Capitol holds "Fun Walk" for boystown school

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia led some 1,000 participants from both government and non-government sectors for the first Capitol-initiated Fun Walk to raise funds for the facility for minors.

The governor has completed the 5.8-kilometer walk that started at the Provincial Capitol grounds, passing by M. Velez St., V. Rama Avenue, N. Bacalso Avenue, Os-meña Boulevard and ended at the Fuente Osmeña.

There were reports that a woman participant from the Provincial Agriculture Office suddenly collapsed while they were walking on V. Rama. She was allegedly starv-ing when she joined the activity.

Garcia said that no one is to be blamed for the incident.

"Naninguha man gani tanang empleyado nga paapilon, ako na hinuon ang di moapil. We have to show them also what we act… Dili pud ta kaingon nga gipabaktas siya unya nagpahayahay lang ko," she told The FREEMAN. The governor added that a standby medical team was there to give medical attention.

The fund raising campaign has drawn 1,000 participants despite a short period of time in disseminating information about the activity. A P50 registration fee that was paid by each participant or a total of P50,000 will be given as charity to the boys town in Barangay Tungkop, Minglanilla.

The activity also included contests like award for the "Biggest Group," which was won by the delegation from the Provincial Engineering Office, while the participants from the Provincial General Services Office was awarded as the "Most Colorful" group and the participants from the Provincial Administrator's Office as the "Liveliest" group.

Awards from oldest and youngest participants were also given.

Garcia plans to make the fun walk a regular activity as part of the Capitol's founding anniversary celebration.

"This will always be for charity. These students could have better chance at life in preparing them academically. A fun walk also is a test on oneself on how far we can go and how we push ourselves harder than what we have done," she said.

"Though it is really a fun walk, it is an extraneous and exhausting walk but in that way at least I showed I was up to it and I could very well go through the challenge along with the rest of them," the governor described the experience. (FREEMAN)