Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Pasig River run claims Guinness world record

Now, it's official.

ABS-CBN Foundation's "10.10.10 Run for Pasig River" held on October 10 last year now holds the Guinness world record for the most participants in a racing event.
The Pasig River race, which drew 116,086 runners, eclipsed the previous record of 110,000 participants in the "Bay to Breakers" run in San Francisco, California in 1988.
ABS-CBN Foundation managing director Gina Lopez presented on Friday, January 28, the certificate issued by the Guinness Book of World Records confirming the feat.
In line with the race's triumph, the foundation's Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig launched this year's staging of the eco-footrace. It aims to surpass the number of participants in its quest to "raise consciousness for the rehabilitation of the Pasig River and its tributaries."
"There is nothing that can stand in the way of a people united for a global cause. What we want to do this time is we want to make it more fun. We would like the run every year to be a celebration of joy and happiness of all people. We are inviting all Filipinos to run in peace, and harmony for our future," ABS-CBN Foundation Managing Director Gina Lopez said during the press event and launch at the ABS-CBN Foundation building in Quezon City.
Lopez added that some changes will be implemented to avoid the same problem of congestion they faced in last year's run.
"We're thinking that the three and five [km run] will be along Roxas [boulevard] and then will make another run for the 21[km] as long as we end up in the same place. We'll try to make it this time na parang walang congestions kasi yung nangyari last year, may congestion sa lahat ng taong hindi nabilang, so we'll organize it better."
Through KBPIP, ABS-CBN Foundation and its partners focused on rehabilitating Estero de Paco, a 2.9-kilometer tributary of the Pasig River in Manila. According to a press release, "the project has resettled 1,216 families to Calauan, Laguna, introduced remediation technologies for water quality improvement, trained community volunteers for the River Warriors program and shared sound waste management practices with communities."
"Last year we raised 10 million (pesos) so this year I want to raise more than 10 million (pesos), like 30-40 million kasi gusto natin linisin yung lahat ng estero behind Malacañang. So every year tatakbo ang tao pero every year ipapakita natin sa tao kung anong nangyayari sa Pasig River," Lopez said.
"For a country that has been colonized for 400 years, to do this run in magnificence and peace is a great achievement. If we are to do the run again and again, this will be a major force in making the river clean," she added.



source: yahooo entertainment by Glenda

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