By GAY ACE DOMINGO
Leo Katigbak, the head of ABS-CBN’s Sagip Pelikula, had Antarctica as one of his dream destinations. “Even as a kid, I had always wanted to go to Antarctica, actually go to all the continents,” Leo told Malaya Business Insight. “(But) it is very far and also requires a bit more budgeting.”

Much like his ambitious film restoration projects that became realities, Leo’s trip to Antarctica also materialized. In 2022, the possibility of visiting the world’s southernmost and least populated continent became more possible. Thankfully, Leo had more than enough information. “There was an actual opportunity to go and costs were already coming in… It was now a question of planning, saving and figuring out when the best time to go was going to be,” he said.
On January 26, 2024 the stars aligned; Leo was on board the Swan Hellenic luxury ship to Antarctica. It still seemed unreal for him. He said, “I think the moment we (Leo and his fellow passengers) went on board, it started to feel surreal already. There was a very different atmosphere and vibe on board the ship, and as we made our way, it felt like, I guess, a big brother house where everybody just had camaraderie. And then when we started doing our zodiac excursions and landings and seeing how beautiful the pictures were coming out like nearly postcard perfect. It all just seemed magical.”
His very special vacation was composed of crossing the notoriously rough Drake Passage, zodiac expeditions around the Antarctic Peninsula, landing expeditions to the home of penguins, seals and other sites, a polar plunge and cruise through the Lemaire Channel – an iceberg-filled strait touted as one of Antarctica’s top tourist destinations.
It took two days after boarding before Leo set foot on the Antarctic Continental ice shelf itself. “I made it, baby,” Leo wrote on Facebook. “It was such an exhilarating feeling as we made our way to Duse Bay in the Trinity Peninsula. The island is host to the old Boonen Rivera refuge with a working transmitter, and a cross to commemorate the Chileans who died in an accident.”
Leo took the pair of walking sticks that their nurse was distributing and explored the island. “I can’t believe I was able to pull this off before I became a senior citizen. Just so happy today.”
Over the course of the cruise, Leo saw penguins, icebergs and glaciers. “How exciting to wake up in the morning and start seeing icebergs outside your window,” he said.
On another occasion, the ship was making its way to Hope Bay and Leo noticed there was more ice outside. “Which made for a cool view. But suddenly, the ship stops and we look around and see ice everywhere! Someone from the expedition team said it was the closest that the captain had brought the ship to the icebergs,” Leo enthused, “It was just amazing to see… And you could hear the ice clunking against the ship. Fortunately nothing too big that could cause us problems.”
For Leo, as well as his Facebook friends, one of the highlights of the journey was definitely the Antarctic polar plunge – literally, a dive into the freezing waters wherein the tourist has nothing but his swimwear on. “It was so freaking cold and amazing,” Leo said of his polar plunge experience. “You jump in and it’s like a shock to the system with how cold it is. And all you can think of is swim upwards back to the stairs and, hopefully, the photographer got a good shot of you. They strap you so that there’s no risk that you will drift far from the ship and if need be, they can pull you up. I am so glad I know how to swim.”
Friends called Leo “brave” for doing this. To which Leo replied “It’s a chance of a lifetime, and I would be foolish to let it pass without trying.”
Leo went solo for this trip. Yet he quickly felt at home with his fellow passengers who were from different countries and the crewmembers, majority of whom are kababayans.
Leo said, “Eight-five percent of the crew was Filipino and nakakatuwa sila panoorin, especially when they were acknowledged during the captain’s farewell, and how the other guests appreciated all the great service they provided.”
For Leo, his Antarctica adventure was more than a checked item on his bucket list. “It is an uplifting experience. It’s so exciting. It’s recharging and you can see from all the photos, the smiles were just really big happy smiles that you can’t really explain.”