Globe Cordillera Challenge gets bigger and better

MANILA, Philippines - The number of participants has increased by several folds. Enthusiasm more than doubled because the event has reached fever pitch. There are only a few days left before the biggest race for the environment gets going and already, the excitement decibel is ringing with fury.

Amid all these, the objective of a green Cordilleras is expected to escalate to much more greater heights when the 2011 Globe Cordillera Challenge hits the on-and-off roads linking Baguio City and La Trinidad in Benguet tomorrow.

From the inaugural field of 70 in 2010, Globe Telecom, a leading telecommunications provider and organizer of the event, has received certified cooperation from 250 serious and weekend bikers and nature lovers, thus stamping as “done” the telecom company’s goal of planting 30,000 seedlings — up from the 15,000 last year — in the sprawling Cordillera mountain region.

“It’s all systems go already for Globe Cordillera Challenge 2011 and we are bound to implement in earnest and with confidence our aim of helping restore the Cordillera mountain region to its former glorious — and hopefully ‘greener’ — state,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe head of corporate communications.

She adds that the increased participation for 2011 is “proof that what we planted in 2010 is now beginning to grow and is getting the attention of many.”

At around 6 a.m. tomorrow, the eager riders will start their momentous trek from the historic Burnham Park in Baguio City. From there, they will pedal around Baguio City and experience some of its most scenic places and then bike their way into La Trinidad and its environs heading toward the Benguet provincial capitol.

The provincial capitol is an edifice majestically perched on top an elevated portion along the highway that provides a quick view of the capitol, and serves as the designated end-point of the race, where the bikers are estimated to arrive by 12 noon after racing for a total of 40 kilometers.

Globe Telecom’s corporate social responsibility arm, Globe Bridging Communities (Globe BridgeCom), again partnered with the Cordillera Conservation Trust (CCT), a non-stock, non-profit organization dedicated to help preserve the Cordillera mountain ecosystem, and is led by its executive director JP Alipio.

The activity is also being supported by Dong-A Pharma, distributor of Bacchus energy drink; Cordillera Coffee, Manila Water, Manila Bulletin, The Philippine STAR, and Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Already signed up for the 2011 Globe Cordillera Challenge are the Globe Adventure Club (GAC), a group of mountain biking employees of Globe Telecom; members of the Philippine Mountain Biking Forum, the Pinoy Mountain Biker Community, Team Holcim, military and police personnel, and individual biking enthusiasts.

For mountain bikers to participate, they are asked to make a donation of at least P1,000 to the Cordillera Conservation Trust. Bikers may donate through GCASH (text DONATE <space> 1000 <space> MPIN <space> CORDI and send to 2882 or the Cordillera Conservation Trust’s Banco de Oro (BDO) account, Tignayan Para Iti Konserbasyon Ti Kordilyera, with account number 5180031673. 

Non-bikers who want to help the cause may also donate in increments of P20 through GCASH or the CCT bank account.

To guarantee the sustainability of the advocacy, CCT will also help build plant nurseries in local communities in the Cordilleras in order to empower the local folk to do their share in reforesting the mountain region that they have called their “home.”