Baguio charter race fund 

for patients now P130,925

By Ramon Dacawi 

Group and individual support to the building of a fund support for  kidney failure patients here and in Benguet totaled P130,925 as of last Friday, two weeks before “Straight Into Baguio;s Heart”, the foot race on Sept. 28 capping the 105^th charter anniversary of Baguio for their benefit.

The amount so far is aside from an initial P100,000 support from Baguio Rep. NicasioAliping Jr. to the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center Dialysis Patients and Partners Association headed by Fr. Richard justo which asked the city to feature the run to give a humanitarian element to its anniversary celebration.

City mayor Mauricio Domogan directed last June the conduct of the three-bracket foot race  to provide a heart to the celebration of the city’s founding and give meaning to its centennial theme “Fostering A Culture of Caring”.

The mayor also said the sports event’s purpose blends well with the 105^th charter anniversary theme “Sharing Responsibilities, Duties and Resources for a Vibrant Baguio”, adding it revives the sense of community during the city’s formative years.

The fund, which is being deposited under Banco de Oro Baguio-Legarda Branch account number 000940248018, will be managed by a committee composed of mayor Domogan,city social welfare and development officer Betty Fangasan, Fr. Justo and BGHMCDPPA secretary and patient Mary Grace  Binay-an.

Priority beneficiaries will be indigent dialysis patients undergoing dialysis treatment in renal centers in Baguio and Benguet,  with the committee coordinating with the social welfare officers of the towns they came from to determine the most needy to receive support through the fun.  

Among the early individual supporters was former world Shotokan karate champion Julian Chees who turned over P15,000 to inmates of the city jail as their registration fees for their own version of the foot race inside their quadrangle this Tuesday morning.,

Registration fees in the regular run are set at P150 for the 3-kilometer bracket, P250 for the 5K and P350 for the 10K, from which P130  will be spent for each runner’s shirt and race number.

Aside from Chees, the initial supporters to the run included Lepanto Mines –P25,000; Brent St. Nicholas Church parishioners – P5,000; New Lucban Extension Church of Christ – P22,425; Centermall –P10,000; Good Taste – P10,000; University of Baguio – P10,000;  the YMCA of Baguio – P10,000 and the Baguio Water Districtg – P5,000.

Donors of  P2,000 each were Union Construction Supply, Palengleng Family, Top Ace Motorworks, One thousand pesos each came from Paladin Hotel, Hollywood Hotel, CresencioDoriano Family, Easter College, Kiddie Kingdom, Jacks Restaurant and Benguet Rep. Ronald Cosalan.

Fairview Barangay here in Baguio led by punong barangay JustinaAndaya contributed P3,000 while Baguio New City Supermarket  gave P1,500.

Other cash contributors were Eugene Buyuccan-P200, National Institute of Information Technology – P500, La Trinidad Strawberry Glass – P300;

Dr. Israel provided P500 for tarpaulins,Arthemes Design contributed P100 worth of poster lay-out while Gregory Taag donated one tarpaulin. Shakey’s Pizza offered pick-up of three boxes of pizza while Fortune Restaurant gave P2,000 worth of gift certificates.

Casa Vallejo, the city’s most historic and oldest hotel, gave a gift certificate for free overnight accommodatons for two persons.

Veteran race director Rosario “Che” Velasco-Alberto, who accepted to serve as the race organizer, together with the city tourism office, donated several posters and tarpaulins while newsman Paul Rillorta did the poster lay-out.

She said register participants have up to September 26 to register through the following centers:  city hall lobby, BGHMC main entrance, Pacdal barangay hall (Sunday), La Trinidad public market (Sept. 19-25), entrance of Laperal Building, Session Rd.

People who would like to help may ring up the information office of the citymayor’s office.  (442-2502).