Monday, October 19, 2009

Why wake up early on Sunday?

“Time is short. We must seize this historic moment to
act responsibly and decisively for the common good.”

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
-End Poverty 2015, UN-Millenium Development Goals-



Giving Up Lazy Sunday Morning

After five days of work, I usually dedicate my Sundays to the luxury of being lazy: relaxing and staying in bed until lunchtime. However, last Sunday is my “take-action” day, so I forced myself to wake up at 4:30 am to join a fun run dubbed as “Stand United, Fight Poverty: Maritime Fun Run 2009”

It is an annual fun run activity of the Filipino Association for Mariners’ Employment, Inc. (FAME) jointly with other Maritime Associations and Organizations. It was held yesterday, 18 October 2009, at the IMAX Open Parking Area of SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City, in cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Woman in Maritime Philippines, Association (WIMAPHIL).  


Me and my office-mates giving up lazy Sunday (more camwhoring here


This activity is to support the United Nation's awareness program on poverty alleviation thru UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) which the Philippines and all other countries annually observe.  Aside from poverty eradication its goals is also focused on improvement in maternal care, promotion of gender equality, increased awareness HIV/AIDS thru education.

Why STAND UNITED and TAKE ACTION?


Public blamestorming is the favorite pass time of bogus political activists and politicians nowadays. I always see them in news and in rallies, complaining about almost anything – but offering no solutions, just pure rants for media exposure. I always admire leaders and politicians and activists who attack problems with solutions – but in the Philippines, politicians usually love exposé, scandals and other media camwhoring style of legislation. They even spend time and money investigating the “Katrina Halili – Hayden Kho Sex Scandal”

They consider that more important than these facts:
  • 33% of Filipinos live on less than USD 1 a day. 
  • About 5.2 million children are not in school. 
  • 11 mothers die every day due to pregnancy-related causes (2006 UN estimates) 
  • HIV cases among the youth nearly tripled from 41 in 2007 to 110 in 2008. 
  • In 2008, there were 3.4 million pregnancies, about half (1.8 million) were unplanned and about one-third (560,000) of the unplanned ended in abortion (Guttmacher, 2009).
We cannot afford to let things get worst. It is a time of great challenge for all Filipinos. This issues should be included in all political and public agenda. 
“At a time of multiple global crises, the poorest and most vulnerable have a special claim on our attention.  We know that, in any recession, those hurt first—and worst—are the poor.  According to recent estimates, the global economic crisis has claimed at least 50 million jobs this year.  As many as 100 million more people are expected to fall below the poverty line in 2009.”

What is STAND UNITED AND TAKE ACTION? 

It is a three-day global mobilization that aims to send a loud and clear message from citizens to leaders of rich and poor countries to take urgent action to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). And once again break the Guinness World Record for having the largest number of people participating in a single event.

2006: 2.1 million
2007: 7.2 million
2008: 35.2 million Filipinos stood up against poverty.

I’m still waiting for the 2009 final count and I’m glad I became part of that human sea demanding change.

Thoughts? or any personal "TAKE ACTION DAY" you want to share?


Sources:
Filipino Association for Mariners’ Employment, Inc. (FAME) official website


BlogPost Update : 26 October 2009 -  Fun Run Results


The 18 October 2009 “Stand United, Fight Poverty: Maritime Fun Run 2009” held at the IMAX Open Parking Area of SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City turned out to be another great success.

This activity which was held in support to the 16 to 18 October 2009 global celebration of the United Nation’s awareness program on poverty alleviation through UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) involved three events such as 3, 5 and 10 kilometers. The event opened exclusively for participants who are connected and associated with the maritime and manning industry.

Runners reached a total of 2,108. 80% of which are member-companies of FAME. This figure was counted in as part of the entire no. of Filipinos who celebrated for the same cause by the UN and put in the Guinness Book of Records for the most number of participants.

And we are proud to inform you as reported by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that the official Guinness World results are already in, and the Philippines REMAINS IN THE No. 1 SPOT, with 36.1 Million Filipinos standing up against poverty. Bangladesh came 2nd with 35.7 million. The world total is 173 million.


