700,000 volunteers run for Red Cross

MANILA, Philippines - Over half a million people, including children, joined the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) fun run yesterday aimed at promoting volunteerism among Filipinos and generating funds for disaster victims.

Organizers said about 700,000 people participated in this year’s Million Volunteer Run 2 (MVR2) in Pasay City and Quezon City. The run was also held in other cities across the country.

The run aims to strengthen the network of volunteers down to the barangay level, and create awareness and raise funds for the agency’s humanitarian services,” said PRC secretary general Gwendolyn Pang.

“Through the MVR2, the PRC hopes to make the public more aware of and to support the key aspects of volunteerism through disaster preparedness and response, health and welfare, and voluntary blood donation,” she said.

Several families in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental – the two areas that were devastated by typhoon “Pablo” late last year – joined the run in their area, the PRC said.

“Now more than ever, the country needs more volunteers who are trained in disaster response skills,” PRC chairman Richard Gordon said.

PRC governor Mabini Pablo said they will be using the proceeds from the MVR2 to strengthen the network of Red Cross 143 volunteers at the barangay level.

Red Cross 143 is the flagship volunteer program of the PRC that recruits and trains 44 volunteers in every barangay – one team leader plus 43 members.

CereCare fun run

Meanwhile, 700 child rights’ advocates participated in the advocacy fun run organized by the CereCare Philippines Foundation in Ortigas City yesterday.

The activity, dubbed “Dream Chase 2013,” aims to benefit children with special needs and raise the public’s level of awareness to bring hope and acceptance for these children.

Lily Tanco, CereCare Philippines founder, said the donations will go to the occupational therapy program of the institution.

CereCare Philippines Foundation is a government-recognized educational institution that provides psychological rehabilitation services and special education program for children with special needs such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and other similar conditions.