Get set for the MTV Queen City Run

Cebu's famous Queen City Run is bigger and brighter this year as MTV and Smart Buddy get ready to return to the South on November 19 and transform Cebu City into one big Mardi Gras party. Every year for the past four years, the Cebu Visitors and Convention Bureau (CVCB), the City of Cebu, the City of Mandaue, the Province of Cebu, and the Department of Tourism Region VII organize the Queen City Run, dubbed as "Asia's first Mardi Gras run."

Thousands of people get dolled up in flamboyant costumes and join the race, which has become a must-see event for tourists from all over the Philippines, Asia, Europe, and America. This year, the excitement turns up a notch as MTV, the world's largest TV network and the country's favorite music channel, takes over the reins of this massive event and transforms it, MTV-style. As a special treat, MTV is staging a big concert at 6:30 pm at the finish line, which is located at the SM City Cebu parking lot (near Sheraton Hotel), featuring four of the country's hottest artists and bands: Rivermaya, Bamboo, Kitchie Nadal, and Barbie Almalbis.

This year, the MTV Queen City Run with Smart Buddy will kick off at 3:30 pm, Saturday, November 19, at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall, which has also been the starting point of the fun run in the past years. However, this is the first time the finish line will be located in SM City Cebu, making the route exactly 10 kilometers in length.

"The 10-K route is perfect for the fun run, and we hope to keep this route for the next 10 years or so," says race director Max Telford.

Prizes for the Elite category winners are P50,000 for the first prize, and P25,000, P12,500, P7,500, and P5,000 respectively for the runners-up; while the Wheelchair category champion will get P10,000 with the 2nd and 3rd place winners getting P5,000, and P3,000 respectively. Winners will also bring home cash prizes for the Best Costume - Individual and Best Costume - Group categories, while cash prizes, trophies, and lechon will be awarded to the winners of the Biggest Delegation, Youngest and Oldest Finishers, and the newest category, the Hubba Bubba category, which is for teams composed of a maximum of five walkers with minimum waistlines of 40 inches. TIMEX watches will also be raffled off after the awarding.

Those interested in joining the MTV Queen City Run with Smart Buddy may visit the registration centers located at the Ayala Center Cebu, SM City Cebu, Super Metro Mandaue, and the Tourkonsult office at the Baseline Complex. Entry fee is P200 only and P20 for students 18 years old and below. For inquiries, call (032) 255-1250, 254-7850, or email [email protected]. For more information, check out posters and print ads, or tune in to MTV Philippines on Channel 41 (Metro Manila) or Channel 29 (Cebu) for free TV or non-cable subscribers. All cable companies also carry MTV Philippines in Metro Cebu. Call your cable operator for the channel designation. MTV Philippines is also seen on IBC 13.

The MTV Queen City Run is exclusively presented by Smart Buddy. Official media partners are the Manila Bulletin and The Philippine Star. Special thanks to Avia, KBP Cebu Chapter, The Freeman, RCTV, Y101, SM City Cebu, Sunstar Daily, Cebu Daily News, and the official water provider, Nature's Spring Water.