BASILAN (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 12, 2013) – Thousands of runners participated in the Philippine Red Cross “Million Volunteer Run 2” in Basilan province, south of Zamboanga City, in Mindanao.
The Basilan sub-chapter of the Philippine Red Cross said some 6,500 runners joined the event held in Isabela and Lamitan cities.
The runners snaked through around Isabela from the Basilan National High School in Mayor Brown Road down to the Plaza Rizal in N.S. Valderoza Extension and back to the Basilan National High School.
Governor Jum Akbar, the honorary chairperson of the Philippine Red Cross Basilan sub-chapter, and her co-chairperson Isabela City Mayor Cherry Akbar, also attended the event and gave participants a few words of inspiration and thanked them for their participation.
Also present during the event were Basilan board member and former governor and lawmaker Candu Muarip, Colonel Carlito Galvez, Jr., commander of the 104th Infantry Brigade and Joint Task Force Basilan; and Senior Inspector Albert Larubis, the Isabela City police chief.
The Lamitan City Run was participated by 1,253 runners who started at Lamitan District Hospital in Quezon Boulevard down to Lamitan City Hall along Claret Street.
A total of 178 Red Cross volunteers were mobilized for the two-venue event. And some 100 more had been stationed in Isabela City and 78 others in Lamitan City. All members of the Red Cross Action Team were mobilized to man First Aid stations along the route.
Assistant Tourism Secretary Maria Theresa Sakkalahul, of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, was also present during the fun run. (Mindanao Examiner)
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