PhilHealth run draws more support

REGISTRATION for next Sunday’s “PhilHealth Run 2013” had yet to reach the half-way mark, but sponsorship continued to pour in, with P639,000 in cash donations realized as of last Thursday for the Baguio-Cordillera leg of the nation-wide sports event for ailing kids.

The Baguio General Hospital came in as the biggest institutional sponsor so far with a P200,000 support to mark its 111th anniversary as the medical center of the Cordillera and Northern Luzon.

St. Louis University contributed P100,000, equaling the amount earlier given by Philex Mines, the first institution to respond to the sponsorship drive for the run hatched by PhilHealth to mark its 18th anniversary.

Half of the total proceeds from the four-category run on February 17, which will fire off simultaneously in 18 key cities, will go to the Philippine Children’s Medical Center in Quezon City as the national beneficiary.

Half of the amount collected from sponsorship and registration fees in the Baguio leg will go to Helping Hands Healing Hearts (4H) Ministries at Camp 7 in Baguio City as the local beneficiary.

Helping Hands runs a half-way home for ailing children from the Cordillera and beyond who are undergoing treatment and therapy at the BGH and other hospitals in Baguio and Benguet.

Other major sponsors so far with donations of P50,000 each are Pines City Doctors Hospital, Notre Dame de Lourdes Medical Center, Landbank (Baguio) and Far North Luzon.

Other supporters are Betty Rilloraza – P10,000; Baguio Medical Center, Baguio Renal Center and Cordillera Kidney Center – P5,000 each; Dr. Rosario Laranang and Dr. Rosalina Tandoc – P2,000 each.

PhilHealth-Cordillera public relations officer Maggie del Rosario said 1,870 had registered for the run as of last Thursday, representing 37.67 percent of the target of 3,000 runners for the Baguio leg.

“We are optimistic of reaching the 3,000 mark as participants would like to sign up a few days before the run,” del Rosario said.

Registration fees are pegged at P250 for the three-kilometer fun run, P300 for the 5K, P350 for the 10K and P450 for the 18K that will fire off simultaneously in Baguio, Dagupan, Tuguegarao, Clark, Malolos, Manila, Laguna, Batangas, Legazpi, Iloilo, Tacloban, Cebu, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Koronadal, Marawi and Butuan.

The top three finishers in both the male and female divisions will receive cash prizes of P3,000-P2,000-P1,000 in both the student and adult categories of the 3K. aside from a P10,000 group prize; P5,000-P3,000-P2,000 in the 5K; P8,000-P4,000-P3,000 in the 10K; and P10,000-P6,000-P4,000 in the 18K.

The humanitarian dimension of the mass run has also triggered support in kind and services from Z-Radio (spot buys), Laser (brown envelopes), Ink Line (certificates), Copylandia (ribbon), Ronstar (tarpaulin), Mountain King (bottled water), Tarilja (safety pin), Department of Budget and Management-Cordillera (1,500 pieces brown envelope), Filpower Group, ECV (tarpaulin), MCKleen (5 dozens balloons), Department of Social Welfare and Development – Cordillera (bottled water), Tiongsan Harrison, Dr. Occidental (DVD player), Department of Health-Cordillera (100 pieces bags), SM (registration booth, etc.), CenterMall, Noel (P2,000) and Baguio Midland Courier (publicity space).

Runners may download the registration form at https://run2013.philhealth.gov.ph or obtain and submit the same at the Philhealth Regional Office, 4th floor SSS Building, Harrison Rd., Baguio City.

Sponsors in cash and in kind may ring up Philhealth’s numbers – (074) 444 8361 and 444-5345. (Ramon Dacawi)