Chimborazo
The summit of Mount Everest is higher above sea level, but the summit of Chimborazo is widely reported to be the farthest point on the surface from Earth's center, with Huascarán a very close second. The summit of the Chimborazo is the fixed point on Earth that has the utmost distance from the center – because of the oblate spheroid shape of the planet Earth, which is "thicker" around the Equator than measured around the poles. Chimborazo is one degree south of the Equator and the Earth's diameter at the Equator is greater than at the latitude of Everest ( above sea level), nearly 27.6° north, with sea level also elevated. Despite being lower in elevation above sea level, it is from the Earth's center, farther than the summit of Everest ( from the Earth's center). However, by height above sea level, Chimborazo is not the highest peak of the Andes.
Romi Garduce
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, a death zone peak at , 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 reached the summit of Everest on May 19, 2006. Due to Garduce's feat, 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.