Huge field to vie in 8th Earth Day Run

MANILA, Philippines - The Earth Day Run, an annual event by National Geographic, holds its eighth staging on April 23 at the SM Mall of Asia grounds, with proceeds to help fund the reforestation of the Ipo Dam watershed.

Partnering with the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) for the fifth time, the race is expected to gather 20,000 runners and draw national attention to the need to rehabilitate the Ipo Dam watershed, part of the Angat-Umiray-Ipo-La Mesa Dam system which provides 98 percent of Metro Manila’s water supply.

Dubbed the “Forests for Water” project, the move to plant trees in the area aims to improve its forest cover, which has dropped to 40 percent not just through a “one-day tree-planting activity” but by tree nurturing, growing and mothering, with WWF monitoring the project for five years.

In its previous editions, the Earth Day Run has paved the way for the planting of 30,000 seeds in the Abuan watershed in Isabela, creation of fiberglass boats instead of wooden ones and training of fishermen who have lost their livelihood due to Typhoon Yolanda in Palawan and distribution of solar lamps to forest rangers who help in the preservation of the endangered tamaraws in Mindoro.

“It’s really about that, that there are solid and tangible outcome and output from the run itself. It’s not just about being healthy, which is great, and it’s not just having people become aware (about the importance of taking care of the environment), which is great, but becoming healthy, aware, and actually making the difference that you can touch and see,” said Jude Turcuato, general manager of the Philippine office of the Fox Networks Group, during the Earth Day Run media night at Maxims Hotel, Resorts World Manila in Pasay City last Monday.

The event, which will have international counterparts for the second straight year, will also be held in Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Taiwan.

In the Manila leg , participants take the Seaside Boulevard, Macapagal Avenue and Roxas Boulevard through Buendia, EDSA-Roxas Boulevard and Kalayaan flyovers.

Garbage bins will be situated along the route while advocacy banners will be hung at the finish line to remind runners of the environmental cause of the race which has 5K, 10K, 21K and 42K as categories.

Runners who will come in their best costume made of recycled materials will receive special prizes.

Interested participants may register on-site at SM Mall of Asia, SM Aura and SM North EDSA or online at natgeoearthdayrun.com from March 1 to April 16.

Others who graced the event were World Wildlife Fund for Nature project manager Paolo Pagaduan, RunRio Inc. events manager John Montalvan, Brand Action vice president Mico Almeda and Resorts World Manila chief operating officer Stephen Reilly.