The Philippine International Marathon – A Run for the Pasig River

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When Marga asked me to join her in representing Run Radio to the press conference of this running event, I never thought that I will be learning not just about the race details itself but a whole lot more. Boy, it was a genuine press conference where the real media is in attendance and most of all, I was never even expecting myself to be moved to tears but I was! Why? Because my eyes were opened to the real meaning of the advocacy to rehabilitate the Pasig River.

the press conference was held at the Dolphy Theater of ABS-CBN

the press conference was held at the Dolphy Theater of ABS-CBN

The press conference was hosted by Ms. Dyan Castillejo with presentations from Ms. Gina Lopez about the Kapit Bisig Para Sa Pasig and Mr. Rudy Biscocho regarding the race event. Musical numbers were also rendered by singers Apple and OJ of the show The Singing Bee, Laarni Lozada and a rap group called Sigaw ng Tondo who created a song for the Pasig River.

Ms. Gina Lopez (photo courtesy of ABS-CBN Corporate Communications)

Ms. Gina Lopez (photo courtesy of ABS-CBN Corporate Communications)

"The Pasig River can still be saved", Ms. Gina is certain about that fact and we believe her

"The Pasig River can still be saved", Ms. Gina is certain about that fact and we believe her

ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.’s Managing Director, Ms. Gina Lopez presented to us the facts, figures and stories behind their activities related to the Pasig River Rehabilitation project. It is more than just saving a dying river, it also is more about saving lives of our fellow Filipinos who found themselves illegally settling along the river. The video and the facts shared by her really moved me to tears. I was deeply touched and at the same time in awe at the advocacy that their group have taken-up to their shoulders.

Mr. Rudy Biscocho as he briefs us of the details of the race

Mr. Rudy Biscocho as he briefs us of the details of the race

Mr. Rudy Biscocho shared to us exciting details of the race event. Let me share to you folks the press brief and other details as provided to us.

PRESS BRIEF

The Philippine International Marathon 2009, A Run for the Pasig River goes to the starting line on November 8, 2009 at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park, Manila.

Organized by Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP) and under the helm of race director Rudy Biscocho, the run with categories in 3 kilometer, 5 kilometer, 10 kilometer and the full 42 kilometer marathon, aims to boost awareness about the project as well as raise funds to rehabilitate the Pasig River. A unique feature of the race is the 42K full marathon which can also be run by a relay team of 40 people.

The route has been crafted to provide the public a glimpse of the state of the river as well as challenge marathoners with its non-traditional route crossing nine of the thirteen bridges of the Pasig River, and with portions to be run alongside the river. Gunstart for the full marathon is at 4:30 a.m.

Gina Lopez, Managing Director of ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. one of the lead partners of KBPIP called on the public to show their support for the multi-sectoral effort to save the Pasig River: “The marathon is a step of faith. Together we can go the distance and clean the river.”

The Philippine International Marathon was established in 2000 by the Clean & Green Foundation headed by First Lady Mrs. Ming Ramos. In 2008, the Clean & Green Foundation passed the torch of reviving the Pasig River to ABS-CBN Foundation along with it the task of organizing the marathon as a fund-raiser for the effort.

The run is open to the public with a participation fee of P250. Corporate groups may also register as a team.

Free Running clinics will be made available for first time runners through the Pinoy Ultra Runners which is supporting the marathon.

Pre-registration forms are available at the Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig office at the 3/F ELJ Building. Interested participants may also call: 415-2272 loc. 3797, 416-1911 or email ilogpasig@abs-cbn.com.

AFI and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources through the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission signed a Memorandum of Agreement last March 2008 to co-manage the rehabilitation of the Metro Manila river basin, with initial focus on Pasig River and its tributaries. This gave birth to Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig, which was formally launched in February 2009.

OVERVIEW

Start/Finish Line

Quirino Grandstand,Luneta Park, Manila

Categories

3k, 5k, 10k, Relay & Full Marathon 42k

Age Limit

6 years old and above

Group Category (for relay teams)

40 people/team

Registration Fee

P250 for individual; P10,000 for relay team

Race Director

Rudy Biscocho

Event Management Team

Gran Obra, Inc.

