by: Rodrigo S. Victoria
NAVAL, Biliran – Elections and healthy lifestyle can’t mix but for a noble cause , it is made possible and is now working in progress.
The fun run dubbed “Run Voters Run” and anchored on the theme: “Dalagan Para Han Kahibaruan Para Imu Botos Dire Masayang” will be held on September 13, 2015, in the municipality of Culaba, said Joelibeth M. Ong, municipal election officer of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC)-Culaba.
Ong, the event organizer said, the fun run is aimed at establishing friendly polling centers for persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens in the 17 barangays of the municipality.
“PWDs and senior citizens will use separate precincts to exercise their right of suffrage in line with the conduct of the May 9, 2016 national and local elections”, Ong said.
She added that based on the survey conducted by COMELEC, all of the polling centers of Culaba did not qualify the requirements set by the Association of Architects in the Philippines (AAP).
AAP is tasked to plot the design friendly polling center for PWDs and senior citizens, she further said.
Ong further added that a friendly polling center for PWDs and senior citizens must meet their special needs like ramps, toilet with handrails.
The lady Culaba election officer urged all interested individuals and groups to participate in the fun run since this will greatly help the voting populace in the area particulary the PWDs and senior citizens confort and convenience.
The Culaba fun run sets a registration fee of P250 for 3K; P350 for 5K and P450 for 10K and all categories are already free of singlet per participant, she said.
Ong added that the fun run also set the registration date from August 3 until September 3, 2015.
Aassembly time is as early as 3:30 o’clock in the morning and with the corresponding gun start as follows : 3K – 5:00 o’clock in the morning; 5K – 4:45 o’clock in the morning and 10K – 4:30 o’clock in the morning.
The Culaba fun run has the following start and finish route: 3K-from Culaba coverd court then turning point infront of Culaba National Vocational School then back to Culaba covered court; 5K-from Culaba covered court then turning point between spillway bridge and crossing at Barangay Binongtoan then back to Culaba covered court; and the 10k – from Culaba covered court then turning point at Sitio Bagtak in Barangay Bool West and then back to Culaba covered court, Ong said.
She expressed gratitude to the full support of the voters fun run since the initiative was made possible in coordination with Culaba Municipal Mayor Lorenzo A. Reveldez,Jr. and the municipal offices of the Philippine National Police, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Education and Liga ng mga Barangay. # (fj/PIA 8 Biliran)