“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” - Michelle Obama
March has been renowned as a time to celebrate everything that it means to be a woman. To recognize and honor the many strong, clever, confident, inventive, talented, and attractive women across the world. There is power in femininity, sexuality, and all forms of looks and views.
Female leaders throughout history have played critical roles in improving their societies and encouraging innovation. International Women's Day is an empowering tool to achieve social justice in modern society. Competency, qualification, experience, talents, and openness to progress, rather than social rank, color, or gender, are the benchmarks for a brighter future. International Women's Day cultivates stronger, more daring leaders, which increases the value of courage across the world.
In commemoration of National Women's Day (March 8), we would like to recognize Janet Belarmino, a Filipina woman who has scaled some of the highest mountain peaks in the Philippines and throughout the globe.
We wanted to highlight one of the Filipina ladies who was one of the first women in the world to circumnavigate Mt. Everest- ascending from Chinese ABC camp to the peak of Everest and back down to Nepal- a record that has yet to be broken.
Five months after giving birth, Janet ascended Mount Everest on May 16, 2007, making history as the youngest mother to do it. She is also one of the first Filipinas to summit Mt. Everest and one of the first 3 Filipinas to become the first Southeast Asian women to conquer Mt. Everest. After feeling like she was on top of the world, Janet and her crew set off on the epic and historic Voyage of the Balangay in 2010. They built a copy of the ancient boat Balangay, which has a carbon date of 320 A.D. and sailed it across South East Asia.
Photo: Facebook (Janet Belarmino)
“My mission is always to educate, motivate and encourage anyone facing a challenge in life to push through and climb on. I believe that in everything we do, the same rules apply. It does not matter what your challenge is… what truly matters is that we find a way to explore and push beyond the challenges before us, so we may discover and achieve more than we ever thought possible.” Janet Belarmino said.
In 2012, Janet established BELARMINO VENTURES, which offers high-altitude climbing trips all around the world, including ones in Northern Palawan. One of the best motivational speakers in the Philippines, Janet Belarmino, has exerted herself to the limit in the worlds of travel, experience, and perseverance. She has undertaken some of the most arduous and dangerous expeditions on earth. In other words, she embodies the ideal personality trait that motivates others to do great things.
Media coverage of Janet Belarmino's accomplishments has been considerable. She has given several interviews, gained notoriety in print and online media, and been featured in publications like Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Tatler, Cebu Pacific Smile, and many more as one of the "Top Ten Women of the Year" in 2007.
Photo: waytogo
She has made several appearances and broadcasts on discussion shows on radio and television, including those on Veritas, Sports Unlimited, Channel 9, Channel 4, GMA, and ABS-CBN. During International Women's Month in March 2014, she was also highlighted on the inaugural Google Doodle video's main page, which attracted over 1 billion views on that single day.
Janet, a native of Bayombong, Nueva Ecija, still recalls how she originally developed a love for mountain climbing in her youth by scaling several trees. She prepared for and got active in climbing while in college. Although being among a select group of climbers who have succeeded in reaching the summit of Mount Everest, Janet maintains her modest demeanor.
Even though she was happy and pleased when she arrived at the top, Janet felt insignificant when she looked down at the vastness of the earth. She experienced the most bizarre combination of feelings, was rendered speechless, and gained important life lessons about how little one knows and the constant desire to learn more.
“Living life to the fullest, pushing our limits, living to the extreme. There is nothing to fear- not suffering or failure. We should spend our time building legacies because legacies do not die.” Janet Belarmino said.
In the Philippines, Women's Month is an important occasion to honor women's success and raise awareness of the obstacles they still face in their quest for gender equality. It is a chance for people and groups to band together and strive to build a society that is more equitable and just for everyone.
I believe it is critical that we honor the achievements and motivational tales of women all across the world. We continue to battle in some capacity every day for women's equality. This month, I hope, will give us a chance to consider our experiences as women and how we may honor and uplift those around us.
Everyone is invited to participate in International Women's Month because, regardless of gender or generational background, every one of us contributes to creating a future in which there will be gender equality. Celebrate a woman's accomplishments because they set an example for others and influence gender views and professional goals about what women can and cannot do. If we are unable to look up and see other successful women, we will be less inclined to achieve success in our own lives.
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