BASIC MECHANICS FOR THE RELAY CATEGORY:

  1. Each group can have 40 pax/team.
  2. The relay will run the full length of the marathon route (42k) and divided into twenty (20) points divided into the following distance (km) in between points.

STARTING LINE to point 1 (2km)

Point 10 to point 11 (2km)

Point 1 to point 2 (2km)

Point 11 to point 12 (2km)

Point 2 to point 3 (2km)

Point 12 to point 13 (2km)

Point 3 to point 4 (2km)

Point 13 to point 14 (2km)

Point 4 to point 5 (2km)

Point 14 to point 15 (2km)

Point 5 to point 6 (2km)

Point 15 to point 16 (2km)

Point 6 to point 7 (2km)

Point 16 to point 17 (2km)

Point 7 to point 8 (2km)

Point 17 to point 18 (2km)

Point 8 to point 9 (2km)

Point 18 to point 19 (2km)

Point 9 to point 10 (2km)

Point 19 to FINISHLINE (4km)

3.   Each point will be assigned to a prominent landmark or bridge along the marathon route.

GENERAL GUIDELINES:

  1. The full marathon and its sub-categories will be run under the technical supervision of Race Director, Rudy Biscocho and his team.
  2. Water stations will be situated every 2km from starting line to finish line.

To view other race information and final instructions, click here.

Race Route Maps/Details:

Download route maps :  3k / 5k&10k
Download 42k race details

Towards the end of the press conference Ms. Gina Lopez,  gave a moving statement (although not verbatim) – “This run is a step of hope, a step of faith, a step of conviction and a step of love for God. If we run, we not just help transform the Pasig River, we also help transform the Filipino people.”

after a sumptuous Tamayo's catered lunch, we were able to personally talk with Ms. Gina Lopez

after a sumptuous Tamayo's catered lunch, we were able to personally meet and talk with Ms. Gina Lopez

For me the disappointment borne out of the postponement of this marathon event and the long wait was all well worth it at least just because of the goal that this aims to meet.

P.S. If you wish to contribute to the advocacy that is the Kapit Bisig Para Sa Ilog Pasig in your own simple way, you can send a text message – GIVE<SPACE>ILOG to 2366 for Globe, Smart, Sun, Talk n Text and Touch Mobile phones. Each message sent will give P1 to the project’s fund.

UPDATE

The following are the official registration centers for this race:

ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.
Mother Ignacia Avenue,
Quezon City

Kapit Bisig Para Sa Ilog Pasig
3/F ELJ Building
Mother Ignacia Avenue,
Quezon City

Gold’s Gym
-Glorietta, Makati
-Alabang
-Robinson’s Galleria, Ortigas
-Wilson, Greenhills

Izod Boutiques
-SM City North EDSA
-SM Mall of Asia
-The Podium
-Trinoma
-Ayala Center, Cebu
-Robinson’s Place, Manila
-Gateway Mall

Race Office
Vasquez Madrigal Building
No. 55 Annapolis Street
San Juan, Metro Manila

R.O.X.
Bonifacio High Sreet
The Fort, Taguig City

Second Wind
88 Maginhawa Street
Teacher’s Village, Quezon City

Vanheusen Boutiques
-SM Megamall
-SM Southmall
-Gateway Mall
-Greenhills, The Shop
-Shangri-La Mall

33 Responses

  1. Wow, That looks like anice long and winding route.

  2. wow! its excitng! sali ako jan! hehe!

  3. hey join ako!

  4. Parang pang-42K lang yung supposedly different links. Diba lahat ng race ay matatapos sa Quirino Grandsand? 😀 Where and How do I register? 😀

    • Hi, thanks a lot for the feedback I already made the corrections to the links. Yep, finish will be at the Quirino Grandstand for all race distances. You can go or call the Kapit Bisig Para Sa Ilog Pasig office for registration details. Contact numbers and address can be found on this post. 🙂

  5. we want to join.. could you email me the registration forms?? thanks!

