ShareThisMANILA – The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) thanked partners and volunteers who have committed their full support to the “Red Cross Million Volunteer Run” launched recently in Makati in celebration of the United Nations Declaration of the Year 2011 as the International Year of Volunteers.
ACTRESS MARIAN RIVERA listens intently as PRC Chairman Richard Gordon talks about Red Cross Million Volunteer Run. The actress volunteered to support the Red Cross and its Million Volunteer Run.
PRC Chairman Richard J. Gordon said, the Philippine Red Cross is organizing the Million Run to be held on December 4, 2011 in key cities and municipalities of the country, to create a culture of volunteerism among our people whose ultimate value is to serve others, especially in times of disasters.
Among the Red Cross partners that have committed their support to the Million Run during the event launch were: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Nestle Philippines, Regal Films and movie and TV personality Marian Rivera.
Mother Lily Monteverde and daughter Roselle of Regal Films, both members of the Quezon City Red Cross chapter board of directors, pledged to sponsor 1,000 runners and help promote the event.
Marian Rivera, a Regal baby and talent of GMA 7, promised to participate in the run and help convince other artists, including Dingdong Dantes to join the event.
Other partners that pledged support were Philippine National Coordination Agency, Analog Devices, Inc., De la Salle Santiago Zobel, University of the East, Dynalab Corporation and Administrative Human Resource Practitioner Association.
Gordon said the Run is open to all corporate partners, diplomatic community, international and national organizations, schools and universities, movie and TV industries and other media outlets who are willing to help or participate.
Chairman Gordon, a long-time volunteer of the Red Cross whose strong desire is to keep PRC the premier humanitarian organization in the country that is “always there, always first, always ready”, aims to raise P1 billion from the Run with P1,000 sponsorship for each participant. One million runner at P1,000 each stands to make P1 billion. Proceeds of the event will fund the training program of the volunteers and the various life-saving tools and equipment for the community they are serving.
Red Cross said all runners will be trained as disaster responders on the ground in preparation for life-threatening calamities that hit the country every year wreaking extensive damage to life and property.
“They will be the humanitarian soldier”, Gordon stressed, adding, “the modern day Henri Dunant (Father and Founder of the Red Cross Movement), who will prevent and alleviate human suffering – living the spirit of voluntary service and the ideals of Red Cross in every community”.
PRC Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang said, all participants in the Run will be registered as members of the “143 Red Cross”, a flag ship volunteer program of the Red Cross which recruits and trains 44 volunteers in every barangay – one leader and 43 members to serve as ground responders when calamity strikes.
Pang said at present there are more than 500,000 registered 143 Red Cross members nationwide. With 42,000 barangays in the country, the Red Cross expects to get a total of 1.8 million volunteers at 44 volunteers from each barangay. www.redcross.org.ph