Paul Donato Quinto (Pope)

Pope grew up on one of the mountainous sides of Mindanao, which is the second-largest island in the Philippines. At an early age, hobbies such as swimming, exploring, and crossing the river were just day-to-day activities during mid-day class breaks. Hiking on nearby ridges or climbing one of the country’s highest peaks with classmates, bringing just a school bag, was an ordinary routine for Pope.

It didn’t stop there when he made it to college in the late 90s. He joined mountaineering clubs, where weekend outdoor activities on a regular basis and even national gatherings in various provinces or regions of the Philippines were always present. It was as if a Pandora’s box had opened, and he went on to explore other activities such as caving, rock climbing, surfing, snorkeling, freediving, rafting, biking, motorbiking, and now paragliding.

He is an IRATA Level 1 certificate holder and a Red Cross volunteer. In 2016, Pope finally joined APA as an outdoor facilitator for youth programs, where he could share his knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences with young people.

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