LOOK: 2 men with disabilities fulfill dream of summiting Mount Apo

DAVAO CITY—Not everyone who is able-bodied or has stamina can summit Mount Apo, but recently a student born without a right leg and a man who has no legs successfully reached the Philippines' highest peak.

Seventeen-year-old Angelou Revilla thought he would never fulfill his dream to climb the top of Apo, but he did so on April 10 to 12 on a crutch.

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Living near the trail toward Apo in Bansalan town, Davao del Sur, it was Revilla's dream to conquer and experience scaling the mountain.

It was his friends who motivated him to pursue his goal, despite his inborn condition, assuring him they would assist him.

"I experienced cramps during the ascent to the point that I could not almost move my leg. But I was still determined because I really want to climb Mount Apo," Revilla said in his dialect. 

Revilla felt proud and overjoyed that after long hours climbing and despite the difficulties, he finally reached Apo's peak on his first try.

"I may felt exhausted because of the challenging trail, but it was all worth it. I am also thankful to my close friends who did not leave me during the climb," he said. 

Meanwhile, 24-year-old Niño Galvez, also of Bansalan, reached the country's highest point last month even, despite not having both legs and a right arm.

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Galvez summited, thanks to the help of his friends who carried him on their back throughout the trek.

"I did not expect that I could still climb Mount Apo. That's why I really thanked my friends for letting me experience it," said Galvez, who has also climbed Mounts Loay and Agkir-agkir, and Lake Holon atop Mount Melibingoy. 

Galvez's friends still invite him in mountaineering trips, which can also be watched on their YouTube channel, Pabukid ta Bai.

FROM THE ARCHIVES