Tacloban City – First it was for 200 college scholars and now it’s for computer hubs for public schools in the Philippines.

Some 20,000 runners in Eastern Visayas are expected to join the fun run on January 22 dubbed “Kahit Isang Araw Lang – Unity Run” in a bid to gain support to raise funds for the construction of air-conditioned computer classrooms and provisions for computers in public schools all over the country.

According to Richie Altar local event marketing manager of Avant Garde Creatives, Inc. the fun run is a simultaneous run in eight key cities in the country. Last year the run Isang Takbo Lang Para sa Kolehiyo was participated by 50,000 runners in SMX Manila. The proceeds of the run provided scholarship for 200 college students in La Verdad College in Caloocan City. The provisions include free tuition fees, uniforms and books.

The success of the first run has encouraged the organizer UNTV television network of Danny Razon and its partner the Avant Garde Creatives, Inc. to organize simultaneous runs in key cities in the Philippines. They will raise bigger amount for this ambitious and noble project for the education of the less privlege Filipinos according to Jenelyn Gacuit public relations and promotions of the UNTV local network in the region. UNTV is formerly known as 37 Sports Productions.

The city government of Tacloban through Mayor Alfred Romualdez, Deped Regional Director Dr. Luisa Yu, the Tacloban Filipino-Chamber of Commerce, Inc., through its president Go Tic Ching and the Leyte Samar Daily Express among others, have fully supported and sponsored this nationwide unity run.

The organizers, Gacuit added, has partnered with the Department of Education (Deped) and through the Adopt-A-School Program of Deped, they will identify the schools as recipients of the computer laboratories.

The participating runners in each key point will get a chance of winning in three categories such as the three-kilometer, five-kilometer and ten-kilometer run. The run will start at 6a.m. on January 22 at Balyuan, Capitol Grounds . A short program will follow after the race.

The three top winners for female and another three top for male will each be awarded with a medal and cash prizes of P5,000- 3rd, P7,000 2nd to P15,000 for the champion runner. All the race finishers in each category are qualified to join the raffle and win exciting prizes to include motorcycle, laptops and cell phones.

All registrants will be provided with free official unity run singlet. Starting January 16, Asia Trading and other registration hubs will accept registration fees of P150 (3K), P200 (5K) and P250 (10K).

Aside from Tacloban City and Metro Manila, the other five key cities for the unity run are Butuan, Cebu, Puerto Princesa and Bacolod. (Vicky C. Arnaiz)