Prisoners run Sept. 14 as support trickles in for Baguio Charter race

By Ramon Dacawi

BAGUIO CITY -- They can’t join the Sept. 28 Baguio Day Run, so a hundred or more prisoners of the Baguio city jail will do their own version of the humanitarian sports event around the prison courtyard on September 16, with no less than city mayor Mauricio Domogan firing them off.

“We hope this prisoners’ run will help promote the city-wide foot-race-for-a-cause, as a similar one done in February last year did for the nation-wide Philhealth Run,” Chief Inspector Mary Ann Tresmanio, wardress for female detainees, said last Friday.

As in their version of the Philhealth Run, former world Shotokan karate champion Julian Chees took care of the running inmates’ registration fees with a P15,000 donation that will be added to the funds to be raised in the regular run on Sept. 28.

The Baguio Day Run was mandated by mayor Domogan through Administrative Order 075-2014 as a public-private partnership project to build a support fund for indigent kidney patients undergoing life=-time hemodialysis treatment in renal centers in Baguio and Benguet.

“The said Fun Run will, indeed, set a tradition and culture of caring that will mark future celebrations of the Charter Anniversary of Baguio, thereby serving as a rallying point to sustain a sense of community among this city’s residents, neighbors, friends and visitors who treasure fond memories of their visits to the Summer Capital of the Country,” the mayor noted.

Among the first to respond were Shoshin Kinderhilfe, a foundation established b Chees in southern Germany to be able to reach out to indigent patients in the Cordillera, and the city jail  inmates.

To keep the fund from Chees intact for the purpose, the inmates decided to run in their yellow prison uniforms to save on the cost of the official race singlet and enable them, to contribute the whole amount to the humanitarian purpose of the event.

Registration fees in the regular run are pegged at P150 for the 3-Kilometer bracket, P250 for the 5K and P230 for the 10K, from which P130 will be used for each runner’s singlet and race number.

With a P10,000 support from Chees, the prisoners had their initial run-for-a-cause on Feb. 18 last year, simultaneously with the Philhealth Run in 18 cities that generated funds for the National Children’s Hospital and beneficiary institutions in these localities.

The run inside the jail will coincide with the launching of the bread production program of the prisoners, a project which is being supported by the city government, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, the Rotary Club of Baguio Summer Capital and the Department of Labor and Employment.

Jail warden, Chief Inspector Elvis Danglose,  said brewed coffee will be offered to people coming to witness the run-for-a-cause, with the inmates selling their jail-made “pandesal” at P3 per piece, of which P1 will be added to their contribution to the fund drive for dialysis patients.

In response to the joint appeal from mayor Domogan and Rev. Fr. Richard Justo, head of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center Dialysis Patients and Partners Association (BGHMCDPPA), groups and individuals contributed as of Friday morning a total of P118,425 to the drive, aside from donations in kind.

The city and the BGHMCDPPA have opened Banco de Oro Baguio-Legarda Branch Account Number  000940248018 through which cash support may be received. All collections and disbursements for dialysis patients will be reported through the Baguio media outlets,

Earlier, Baguio congressional Rep. Nick Aliping handed over P100,000 during the induction program of the BGHMCDPPA last June 22 as initial  fund from which the association is drawing support to patients in dire need of help for their dialysis, maintenance medicines and even burial expenses.  

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; and the YMCA of Baguio – P10,000.

Donors of  P2,000 each were Union Construction Supply, Palengleng Family, Top Ace Motorworks, One thousand pesos each came from Paladin Hotel, Hollywood Hotel, Cresencio Doriano Family, Easter College.

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.

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.

People who would like to help may ring up the city information officer (442-2502).