Before they set out to scale the world's highest peak, Leo Oracion and Erwin Emata had come to terms with the unthinkable.

They signed a document containing an important agreement that they had made with the leader of the First Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition team: Should the two climbers die in their quest to reach the summit, their bodies would not be retrieved.

"We talked about their options, if something happened to them," said FPMEE team leader Art Valdez.

There were three choices—cremation, burial at home, or burial on the mountain.

"They decided on burial on the mountain," Valdez said.

But the breathtaking view of other snow-capped peaks, the nearness of the sky, and the sweet, strong hum of the wind made everything worth it.

"I sat still on the peak; it was around 4 p.m.," recalled Oracion. "I was very happy. I felt that all my sacrifices, my team's sacrifices, had paid off."

Emata was able to see the explosion of color as the sun rose, and could only marvel at the beauty of it: "Sobrang ganda!"

Asked if the thought of being the first Filipino to reach the peak of Everest occurred to him as he stood there, Oracion said: "No, because the only thing you'll be able to think of is, 'Wow, this is beautiful!'"

Emata, a father of two young boys, made the choice simply because it would be too difficult to recover his body, or Oracion's, from the mountain known for its treacherous slopes and unpredictable weather.

"I cried a lot of times," recalled Emata, 33. "I cried when I said goodbye to my wife before leaving for Nepal. At Base Camp, I hid in the toilet when I spoke with her because I was crying. I knew there was a chance that Leo and I would not make it back alive."

The two men's loved ones never knew such an agreement was made at Base Camp.

Oracion's wife was not even aware that he had left for Nepal, and only got to know about it while watching TV.

"I didn't tell her. We would have quarreled if she knew," Oracion, 32, said sheepishly.

Grim possibilities notwithstanding, the two men ended up triumphant.

Oracion and Emata made history as the first two Filipinos to set foot on the roof of the world on May 17 and 18, respectively, and successfully completed the conquest of Everest by safely returning to Base Camp.

They achieved the feat during one of the deadliest climbing seasons on Everest since 1996.

How this tropical country embraced the Filipinos" triumph on Everest was overwhelming and completely unexpected, Oracion said.

Upon arriving home on May 30, the two men were accorded a "heroes' welcome" that included, along with Romi Garduce, the third Filipino on Everest, a courtesy call on President Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacañang, a ticker tape parade, and victory parties.

Before proceeding to one such party last Thursday, Oracion and Emata, accompanied by Valdez, visited the Inquirer office in Makati City where they indulged requests for photo ops and autographs.

They were sunburned and visibly exhausted, but in an interview with the Inquirer, they recalled with exhilaration the steps that led them to the roof of the world.