CEBU, Philippines — Over 2,500 Cebuanos of all ages joined the third Pinay In Action (PIA) Caravan yesterday to celebrate health and wellness through a fun run and a bike caravan.
The fun run in Lapu-Lapu City, held at the Mactan Shrine, drew more than 1,800 participants ranging from six-year-olds to senior citizens. Runners were able to choose from various race distances, namely 12km, 6km, 3km, and 1km.
One of the participants was Southeast Asian Games gold medalist coach Tess Bitbit, who thanked Senator Pia Cayetano for organizing the free sporting event for the community.
“Mahal na mahal tayo ni Senator Pia. We are so lucky to have this kind of event na para sa lahat. This is not a race. Ito po ay isang hakbang para tayo ay sumigla,” Bitbit said.
Lapu-Lapu City Chairman of the Committee on Sports, Janvi dela Cerna, echoed Bitbit’s sentiment.
“This is not all about running; this is a celebration of wellness and health,” Dela Cerna said.
Each runner received a race kit containing a dri-fit singlet, race bib, sports bottle, and a finisher shirt.
Meanwhile, the bike caravan in Talisay City, held at the Talisay City Hall Grounds, saw over 660 bikers join the event.
Talisay Councilor Danilo Caballero also thanked Cayetano for organizing the event that attracted participants from across Cebu. He said the activity aligns with the city administration’s goal of promoting health among its citizens.
“Lahat ng activities with regards sa sports or any activity na ginagawa ng siyudad na makakabuti sa lahat ng Cebuano, all-out ang suporta ng administration ni Mayor Samsam Gullas,” Caballero said.
Cayetano has long championed sports and wellness in her legislative work by organizing various events on sports and women’s empowerment, like running events and seminars for women through her advocacy arm, PIA.
She was supposed to attend the said events but failed to make due to an emergency, her staff said. The next PIA Caravan event will be held in the coming weeks. — (FREEMAN)