National Geographic run fires off tomorrow

MANILA, Philippines - Around 5,000 runners, including professionals, students, athletes and celebrities, will answer the starting gun tomorrow when the first Earth Day Run of the National Geographic Channel (NGC) is fired off at the SM Mall of Asia Grounds in Pasay City.

Events on tap are the 3K, 5K and 10K with the bulk, including weekend runners and health buffs, competing in the 5K run. The races, held in conjunction with Earth Day’s 40th anniversary celebration, will be flagged off at 5 a.m.

The record number of field in a fun race underscores the public’s positive response to NGC’s call to help save the environment with FOX International Channels Territory director Jude Turcuato stressing “a little sacrifice will definitely inspire people to care about our planet.”

Working on a theme “Inspiring the People to Care about the Planet,” the event, sponsored by PLDT MyDSL, Schick, Western Union, Prudential Guarantee, the official insurance provider, Timex, Manila Water, Nike and Multi Sport, will benefit the Design Against the Elements (DAtE), a global architectural design contest that aims to provide a solution to the problems on climate change.

“We chose DAtE as our beneficiary because their project is a significant step towards addressing the effects of climate change. Instead of using our funds to rebuild damaged communities after a major calamity, we can now focus our resources towards designing and building disaster resistant homes,” Turcuato said.

Former model-actor Illac Diaz, head of the advocacy group for ecologically sustainable communities, also said a big number of architects are joining the event whom he hopes “to come up with designs for houses that can withstand environmental calamities brought about by climate change.”

The Earth Day Run, held in partnership with the Commission on Climate Change, is but the latest of a series of foot races that has drawn a huge field as thousands have joined the running bandwagon the last few months with fun races and competitive events held almost every other week in various parts of the metropolis.