    • Hi Jenny. As of now, forms are only available from the Kapit Bisig Para Sa Pasig office at the ELJ Bldg (contact info and address can be found somewhere in the post). Once registration officially opens, we might be able to secure a copy of it and post it here at the site.

      thanks and enjoy running! 😉

  6. I want to join

  7. How can I and my friends join. when is the latest event and registration. sorry, so in a hurry that I want to know right away. Good morning.

  8. i hope u cud have a 21K in your event. thanks

  9. Thanks for this info kulitrunner! This is going to be my next race after QCIM. You’ve got the complete picture. Galing!.Now I know where to register.

  10. Hi there hope it will be a good run 42k hope it will be 6hr. cut of

  11. hello, when will be the last day of registration?
    tnx alot.

    • Hi. Registration for all outlets ended this 30th of October except for the ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. Head Office (Mother Ignacia Ave., Q.C.) and Kapit Bisig Para Sa Ilog Pasig office (3/F ELJ Building, Mother Ignacia Ave., Q.C.) which will still accept registration until November 4. 😉

  12. i think the organizers are ill-prepared. up to now, they haven’t delivered the 2nd batch of singlets, and we’re not even late registrants. the staff from gold’s gym referred us to the contact person from abs, riza, but until now i couldn’t reach her. either the phone’s busy or no one’s answering. i heard that they’re asking participants to pick them up from abs cbn. what a lousy strategy. how do they expect almost 10,000 pax (assuming half already got their singlets) go to their studio on the very last day?!? they should have expected the surge of registrants considering they’ve been advertising non stop.

  13. may race result na po ba? saan po pwedeng odownload?

  14. I ran in the A Run for the Pasig River event last Nov. 8, 2009. I was so disappointed to see how disorganized the Rehydration Station which was offering Gatorade drinks. They had 2 guys filling up cups one at a time to give to the runners. One gets a drink if you’re lucky enough to get a clean cup. Good thing that the race was not timed or else one would have lost precious minutes. Why did they not just set up a table or two, line up the cups, fill them with gatorade and handed them to the runners. Maybe they did not want us runners to get a second cup. The water station was organized so could the rehydration station.

  15. I also ran for this event and so far this was the worst fun run I ever joined in! I was really so disappointing, it was so unorganized! grabe! and to think that this was organized by the biggest network in the country huh! From the claiming of singlet down to drinking water. They only have one booth for gatorade, then the guys filling up will tell you pa, “Sige pag di kayo pumila di namin kayo bibigyan”.And the water, grabe! you get what you drink in a drum and from maynilad. My friend even saw one person upon fetching water in the drum kasama ung buong kamay! And when you reach the finish line, there’s no available cups for drinking so you end up buying and looking for water. Some people even suffered from diarrhea after. I wont ever join the fun run again if the organizer will be abs-cbn. Sana man lang they have concerns too to the runners.

  16. pls send me an result of the winner in 42k maratahon on pasig held on November 8, 2009… thank you very much and more power…

    • Hi Marcelo, i regret to inform you that we don’t have access to the race results as of this moment. Let’s just wait for organizers to post it on their official site, it there is any. Regards! 😉

  17. Wow! It’s already Nov. 22, and still no race results. There’s only 21,000 runners and with a barcode scanner (I would assume that scanners are used to read the tags), it should not take more than a day or two to produce a race result. It’s not election were ballot boxes get lost or burned. I’m surprised why such a large event and chips were not used.

    Talking about drinking water at the finish line, there were a bunchs of old ladies in this tent with gallons and gallons of water containers but no cups. Yet there were a couple of those Kenyan runners who earns their livelihood running marathons and win the price purses are cartered (pampered) to their every needs, water, apples, abs-cbn interviews, etc. yet the local runners were ignored. What a crock of nonsense.

  18. Hi! What’s the official website for this race/event?

    It’s very disappointing that there’s no results up to now.

  19. Still no results as of January 18, 2010? WOW! Reminds me of how the COMELEC does its job! Makes me now think a hundred times before joining fun runs organized by this group.

    Jerome

  20. Hi, I would like to join the run. Could you pls. send me the registration form via email?

    Thank you so much!! 🙂

  21. Hi, I joined sa 3km. but I didn’t get my finisher’s band. THat’s the only thing we can get after the long run.. right?

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