Sixty local runners completed the 240-km. Peace Relay Run over the weekend that simultaneously began from Guihulngan in the north and Basay in the south, and ended at Freedom Park in Dumaguete City.
The 12-hour run that began at 5 in the morning was a project of the Provincial Governor’s Office through the Negros Oriental Peace and Order Council, in cooperation with the Philippine National Police, the 302nd Brigade of the Philippine Army, and the local government units, to help mark September as National Peace Consciousness Month.
Paultom Paras, head of the Negros Oriental Sports Development, quoted Gov. Roel Degamo that the Peace Run was meant to “instill a greater consciousness and understanding among residents in the Province of the comprehensive peace process and culture of the government’s peace agenda”.
The north leg took the runners running along the coast of Guihulngan, La Libertad, Jimalalud, Tayasan, Ayungon, Bindoy by midday, then the hilly slopes of Manjuyod, Bais City, Amlan, and Sibulan. The south leg route was a breeze from Basay, Bayawan City, the coast of Sta. Catalina, Siaton by noon, then Zamboanguita, Dauin, and Bacong. Both legs arrived by 7pm at Kilometer Zero in Dumaguete.
The participants of the Peace Run were runners from the Dumaguete Amateur Runners & Striders (DARS), the MetroDumaguete Roadrunners Club, and Tri-ONe. The run was ably assisted by Grace Bustillo and Rosemarie Paras of MDRC.