Lakandula - Special Class of Champion for Life by then Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as well as one of The Outstanding Young Man (TOYM) of 2006 for his feats and service to community work.