The Waling-Waling Rotary Club will stage Zumbathon 2026 on February 22 at the Davao City Coastal Road, marking the club’s first fundraising project built entirely around a Zumba fitness activity, organizers said.
The event will run from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. at Esplanade One and is open to Rotary members, their families, friends, and the general public. Participants will dance continuously for two hours, with no running involved. “This is our first Rotary project that is purely a Zumbathon. Wala ni mudagan, Zumba jud ni (There is no run, just Zumba),” said Dax Ang during the Davao Sportswriters Association Forum Thursday, February 5, at The Annex of SM City Davao.
Professional Zumba instructors, coaches, and gym trainers may join but will not be eligible for prizes, giving non-professional participants a fair chance to win. The activity is open to all ages, with winners to be determined in three age brackets: 18–45, 46–55, and 56 and above, in an individual-only competition with no group category. Organizers will also hand out special awards for Best in Costume, Best in Moves, and Best in Endurance, with top performers crowned Zumba King and Zumba Queen. Ang said the program will include endurance-style and balance challenges integrated into the dance routines, such as holding props or balancing items while moving.
Registration costs ₱500, inclusive of an event shirt, which participants must wear during the activity, as well as light snacks. Organizers are targeting about 300 participants, with fewer than 200 registered so far. A promotion is also available, offering one free registration for every five tickets purchased.
Proceeds from the Zumbathon will benefit House of Hope, a halfway home for children with cancer, Field of Dreams Children’s Home for abandoned children, and Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign. The event will feature professional Zumba instructors, a live host and music, a photo wall, and an on-site medical and safety team to ensure participants’ well-being.
Zumbathon 2026 will also serve as the opening activity of Rotary Week. Ang said the club opted for Zumba instead of a fun run due to lower costs and the increasing number of similar running events.
The venue has been cleared with the city government, with the Coastal Road observing a no-car-free Sunday policy from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. Participants are advised to park before 4 a.m. and walk to the esplanade, which organizers described as a safe, vehicle-free area. Ria Jewel Palomo/NDDU and Justiny Sayson/DNSC, SunStar Interns