The Philippine Army (PA) held a nationwide simultaneous fun run participated by thousands of runners in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City and key military camps on Saturday, March 1. The event was among the key highlights of the PA’s 128th month-long anniversary celebration.
More than 3,600 runners dashed to the finish line before the crack of dawn at Fort Bonifacio which included Army officers, enlisted personnel, dependents, and civilian enthusiasts.
Runners participated in the three-kilometer, five-kilometer, seven-kilometer, and 10-kilometer categories with the Saluting Battery of the Army Artillery Regiment firing the ceremonial salvo to signal the release of each batch.
The four running routes followed the major roads inside the Army's main headquarters and adjacent thoroughfares.
Thousands more joined in the races held in Army camps nationwide.
Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, PA commanding general, emphasized that physical fitness is a requisite for the Army to be a dependable force for the Filipinos.
“We manifested today that indeed the Army is founded on healthy lifestyle,” he said.
He said the event also aimed to encourage Army personnel and running enthusiasts to commit to a healthy and active lifestyle, highlighting the importance of physical well-being as a key component of a strong and resilient force.
There were also participants from the United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) and partner-organizations such as Megaworld Corporation, and Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP).
Aside from the fun run, the PA will also hold a series of activities for its founding anniversary.
The PA will honor the late Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Hunters Guerilla veterans and cadets who defended the country in the World War II through a wreath-laying ceremony at the Army headquarters on March 2. This will be followed by an ROTC fancy drill competition to emphasize the value of volunteerism and defense capability of ROTC cadets nationwide.
The Army will officially begin the Combined Arms Training Exercise (CATEX) “Katihan” from March 3 to 12 to test and hone the Army’s responsiveness, combat readiness and adaptability. A live fire exercise will be held to showcase the Army’s capabilities and readiness in land force maneuvers. The culmination of the exercise will coincide with the 128th Philippine Army Day on March 22.
Other events include a simultaneous blood donation from March 7 to 8; a cyber defense exercise from March 8 to 9; an inter-faith prayer service on March 17; and an Army senior leaders and non-commissioned officers’ conference from March 18 to 19.