Filipino explorer Gregg Yan has made history as the first Filipino to be inducted as a Fellow of The Explorers Club, breaking a century-old barrier for Philippine representation in the global exploration community.
Established in New York City in 1904, The Explorers Club is a professional society dedicated to field research and scientific discovery. Its members have helped push the boundaries of human exploration, participating in landmark expeditions to the North and South Poles, the summit of Mount Everest, and even the surface of the moon. Yan now joins its distinguished international roster, which includes renowned figures such as Neil Armstrong, Jane Goodall, and Sir Edmund Hillary.
Yan described his induction as a long-awaited milestone for the Philippine exploration community.
“For over a century, the mainstream narrative of global exploration has largely been viewed through a Western lens,” Yan says. “Being inducted as the first Filipino Fellow is a deeply humbling experience, securing our country a seat at the table. The Philippines hosts some of the world’s most amazing but endangered biodiversity, but we’re also a hotspot for species loss. This recognition proves that local exploration and field research really is important to the global scientific community.”
He emphasized that the spirit of exploration has long been part of Filipino heritage, dating back to the earliest seafarers who navigated the Philippine archipelago.
“Pinoys are natural-born explorers. Our ancestors arrived across these islands aboard Balanghays – ancient, seafaring wooden boats that crossed open oceans using only the stars and wind to navigate. Exploration is in our DNA, in our blood. We have renowned Pinoy and Pinay divers, mountain climbers and scientists. This fellowship simply brings our natural curiosity as explorers full circle on an international stage.”
Yan’s election to the Fellowship follows two decades of extensive fieldwork documenting and writing about some of the world’s most endangered animals. His subjects range from sharks and elephants to iconic Philippine wildlife such as the tamaraw and pangolin, as well as elusive, reportedly undiscovered species such as the Người Rừng of Vietnam. A scientific researcher with numerous published journal articles, Yan is also the first Filipino to be inducted as an honorary Maasai warrior in Africa.
Membership in The Explorers Club requires documented scientific contributions, exceptional physical endurance, and a demonstrated commitment to habitat and cultural conservation. Within the organization, Fellow is the highest and most prestigious of its five membership categories.
Looking ahead, Yan hopes to use his international platform to champion Filipino talent and open more opportunities for homegrown explorers.
“This would never have been possible without the support of renowned global explorers Arnaud Humbert and Dr. Brent Stewart, international organizations like the United Nations and World Wide Fund for Nature, plus the local communities who instinctively know more about their home forests and coasts then we can ever dream of,” says Yan.
“I may be the first Filipino Fellow, but my main goal now is to ensure that I won’t be the last. The Philippines is home to a brilliant new generation of field explorers. It’s time na makita ng international community kung ano talaga ang kayang gawin ng Pinoy!”
