Chikka.com runs for a cause
Chikka.com, creators of the free text-messaging app Chikka Text Messenger, recently sponsored De La Salle University’s 8th Animo Run held at the SM Mall of Asia.
“This is the second year that we supported the Animo Run,” said Chito Bustamante, Chikka chief executive officer. “We have seen how running brings friends, families and whole communities together for truly good clean fun, and often for a cause. At Chikka we like to say, ‘small talk unites’; as a matter of fact bringing friends and families together is very much what Chikka Text Messenger does for Filipinos all over the world.”
This year’s beneficiaries included the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, an organization addressing the needs of people with disabilities to prepare them to be active members of the community; the Brother Andrew Gonzalez Technical School and the One La Salle Scholarship Fund.
Chikka in 2001 beat global players to building the world’s first mobile instant messenger to unite Instant Messaging (IM) and Short Message System (SMS or text) platforms. It then launched Chikka in the most demanding of mobile markets, the Philippines, world’s texting capital.
Chikka since then has been providing user-friendly and universally accessible instant messaging applications for Filipinos all over the world. Aside from being interoperable with Google Talk, Chikka also recently launched an official Chikka iPhone application, making it easier for everyone to keep in touch with Filipinos here and abroad.
“Aside from helping raise funds for Tahanang Walang Hagdanan Inc., the Brother Andrew Gonzalez Technical School, and the One La Salle Scholarship Fund, we also wanted to promote the value of healthy living,” Bustamante explains. “The 8th Animo Run was the perfect way to do that.”
The event became more than just a competition — cash prizes and gift packs aside, the Animo Run became a great venue for families and friends to bond and demonstrate their commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
The DLSU 5k category top three winners were Ambundio Corral, Milbert Caranto and Salvador Nuyda. For the 5k open, the top three winners were Ferdinand Corpos, Wenlie Maulas and Richard Salano. The 10k open top three winners were Rafael Poliquit, Nelson Eligiran and John Kevin Vidal. Each winner was awarded a cash prize and a gift pack.
