Mini-marathons or Fun Runs for a cause have become the “in” thing in the Philippines nowadays. Like most things that become fashionable to the more fortunate of Filipino crowds, the concept behind the activity tends to get lost in its participants.
Take the case of this NATGEO EARTH DAY RUN recently held in Manila. A participant took a photo of the day’s event, which showed runners throwing what seems to be either plastic or paper cups on the street. I mean, hello?! The activity was supposed to be drawing awareness to the state of the environment but the runners simply toss the cups conveniently as they make their way to the finish line.
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The photo was posted on Facebook by a certain Francis Xavier Pasion along with the following write-up:
WHY DO WE RUN?
Early this morning, I ran my first marathon. It is dubbed as the NATGEO EARTH DAY RUN. I ran for 3 reasons: 1. I liked the shirt (i would have settled for the 3k, but I liked the 5k gray shirt so i would not mind running an additional 3k); 2. I had no taping yesterday; 3. I wanna lose some calories. I did not run to save the earth. That was clear. I was just wondering why the others ran? I was so amused to see most runners scatter their used paper cups and bottled waters on the street. Oh, Mother Earth would be very proud of them…and the organizers. I hope the organizers did not place plastic bottled waters or paper cups in the various stops of the race. I hope they reiterated upon registration that the runner must bring his/her own container and that water fonts will be stationed instead. That could have saved them some money, and yes, some trees. Next time, let us be clear about our intentions in initiating these events. I may have ran for the wrong reasons, but I certainly did not throw away that paper cup on the street. Happy Earth Day Everyone, whatever that means to you.
It could be a classic case of jumping on the bandwagon without understanding why they are doing what they are doing or majority of Filipinos simply act on the bases of herd mentalities. Whatever the case, it is obvious that these latte-sipping runners did not use their heads.
Let’s just hope that the next fashionable thing will be for a smart organizer to gather people for a “Fun Clean Up” of the streets day instead of a “Fun Run”. Maybe, just maybe, the whole point of the activity will not be lost in its participants yet again.
In life, things are not always what they seem.
Hmm, why an I not surprised? EVERYTHING gets lost in translation out here. People here “go green” because it’s fashionable, not because they actually care or actually know what it truly means to be green. Keep clogging up that drainage with your litter Manila and wait for that next Ondoy to come around. If people here don’t even change their ways in the aftermaths of calamities, they’re hopeless!
Exactly. I personally do not like running let alone running outside when it’s really warm and humid. What I’m trying to say is, people who participate in something that they are not used to doing will not cope well in that kind of condition anyway.
I just find the whole thing a bit ridiculous because they should just hold a clean-up day. Ask the participants to pick-up the trash around them. That way, they’ll appreciate the clean environment and not throw trash carelessly again.
The sad truth is, no one would join the proposed “clean-up day” unless the participants were to be threatened/forced by their company/school (“Project/Requirement” to pass 4th grading/to graduate.. or any similar bullcrap school admins cook up).
Although I think organizers usually have a cleanup crew for events like these, the participants should have been more aware of what they represent.
The bottom line is the participants should have the foresight to think about how to hydrate themselves without adding more litter on the streets. And for me, carelessly tossing the cups for others to pick-up is wrong.
One bottle of water is not that heavy to carry especially since in the beginning the runner is not yet tired. Plus the bottle gets lighter the more you consume the contents.
Exactly. The last time I ran, that’s what I did. I mean, if it’s just a 3 to 5k run, carrying a 500-ml bottle should be easy to do. Besides, it’s a fun run. Unless you’re obsessed with your stats, you won’t mind the extra weight. If you’re tired, then walk — with the bottle. I’m just unsure if there’s supposed to be some form of runners’ etiquette.
Did you notice in the picture the one person who appeared to be looking for the “official” pile of garbage? Herd mentality? LOL
She probably thought “Well, since everyone else is doing it, I might as well toss it in too.”
@brianitus
“Did you notice in the picture the one person who appeared to be looking for the “official†pile of garbage?”
It just dawn upon me that I never saw any public gabage bins by the road side in Manila.Its even hard to find public gabage bins inside the Malls. Why is that?
i dont need to carry a water bottle or drink for a 5k run. Its easy to finish 5ks without drinking. And besides i dont need to join fun runs.
@Clueless:
Most likely, the trash bins get stolen. If people can manage to steal railings off a flyover, a trash bin is definitely no match.
Ah…ok. I admit I read of metal manhole covers being stolen but this is first time that I ever heard of Flyovers’railing being nicked! I guess some people are just more resourceful! 🙂
Haha, some idiots (particularly VBA) say that the Philippines is one of the few countries who had pro-environment projects. This is a proof of HYPOCRISY.
Hey, don’t invoke YouKnowWho’s name here, or he might show us his Dark Mark (i.e. trolling),lol.
Another example of our misplaced “sense of entitlement”.
Most sponsors (Concepcion Industries, Century Tuna, etc.) do this fun run s**t for the bottom line. You know, acronyms like P.R. and R.O.I.
For a green Philippines my a**. 😛
For something related to this (but illustrates the same point) follow these links:
1. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-grayson/eco-etiquette-is-a-new-pr_b_257154.html
2. http://www.wired.com/autopia/2008/05/the-ultimate-pr/
The comments below the said articles are a pretty interesting read too.
I suggested to a participant in that “earth” run to borrow my Camelbak water bladder, comes in a handy backpack and a tube with a bite valve for easy hydration access. Dumbass said that it would “slow me down because of the weight”. Never mind that it’s hydration on demand and it actually lightens up with use, as well as more calories burnt precisely because of the weight.
