15,000 runners to compete in Earth Day Run for ‘Plastic or Planet?’ cause

MANILA, Philippines — The 2019 National Geographic Earth Day Run slated April 14 at the SM Mall of Asia open grounds sets out to be the biggest with 15,000 runners expected to take part and embrace the network’s  “Planet or Plastic?” initiative.

This year’s edition, which marks the 10th anniversary of the run, features  the 3K, 5K, 10K, and 21K distances with a new “Dog Run” category over 500m for 300 runners with their furry friends set to debut.

The run carries the theme “Planet or Plastic?”, Nat Geo’s multi-year campaign aimed at raising awareneness of plastic pollution and reducing the amount of single-use plastic that enters the world’s oceans.

“Because this is our biggest global campaign ever at National Geographic, I feel like it’s probably the most impact we’re going to have in the last 10 years,” Jude Turcuato, SVP and general manager of Fox Networks Group in the Philippines said during yesterday’s press launch with Antoinette Taus of the event’s beneficiary, Communities Organized for Resource Allocation.

“We’re focused on the “Planet or Plastic?” campaign so this carries for us globally.. Whatever we’re able to contribute within our global campaign, that we can grasp and really show the whole National Geographic that we’ve done something specific with 15,000 strong (is a milestone),” he added.

According to Turcuato,  other countries have taken notice and now intends to do similar runs, including those from Latin America and Europe.

“It’s something that I feel has taken us to the next level,” he said.

Participants and event-goers in this year’s activities will be encouraged to take the official “Planet or Plastic?” pledge to reduce their use of single-use plastic. The race itself won’t allow the use of single-use plastics as all runners are encouraged to utilize the reusable water bottles that come with every race kit.