Illustration by EUGENE CUBILLO

What makes running so important? Aside from the obvious health benefits such as weight loss, improvement of the cardiovascular system, and the fight against aging, running also helps people develop discipline and a sense of purpose.

But for Globe and Ayala Land, running offers so much more than the aforementioned things - in fact, these two corporations have helped turn running into a veritable charitable cause.

Ilog Pasig is a 25-kilometer river which runs from Laguna de Bay to Manila. But it has been tainted with pollution over the years, and instead of being a thing of beauty, it is now ridden with pollution.

To make matters worse, despite the poor living conditions of that area, there are over 4,000 families living in Ilog Pasig. These families are subjected to dirt, pollution, and industrial waste on a daily basis. But because they have nowhere else to go, these families still tried to make a home out of that area.

In “Run for Home”, Globe and Ayala Land will run the extra mile to benefit Habitat for Humanity and provide affordable housing for those living in Ilog Pasig. Under the program, The “Bayan Ni Juan in Calauan” is now under construction, and will be the new home of Ilog Pasig settlers. Located in Brgy. Dayap Calauan, Laguna, this new home is a huge 100-hectare land, and would accommodate 800 homes.

What makes Run for Home so interesting is that it merges three wonderful things: exercise, technology, and most importantly, charity. “Globe’s Run for Home will give Filipino runners a new and different experience as we make use of high-tech timing electronic chips which have never before been used in the country,” explains Ferdinand M. Dela Cruz, Consumer Sales & After Sales Head of Globe.

What Dela Cruz is talking about is the disposable electronic timing chip, which is a waterproof transponder from Globe. This transponder would keep record of the participants’ performances, and compare their running time with each other. Within a period of four days, participants could log on to Globe’s website and check out their records.

Other than that, Pixlink and Globe Broadband Tattoo will set up booths all over the race track, which will enable runners to blog about their experiences and upload photos to share with their friends.

The Run for Home is set on July 19, Sunday at the Bonifacio Global City. Runners could choose among the 3K, 5K, 10K, and 21K distances. The track will span from Bonifacio Global City to Makati Business District.

“Running has become a lifestyle among Filipinos,” adds Dela Cruz. “Being a sport that is easy and affordable, it is a popular choice many people make to maintain a healthy way of living.”

President and COO of Ayala Land Corporation Fernando Zobel de Ayala himself will participate in the run, even aiming to complete the 21K distance. He chuckles at the thought of the transponder comparing the race time of both male and female’s, but he would still willingly put on his running shoes, all in the name of charity.

Other personalities joining the race are Angel Aquino, Dyan Castillejo-Garcia, Cesar Montano, Richard Gutiererez, Dingdong Dantes, Michael V, Joey Mead, G Toengi-Walters, Christine Reyes, Anton Huang, Nina Huang, Ditrie Villacorta, Reg Yuson, and Ferdinand Dela Cruz.

For more information, please log on to www.globe.com.ph/runforhome or visit participating Globe Business Centers and Fitness First branches in Metro Manila.