Never been a fan of running in the first place, I prefer hill-walking for 20-50k, carrying my own water and food; and not caring for the branded fashion items that were likely sewn together by some underpaid Pakistani kids.
Mismo! This just proves that some of the participants are not in it for the workout nor the cause.
Like you, I’d rather go for long walks. Running is not really good for the knees.
Bet that right after the run, those posers went to Jollibee for a 2-piece chicken meal and large fries.
I won’t call them all posers. Posers as environmentally concerned, puwede pa.
Pero sigurado, may kumain ng 2-piece chicken na yan pagkatapos. LOL
I won’t call them all posers. Posers as environmentally concerned, puwede pa.
Drat, that went in too quick before I could finish. Yup, Brianitus, I agree, posers as environmentally concerned.
well they ARE Filipinos what else do you expect from them, follow rules?!
And THAT is the kind of attitude that spawns more people who don’t care. THAT’s the problem. Filipinos have this mentality that either 1) it’s not my problem more so if I don’t see the immediate effect, and 2) we don’t follow the rules anyway, so why should I?
We HAVE to change that. It’s just not going to get any better if we keep that mentality.
This is just one of the manifestations of one of the Pinoy way of thinking put in a bad light. “If you can do it, I can do it, better”. Likas na mayayabang ang mga Pinoy. Doing things without really stepping back and looking at the bigger picture. Take the following situations i came up with:
In a neighborhood way back then…one of the households acquire a cable connection. The other neighbor says, “ano, bakit sila lang ba may kaya nun?” soon everybody avails of a cable connection. Never mind if they really need it..basta meron din sila.
Another one. “Ha, bumili sila ng tamaraw ep ek?, Hindi maari, uutang din ako para meron din tayo ep ek” Never mind if they get into a lifetime of debt and poverty just to be able to say “kaya ko din yan” Soon our roads are filled with million ep ekses.
And another. “Ganda ng hayabana tsinelas mo ah, pero mas maganda yung bibilhin ko pag sahod ko” Never mind that it costs more than it should for a pair of tsinelas. Whats important is must have it because they have it.
These attitude coupled by adverts and the media contribute to the slow but sure stupidifying of the Filipino people.
Honestly, akala ko sasabihin mo was:
“In a neighborhood way back then…one of the households acquire a cable connection. The other neighbor says, “ano, bakit sila lang ba may kaya nun?†soon everybody buys wires and connects to the poor neighbor who has the cable connection — for free.
@brianitus
That actually crossed my mind. heheh Speaking of being better than kapwa pinoys.
If I might add also, millions of scooters infecting the Philippine roads. Payabangan kasi eh. And they do sometimes get in my nerves.
Oh, scooters?
Actually, a lot of those things are a menace to their drivers. A lot of them do modifications that put them at risk — out of porma. Tsk tsk.
this what happen when they listern to al gore now philippines have earth day ,green day globalwarming but how come we still have snow in california ..ang mga pinoy ay payabangan at ingitan kaya bihira akong napunta sa mga party ng mga pinoy .yung isang kilala ko bumili ng mercedez ang mahal a ng hulog $1000 + a month puwede ng pambayad sa hulog ng isang bahay,yabang yabang lang ..
There is nothing wrong with advocating for a clean and green environment. What is wrong is when people who want to make a quick buck organize a “fun run” in the guise of environmental causes. I don’t think the participants gain anything out of the experience anyway. Are they more enlightened after it? Do they monitor how the funds will be spent?
Aren’t y’all proud of the way Kapamilya highlighted their president Gabby Lopez’s completion of his stint at the marathon in Paris? Awww, isn’t that heroic? Should we now be proud of him because of the way he runs a marathon? Or because of the way he runs a network?
Merde…(lol)
Running is action according to mediocre minds. It can improve the economic conditions in the country. 😉
What? Are you serious, Ilda? You want the Pinoy’s to organized a clean-up? That is too degrading to a Pinoy! Oh my gosh! I don’t want to get dark doing some street cleaning, how dare you to ask me dat? Ewww……
it’s clearly an “Epic fail” for mother Earth…
Ito ang pinoy di marunong maglinis ng kalat nila alam lang nila pasosyal tapos sasabihin nila earth day for a cause mother father kayo!!!
KAKAPAL NG FACE NYO ALAM NYOBA PINAGLALABAN NYO?
kung walang basurahan dapat nagdala kayo ng sariling bag nyo na dapat dun nyo itapon mga kalat nyo o kaya isaksak nyo sa bunganga nyo kalat nyo kainin nyo KAKAPAL NG MUKA NYO!!! yung isa oh huli sa akto oh pasosyal ka alam moba ang earth day for a cause?
http://getrealphilippines.com/2012/04/earth-day-fun-run-not-so-fun-for-mama-earth/
Hahahahahahaha
yes the fact that many pinoys just join these marathons and fun runs because these are the “in thing” nowadays is indeed annoying. They don’t even care about what these fun runs are really for. What’s even more annoying is the fact that MAJOR ROADS like gil puyat and roxas boulevard are closed because these roads are used for these marathons. Just because these runs are held on weekends does not justify using major roads. The fact that they cause heavy traffic even on sunday mornings is a tell tale sign that these promoters lack proper planning.
Cups strewn on the streets during runs and races are normal. What is not normal is not coordinating with the sanitation dept. that the streets should be cleaned right after the event!
It’s just another way to fleece some cash from hard-working slobs such as these. Organizers like that “Coach” Rio come up with these “runs” only to enrich himself and his greedy “business partners.”
Slobs but what else would you expect in a filthy pit like Manila. The whole city is disgusting, no the whole country is disgusting