Saturday, March 29, 2008 'Araw ng Kagitingan' marathon set next month
THE oldest and longest-running tribute run for World War II Veterans will be on the highways of Central Luzon again for its 23rd staging this coming April 8 and 9, 2008.
Billed as the Araw ng Kagitingan Ultra-Marathon, the 102-kilometer retracing of the 1942 infamous Death March Trail, from Mariveles, Bataan to the City of San Fernando, starts with the Walk with the Heroes phase after a simple program.
The annual event first hit the dreaded route in 1986, more than a month after the first Edsa People Power Revolution happened.
The living heroes and local residents of the town, led by Mariveles Mayor Jesse Concepcion and Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP) Post Commander Abraham Regala will traverse a 10-meter walk down memory lane for a fitting send-off for the modern-day marchers.
The transfer of a symbolic torch from Regala to founding organizer Ed Paez will start the actual relay-run.
The runners will carry the torch, the Philippine tri-colors, American Spangled Banner and Japan's crimson disc up to the Death March Shrine in the City of San Fernando.
Passing through nine towns of Bataan, the group, composed of runners from the Runners Confederation of the Philippines, Inc. (RUNCPI), Philippine Army Special Services Unit, PA Light Armor Division, Philippine National Police Recom 3, Muay Association, The Fort Striders, City of Sta. Rosa Runners, Tarlac City RC, Safer Run and others, will be spending the night at the Lubao Gymnasium in Pampanga with Mayor Dennis Pineda and his mother, former Board Member Lilia Pineda, rolling the red carpet.
The runners will then hit the road again the next morning, leading to the Heroes Hall in the City, via Guagua and Bacolor, where Mayor Buddy Dungca will welcome the entourage before their final destination.
City officials, headed by Mayor Oscar Rodriguez, local residents and the VFP group headed by Post Commander Eleuterio Mercado will receive the symbolic torch from the runners at the Heroes Hall for the final Walk With The Heroes portion up to the Death March Shrine for the culminating rites.
