CEBU, Philippines - The desire to support the youth was still prevalent in this year’s Alay Lakad Walk for a Cause as it gathered more than 60,000 participants.
Students and teachers from all levels of public and private schools, non-government and religious organizations, and government officials trailed Imus Road up to SM City Cebu to show support to the organization’s aim to send out-of-school youths to school.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella were among those who joined the Walk for a Cause, which earned close to P400,000 donation from participants.
Alay Lakad Cebu Foundation Incorporated (ALCFI) Executive chairman Steve Norman Tan expressed their gratitude for the support they have been getting every year.
The proceeds of the walk will be invested for scholarship grants and livelihood trainings of their scholars from all over Cebu City, said Tan.
The foundation has yet to determine the number of scholars that will benefit from the proceeds this year but he said that their aim is to send to school not less than 100 out-of-school youths every year.
Every participant who joined the walk for a cause paid P10 and for every participant, the Cebu City government gave another P6 to the Alay Lakad Foundation.
Tan said the proceeds were lesser from last year’s P700,000 but they hope to earn more and send more children to school in the coming years.
This is the 41st Alay Lakad Walk for a cause.
“We hope to gain the same support next year,†the ALCFI officer expressed.
Alay Lakad Foundation, a concept which started in Manila, has been helping out-of-school youths since 1972 and since then has been offering high school educational assistance, college scholarships and technical skills training to grantees. (FREEMAN)