Unity Swim slated at San Beda Alabang

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Unity Swim, the first ever multi-participant marathon swim to be held anywhere in the world, has been reset to a later date when the situation returns to normal after the devastation caused by two typhoons.

Organizer Susan Papa, secretary general of the Aquatic Sports Association of the Philippines, said the event, originally scheduled Oct. 24 in celebration of United Nations Day, will be held at the San Beda Alabang swimming pool at a date to be announced.

Dom Clement Roque, OSB, San Beda Alabang rector-president, offered the school swimming pool to be the venue of the historic swimathon, where an expected field of over 10,000 swimmers from all walks of life, beginners and advanced, will swim alternately in the 50-meter pool in a show of national unity.

The event also seeks to establish a record in the Guinness Book of Records in the field of marathon swimming.

“We have shown during trying times the spirit of cooperation and unity as we helped the typhoon victims recover from the tragedy,” said Papa. “The event is a symbolic effort of what we can do as a nation.”

Papa, a former Olympic swimmer and Asian Games medallist in the 70s, thanked Dom Roque and school administrator Arlene Gatmaitan for allowing free use of the San Beda-Alabang pool for the event.

“We are proud of this momentous event, this will be a big lift to our country,” said Roque.