PhilHealth-12 fun run breaks record

KORONADAL CITY - More than 7,000 people participated in in today'sPhilippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) 12 Fun Run. The fun run dubbed as PhilHealthand Ready Tsekap Go” was conducted in line with the agency’s 20thyear anniversary. Runners from various parts of SOCCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos City) Region braved the early morning rain andstarted to flock at the South Cotabato Sports complex as early as 3 a.m. Before hitting the road, the runners warmed up with a one hour Zumba exercise. Among those who participated in the 3 kilometer run, 5 kilometer run, 10 kilometer run and 20 kilometer run were children, government employees, policemen, representatives from various government and private organizations, health advocate individuals and even persons with disability. Dr. Miriam Grace Pamonag, Regional Vice President of PhilHealt 12, said in the three-year history of their fun run, 2015 was the most successful. For their fun run this year, Philhealth 12 with the help of their sponsors was able to register 7,158runners, higher than their expected 5,000. The government owned and controlled corporation collected at least P2.2M for their chosen beneficiary. We are grateful to our sponsors because their support to our fun run did not wane for the past three years,” Pamonag said in a live interview with Radyo Bida, Koronadal. Cotabato Bahay Maria Foundation Incorporated, a home for the elderly and the sick in Cotabato City and Home for the Girls of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), a refuge for abuse women and childrenin Koronadal City will each receive at least a million peso as benefeciaries of the fun run. Dr. Israel Francis Pargas, PhilHealth’s Vice President for Coporate Affairs Group, explained why he opted to witness their fun run in Koronadal City. First we all know that preparation here is one of the best, South Cotabato is important to us because they were the one who started this fun run,” Vargas told Radyo Bida Koronadal. Simultaneous run was conducted in key cities in the country including, Quezon Baguio, Dagupan, Tuguegarao, Subic, Lucena, Lipa and Naga in Luzon Iloilo, Cebu and Tacloban in Visayas Davao, and Koronadal in Mindanao. The fun run aims to create public awareness on health care programs of PhilHealth and to generate funds to their chosen benefeciaries.