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| Photo by JPaunan/PIA-NCR |
by: Jerome Paunan
From left: Philippine Information Agency Director-General Jose A. Torres Jr, Coach Rio Dela Cruz of RunRio, National Security Council Assistant Director-General Jonathan Malaya, and Philippine Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela (PIA-NCR photo)
MANILA, (PIA) -- The Philippine government is partnering with celebrity fun run organizer Coach Rio Dela Cruz, to launch a series of world-class running events dubbed, "Takbo WPS: Ang Yaman Nito Para sa Pilipino (Its natural resources are for Filipinos)" across three key cities to garner public support for its advocacy for the West Philippine Sea.
Organized by the National Task Force-West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) and sponsored by RunRio, the 2-kilometer, 5K, 10K, 16K and 21K fun run events will be held in Manila on July 7; in Cebu on August 4; and in Cagayan De Oro on September 8 this year.
"The Takbo WPS fun run events are a way to engage Filipinos and raise awareness about the importance of our maritime rights and resources," said Coach Rio.
"The events aim to attract thousands of participants from various sectors, promoting a healthy lifestyle while fostering a sense of national pride concerning the West Philippine Sea," he added.
Proceeds from the fun run events will likely be directed towards other initiatives supporting the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and other NTF-WPS agencies involved in promoting the country's narratives that safeguard its exclusive territorial waters.
The Philippines has competing claims with China in the West Philippine Sea portion of the South China Sea, a resource-rich region that has been the traditional fishing spot for Filipino fisherfolk.
The government, under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has adopted a more assertive stance compared to the previous administration, employing "assertive transparency" to counter Chinese actions deemed illegal or aggressive.
This strategy, according to NTF-WPS spokesperson and PCG Commodore Jay Tarriela, involves actively documenting and publicizing incidents involving Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea, garnering international support for the Philippines' position.
The Takbo WPS fun runs are seen as an extension of this approach, seeking to cultivate domestic backing for the government's maritime agenda.
Tarriela said with the events planned across several major cities, they are expected to draw significant participation and contribute to raising public consciousness about the West Philippine Sea issue. (JCO/PIA-NCR)
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