Sunday, December 21, 2008 NCCC Cares Fun Run revived
AFTER a one-year hiatus, the NCCC Cares Fun Run is back.
On Sunday, over 200 runners will try to vie for the top honors and get the chance to contribute for a worthwhile cause as the 2nd edition kicks off in an out-and-back course from the NCCC Mall Davao.
The run, according to NCCC Cares environment program officer Jojo dela Peña, was launched in 2006.
The beneficiaries then were the child detainees of the Ma-a City Jail. The funds raised during the inaugural staging of the event helped in providing the basic needs of the child offenders who were then detained with the adult offenders.
He said, "The first fun run attracted some 200 participants. It was organized to raise funds to send NCCC Cares scholars to various public schools and also put up the Ray of Hope Village cottages at the Ma-a City Jail."
NCCC Cares, the foundation of the NCCC Group of Companies, was formally registered in 2003. Its major thrusts are education and environment.
"For education, the foundation is supporting 288 poor children to various public (elementary and high school) and private schools (tertiary level) in Davao, Tagum and Puerto Princesa," he said.
On the environment aspect, he said the foundation manages the waste segregation program for NCCC companies via its Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) and encourages recycling by making contacts and reselling to accredited scrap buyers.
"Funds derived from the collecting and segregation of waste materials are funneled back into the foundation to fund its education and environment programs," he added.
Project assistant Tong Lumtan said with this year's fun run, they aim to promote awareness to reduce trash by encouraging people to practice waste segregation and recycling and support other-related activities. Thus, it carries the theme "Run for a Clean Environment."
Lumtan said, "This running activity is a good venue to put the message across. The Barangay Tagurano Reforestation Project in Toril will benefit from this fund-raising event."
It's very interesting to note that organizers of the event don't just require a registration fee of P150. Interested runners have to bring at least two kilograms or one car battery to be able to join the event.
Accepted items include copper/bronze, alloy, soft drink aluminum cans, scrap iron, plastic water bottle of assorted sizes, metal tin cans, at least five empty printer cartridges, empty sacks, car batteries, empty freon tanks and used tires, among others.
The collected scrap items will be deposited to the foundation's MRF and will be sold to its buyers. Funds earned will augment operation expenses for the MRF and waste segregation program.
This year's run is a joint effort of the city government of Davao, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Environment Management Bureau Region 11 and supported by NCCC Mall Davao, ABS-CBN, Davao Sunday Runners Club and EMU Trading.
Angelito Sibayan of Maragusan, Compostela Valley (ComVal) and Stella Mamac-Diaz were hailed First NCCC Cares Fun Run 5K king and queen, respectively.
Sibayan bested Renante Villarma of the UFC Club and Joselito Dugos of Calinan who grabbed the next two positions. Diaz, on her part, sped past Vivan Avergonzado of Maragusan and Jeralyn Matunhay of Nabunturan, ComVal.
Tagum's Roldan Dojo was then named kiddie 3K kiddie champion over Christer Balili and Vincent Diez of Davao City.
Sibayan and Diaz are expected to defend their crowns today. But up-and-coming runners from all over the region might give them a good run for their money.
Participants may lose in the race but they are winners for sure, having done something good for the enviroment.
Welcome back NCCC Cares Fun Run. Thanks for caring. (MLSA)
