Run by Donna Cruz-Larrazabal (The Freeman, August 13, 2006)

No, I am not into running…not yet! Although I know
the benefits, my body is not ready and fit
enough…yet! Taking care of my two kids, playing,
running around, even just watching them burn their
energies is so exhausting that it is enough workout
for me…for now. I know I have to exercise and
prepare myself for this type of sport. I know that
one must have the determination, guts and focus
to run. And I know, I will get there soon enough! In
the meantime, I can run just for fun and games!

On the other hand, my husband, Yong, is very
much into it. He discovered this new passion for
running only last year when he joined the first 10K
marathon in April 2005 here in Cebu. Since then,
he has been joining marathon races every chance
he gets and wished he started doing it much
earlier. He said that ever since he started running,
he felt stronger and healthier. Last March, he
joined the marathon in the States during The
A.S.C.R.S. (American Society of Cataract and
Refractive Surgery) convention in San Francisco’s
Moscone Center. They ran for a cause. That
foundation is called Run For Sight. It happens
every year and the proceeds for this yearly event
benefits the Orbis Foundation, a nonprofit
humanitarian organization dedicated to preserving
and restoring sight in the developing world. It was
perfect because Yong not only loved running but
also loved the idea of running for a cause and this
was how Yong came up with the idea of building a
Run For Sight foundation here in the Philippines,
too. This first marathon (walk/run) event that he
organized in cooperation with Cebu Doctors’
University is called the “1st University Run… RUN
FOR SIGHT!”

I believe that this is the first time that an event like
this is going to be carried out here. I truly hope
that there will be more university runs in the future
and am quite certain they will be inspired by the
fundraising success that this 1st University
Run…RUN FOR SIGHT will apparently achieve by
the incredible number of people signing up to join.
This 5K/10K marathon is scheduled on August 20,
2006, Sunday at 6am at Osmena Blvd, Cebu City.

“You can run for love, run for health, run for
challenge, run for fun (or run for your desire to get
in shape! – DYL) but if you run with us, you’ll be
running for a cause!”… This is just a part of my
husband’s speech during the press conference and
launching of the Run For Sight foundation. I am so
proud of him for creating this charitable foundation
and I would like to thank those who are helping
him organize this event – for all their help to
support a good cause such as this one.

The beneficiaries of this project are THE CEBU
HOPE CENTER, a welcome home and school for
morally-endangered female child ages 1 – 18,
CEBU CATARACT FOUNDATION, offers free out
patient cataract surgery to the indigent fellowmen
of Cebu and its neighboring islands; and the
COMMUNITY IMMERSION PROGRAM, an
outreach education program for children founded
by the Benedictine sisters in Tabunok, Cebu City.

I would like to invite all the beautiful, healthy
people of Cebu to join this wonderful event and
help us not only raise funds but also to make this
a fun day with your friends and family! But of
course, everyone is invited to be there, even non-
Cebuanos and foreigners who would love to run
with us!

To participate, simply register yourself in the race
by going to either one of these locations: CEBU
DOCTORS’ UNIVERSITY (main building) or
ABELLANA SPORTS COMPLEX. You can also
visit their website at www.runforsight.net, download
the entry form there, print it, fill it up and send it to
the registration places. The marathon route map
(start and finish) can also be downloaded from the
site.

For questions and inquiries, you may also call
Raymond at cell phone number 0917-329-4268,
Roxanne at 256-2020 (landline). Registration
deadline is on August 18, 2006.