PhilHealth Run for a Cause July 19, 2011

Cagayan de Oro City - More than a thousand dynamic and compassionate runners participated in the first-ever PhilHealth Run for a Cause in Iligan City just recently.

The event, dubbed PhilHealth Run: One Run for Health, was a joint undertaking of PhilHealth Regional Office X through its Iligan Service Office and One '92. Considered as a major National Health Insurance Program Marketing Campaign, the event was initiated to generate funds for the Mc Auley Sisters of Mercy, a center for abused women and children in Iligan City for a five-year PhilHealth membership for health care protection.

The event was also aimed at boosting the public's level of awareness on violence against women and children and to market PhilHealth as "the Partner in Health" in promoting the health and well-being of women and children and the community through mass running.

Being the first run conducted by PhilHealth, the project will be replicated in the different regions in Mindanao next year.

PhilHealth Area Vice President for Mindanao Ramon F. Aristoza Jr., Mindanao Regional Vice Presidents Romeo D. Alberto, Dennis B. Adre, Johnny Y. Sychua and Khaliquzzaman M. Macabato, along with Service Office Heads and their staffmembers supported the activity which will be done simultaneously Mindanao-wide in February 2012 to kick-off the observance of National Health Insurance Month.

"Joining fun runs is indeed a good thing, both for your health and for the beneficiaries of the event. We are very proud to have initiated the run, and it will be conducted in the PhilHealth Mindanao Area next year," said Datu Masiding M. Alonto Jr., RVP for Region X.

Participating runners came from Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Gingoog, Ozamiz and Iligan cities and they were registered under the 10K, 5K, 3K and 3K Kiddie run divisions.

The event was made possible through the cooperation of Rep. Vicente "Varf" F. Belmonte, Jr. (Lone District, Iligan), the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. through the Dolores Aboitiz Children's Fund, Dunkin Donuts, Summit Natural Drinking Water and the Local Government of Iligan City. (Merlyn H. Ybañez, Public Relations Officer I)