Filipino runners go the extra mile for their countrymen

Jan. 12, 2011 - PRLog -- They meet twice or thrice a week to run around Zabeel Park or along Dubai Marina.  It’s a hobby to take their minds off work, to keep themselves healthy and to overcome their loneliness for living away from their families.

But what started as a sport activity evolved into a social cause for Filipino Runners-UAE.

The new group of Filipino long distance runners will see action in the annual Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon on January 21 not only to achieve personal goals but also to help out their needy countrymen.

“Finishing the Dubai marathon which includes the grueling 42km event as well as 10km race is a major feat in itself but participating in that event to help others is glorious,” Euca Bolingot, 28, coach and team captain of the group said.

Bolingot, an IT professional in Dubai, noted that many Filipinos especially those working as domestic helpers and unskilled workers end up as victims of maltreatment, harassment and unfair labour practices and some of them have piled up hospital bills. Takbo para kay Kabayan or Run for my Countrymen is their way of reaching out to their distressed countrymen and raising people’s awareness that something has to be done.

Thirty-nine members of the group will run a total of 800 kms in the marathon. They hope to raise at least Dh40,000 by asking for pledges of Dh50 for every kilometre that they will run from individuals and companies.

Proceeds of the project will go to Filipino patients in Rashid Hospital who are in dire need of financial assistance; education and training workshops which include skills enhancement and knowing the basic rights of expat workers; and repatriation of distressed migrants staying at the POLO-OWWA Center in Abu Hail, Dubai.

Few days into the race, Bolingot said that they are already well-prepared for the race. He was happy how the group grew from three runners to almost fifty in just a few months. The group is composed of “veteran” runners and eager beginners.

He recalled how he was approached by Filipina nurse Cristina Deloy and two other Filipino runners July last year in Al Safa Park. "They wanted to learn good running techniques and proper breathing which are very important for long distance running and I was happy to help them develop their skills," said Bolingot, who is also aiming to improve his personal record of 2:55 for the 42km marathon.

Since then, other friends of Deloy and friends of her friends have joined them every Tuesday and Sunday nights at Zabeel Park. They initially called themselves Zabeel Night Striders until they finally decided on the name Filipino Runners-UAE.

With the change of name came the change in the orientation of the group.

“Running together help us cope with the challenges at work and our loneliness of being away from home. But aside from the camaraderie that we’ve developed, we felt that we could still do so much more,” Deloy said.

“I thought about the 22 Filipino patients confined at Rashid Hospital with no medical insurance and bills running to thousands of dirhams. I came up with the idea of running for a cause. I said this will be our way of helping them out," she added.

Their plan was put into action after they forged partnership with the UAE chapter of Migrante International late November last year. Migrante International has long been working for the protection of Filipino migrant workers not only in the UAE but in other countries as well.  It was instrumental in getting the support of other organizations under FilCom, an umbrella group of Filipino associations in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, for the project.

More than a charity run, Yuri Cipriano, chairperson of Migrante-UA, believes that Takbo para kay Kabayan “is a clarion call to all Filipino expats to hold similar activities that will uplift the lives of their kababayans (countrymen) in the Middle East.”

Cipriano, who will participate in the 10km run, said Takbo para kay Kabayan is a fine example of the Filipino spirit Bayanihan or collective action.  

Bolingot agrees with Cipriano. He said: “More than ever we are more determined to reach the finish line. Each stride, each bead of sweat, each glory and pain is dedicated to improve the lives of our fellow migrant workers.”

Takbo para kay Kabayan is supported by Saucony, Soletanche Bachy, Mandarin Tree Restaurant, Vertical Space LLC, Rydges Plaza Dubai,  Aquafina, Spectrum Printing Press and Sky Freight Cargo.

For details on how to give donations to Takbo para kay Kabayan, visit http://www.filipinorunners.migranteuae.org or call Euca Bolingot at +971 50 5189917