Record 140,000 runners seen in Pasig Run

MANILA, Philippines - Organizers of ABS-CBN Foundation’s Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP) said the other night they have a strong chance of breaking the world record when the 10.10.10 Run for the Pasig River is fired off on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay.

“This country is going to be great and we’ll going to make it great,” said ABS-CBN Foundation managing director Gina Lopez in Tuesday night’s final briefing at the Manila Peninsula in Makati.

“We’ll never know if we have reached 140,000 until 140,000 have been counted on the race day itself,” she said.

Lopez said around 140,000, coming from schools, government and private institutions, have already signed up for the 3K, 5K, 10K and 21K categories.

Listed to compete in the 3K to start at the Diokno St. corner Bayshore Blvd. around MOA are 47,000 participants with 85,000 to vie for top honors in the 5K race that gets going at the Vicente Sotto corner Magdalena Jalandoni near the CCP Complex.

The 10K event drew a total of 12,400 runners, who will take off at Ayala corner Makati Ave. in Makati while the 21K will begin in Marikina although it will only be a ceremonial run to be participated in by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

Organizers said they are elated over the participation of a contingent of 50,000 from the religious group El Shaddai – a commitment, which they got from their leader Bro.Mike Velarde – in the one-day race to raise funds to clean up and rehabilitate the Pasig River.

“This run is literally a kapit-bisig of all sectors. It will be really, really amazing. If we get international recognition by breaking the world record, all of us are saying to the world that ‘We want the Pasig River clean,’” said Lopez.

By the sheer number of participants and the different starting points in the fun run, the preparation for the race has been immense, said organizers.