CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)–Bukidnon Vice Governor Clive Quiño lauded government agencies for successfully organizing the ‘Takbo para sa West Philippine Sea’ in Cagayan de Oro City on the early morning of September 8.
Over 1,500 runners from various sectors participated in the event.
The Philippine Coast Guard, Presidential Communications Office, National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, and Philippine Information Agency jointly led the ‘Takbo para sa West Philippine Sea.’ The initiative aims to raise awareness and gather support for the nation’s stance on sovereignty and rights over the contested region.
“This is one way to create awareness and instill in the minds of the Filipino people that the West Philippine Sea, since time immemorial, is ours,” Quiño said.
He added that the event provides an avenue for all Filipinos to show their support for the national government’s campaign to spread awareness about the country’s sovereign rights and sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea.
Quiño expressed his joy in seeing thousands of runners in Northern Mindanao participate, emphasizing that this demonstrates increased public awareness of the nation’s challenges.
“On behalf of the people of the province of Bukidnon, we support all efforts made by the national government to assert our claims in the West Philippine Sea. Bukidnon is behind them 200 percent,” he said.
Top runners were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals in four race categories: 2km, 5km, 10km, and 16km.
For the two-kilometer (2km) male category, Jamil Radia bags 1st place at 7:32 minutes of gun time, followed by Prince Cayagan at 8:31 and Ben Theodore at 9:36.
Mayca Sultan claimed first place in the female category with a time of 8:52, followed by Kenty Francisco at 11:43 and Dearly Reantillo at 12:15.
For the 5km male category, John Leon Cio bags first with a gun time of 18:27 minutes, followed by John Andrian Babao at 18:39 and Emman Baliling at 19:17.
In the female category, Jesiel Sugalang runs the fastest at 21:43 minutes of gun time, followed by Ronalyn Pura at 24:42 and Maria Theresa Espiriru at 25:17.
In the 10k male category, Jared Croix Ledesma finished first at 37:40 minutes gun time, followed by Kirk Fabria at 39:14 and Carlo Pumicpic at 41:10, while for female, Cheryl Mae Tismo finished first at 51:33 minutes gun time, followed by May Shell Jangyo at 53:01.
In the 16k male category, Gerald Zabala finished first timed at only 57:40, followed by Melvin Nanay at 1:06:30 and Rony Jun Babia at 1:07:08. In the female category, Kathleen Grace Gomez took first place at 1:23:15, followed by Eugene Neri at 1:27:51 and Jen Gitgano at 1:34:02.
Following the success of race legs in Manila, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro City, organizers have added two more in Baguio and Dapitan, scheduled for October 13 and November 10. The Philippine Coast Guard encourages all Filipinos to participate in these upcoming events. (JAKA/PIA-10)
