The annual fun run was/is driven by the advocacy of alleviating poverty over education.
"Real LIFE is passionate about providing a better future for underprivileged Filipinos by giving them access to a good education and transforming their communities through community service."
Race For Life Foundation Scholars
As for me, education has always been costly but poverty should not be a hindrance in finishing one's studies and landing on a good paying job. I'm not saying that unless we earn a PhD we can't have a good job and can't contribute positively to our society. Truth is, there are actually school dropouts who are tagged as "street smart". They make good judgments and decisions on how to survive and earn a living. Experience is their best teacher. And a successful life is never withheld from them. Interestingly I should say, that as our technology progresses so are the demands and standards from our Industry in hiring employees, one of the major contributing factor is educational attainment especially in landing on a first supposed job. One of my emphasis would be: Education together with hard work, humility, discretion, discipline and character can be passports to stable success/es.
Cause-oriented activity such as this serves as an eye-opener and bell-ringer to our society to take part in helping the underprivileged but deserving students to reach their dreams. As individuals, we may not be able to support a scholar for a whole semester, a year, or until graduation but if little by little we collate our time, efforts and resources we are then making a difference in the life of a scholar, his family and the society.
As per the running event, the organizers were early. The stage and sound systems, stalls for booths, portalets and stand-by ambulance are all ready for use. The run started a bit late I guess to give way to the participants who are still on their way to the running site. First gun start for 10K started at 6:10am followed by 5K and 3K at ten minutes time intervals. The hydration booth was not that ample compared to some running events with which per kilometer there's a hydration area. (Usually, when a running event is solely for a cause, runners should anticipate less when it comes to freebies, hydration and free potassium loading areas.) Marshalls were deployed. It was a safe run. Also different sponsorships came from BACLS, PLDT, CBTL, Tutuban Mall, Ceres, Issmo Genei, Evian, Century Tuna, BPI, Sunkist, Nike Park, Crocs, Trumpet, Energen, Broadway Gems and Goldilocks. Upcoming running events such as Color Manila and St Lukes Fun Run (A benefit run for Typhoon Yolanda victims) supported and had booths there too. It was then followed by a program, the announcement of winners per categories, raffle/winners, and it was perfectly ended by a thank you message from 1 of the 200+ scholars.
Overall, it was a successful event. It was said that 8,000 participants supported this cause. The heart and enthusiasm among the runners were evident as they support, run, sweat, laugh with and converse with the scholars. Truly it was a Be a buddy, Help Somebody race.
