Pro Earth Day Run draws 5,000 runners

MANILA, Philippines - More than 5,000 runners took part in the Earth Day Network Philippines, held to protect, respect, and oversee the sensible and sustainable care of Mother Earth, in the first-ever Pro Earth Run at the Bonifacio Global City recently.

“We want to promote earth day everyday, everywhere, for everyone. We must have a conscious effort to take good care of our environment everyday,” said Earth Day Network Philippines’ president Bert Guevarra.

The advocacy run also served as the kickoff of this year’s Earth Day celebrations that drew individual and corporate advocacies, network members, schools and universities, churches, and civil societies that comprise some of the Network’s more than 2,000 partners. 

“Through the run, we hope to mobilize resources to support the continuing advocacies of EDNPI on climate change and the conservation of the country’s biodiversity resources,” said Guevarra.

This year’s Earth Day celebration focuses on climate change in the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda that hit the Visayas and Northern Palawan last November. Experts had said more of these super typhoons are expected to come as a result of human-induced climate change.

Moreover, 2014 also marks the 15th founding anniversary of the Earth Day Network Philippines. It was in 1999 when Mark Dubois of Earth Day International visited the Philippines and helped form the Earth Day Network Philippines in the house of the late Odette Alcantara, the founding Country Coordinator.  Since then, the Earth Day has become truly a dynamic celebration with the main event held in various areas in the country to highlight that Earth Day is Everyday, Everywhere for Everyone. 

The Earth Day Network Philippines’ Pro Earth Run was presented by LifeOil, 100 percent pure Malunggay extract, and United Parcel Services or UPS.

Carlo Lugtu, executive vice president of Manila Nature’s Link Corporation, the maker of LifeOil, said that “LifeOil is the perfect partner of people with active lifestyle, including runners.” LifeOil, the pure power of nature in a gel, increases energy, strengthens the immune system, manages sugar level, controls blood pressure, and even fights cancer.

Staged by Huper International, the event was also sponsored by the Philippine Charity Sweeptakes Office, First Gen, Energy Development Corporation, Globe, Holcim, Animation International – Philippines, Informatics, Pocari Sweat, Manila Water, Gerry’s Grill, Tapa King, Merrell, Lumsense, The Body Shop Peppermint Leg Spray, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Timex, Gardenia, Greenlite Banner, Gold’s Gym, Integrated Waste Management, Inc., Empire East, Union Bank, and Haribon Foundation.