Winners per event:

3K- MALE                   
TITLE                 NAME                       COMPANY
Champion        Glaen Quijano               Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific
2nd Place         Duan Desnacido            Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific
3rd Place          Niel Torres                   Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific
4th Place          John Michael Conde       Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific
5th Place          Vincent Garcia              Multinational Maritime, Inc.
6th Place          Janry Mintu                  Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific
7th Place          Mark Jaum                   Bright Maritime Corporation
8th Place          Tyrone Quinto              Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific
9th Place          Erybron Russel Mojica   Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific
10th Place         John Ford Bantang       Multinational Maritime, Inc.   

3K- FEMALE

TITLE                 NAME                                      COMPANY
Champion        Diana Mae Basa Elad       Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific
2nd Place          Portia Rose Peregrino    Transorient Maritime Agencies, Inc.
3rd Place          Mary Ann Celis              Reinier Pacific International Shipping, Inc.    
4th Place          Edna Austria                 Dolphin Ship Management, Inc.       
5th Place          Desiree Gioca                Wallem Maritime Training Centre Philippines.
6th Place          Jessica Checa                Leonis Navigation Company Inc.      
7th Place          Darlyn  Suobiron           Stolt-Nielsen Philippines, Inc.
8th Place          Lovella Calvelo               Reinier Pacific International Shipping, Inc.
9th Place          Juanita Biyo                   Magsaysay Maritime Corp.
10th Place         Maribel Lorenzo             Magsaysay Maritime Corp.

5K- MALE
TITLE                 NAME                                      COMPANY
Champion        Eric Joseph Gonzales      Cargo Safeway, Inc.
2nd Place          Jowie Bandoy                Cargo Safeway, Inc.
3rd Place          Ronnie Macandog           Multinational Maritime, Inc.   
4th Place          Daniel Ayyopan              MMSPHIL Maritime Services, Inc.        
5th Place          Nelson Quiñones            Magsaysay Maritime Corp.
6th Place          Ricky Poras                   Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Inc.
7th Place          Don-Don Marie Ubaldo    Barko International, Inc.
8th Place         Rene Gilpa                    Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Inc.              
9th Place         Ryan    Ruego                Magsaysay Maritime Corp.
10th Place       Jim Welkin Monares        Wallem Maritime Training Centre Philippines
                      Jay Galosmo                   Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Inc.

5K- FEMALE
TITLE                 NAME                                      COMPANY
Champion       Angelica Gajulen                  Philippine Ports Authority                   
2nd Place        Pamela Castro                     Reinier Pacific International Shipping, Inc.
3rd Place        Jacquelyn Labatorio              Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Inc.
4th Place        Marilou Estrella                    Stolt-Nielsen Philippines, Inc.
5th Place      Joanne Oliva                         Leonis Navigation Company Inc.
6th Place      Kristine Reyes                      OSG Ship Management Manila Inc.
7th Place     Norma Rojas                         Cargo Safeway, Inc.
8th Place      Czarina De Jesus                  Leonis Navigation Company Inc.      
9th Place      Geline Lontoc                       Leonis Navigation Company Inc.                  
10th Place    Ma. Elena De Joya                 Philippine Ports Authority

10K- MALE
TITLE                 NAME                                      COMPANY
Champion       Roberto Estrella                     Philippine Ports Authority       
2nd Place          Ramon Navarro                    Cargo Safeway, Inc.
3rd Place          Dario Tangonan                    Cargo Safeway, Inc.
4th Place          Michael John Castillon            Cargo Safeway, Inc.
                       Hari Om Choudhary              Magsaysay Mitsui O.S.K. Marine, Inc.
5th Place          Jeff Carlos                            NYK-Fil Shipmanagement Inc.           
6th Place          Marco  Payadon                     Multinational Maritime, Inc.
7th Place          Ernesto Villar                        Cargo Safeway, Inc.                         
8th Place          Ricardo Labadan                   Cargo Safeway,Inc.
9th Place          Rodrigo Carreon, Jr.              Cargo Safeway, Inc.                         
10th Place         Ricky    Alqueros                   Cargo Safeway, Inc.

10K- FEMALE
TITLE                 NAME                                      COMPANY

Champion       Ellen Salusod                           SMART Communications, Inc.
2nd Place         Marichu  Rojas                      Cargo Safeway, Inc
3rd Place          Norrie Anne  Casareo              Cargo Safeway, Inc.
4th Place          Ayesa  Polias                          NYK-Fil Shipmanagement Inc.
5th Place          Rose Marie Casareo                Cargo Safeway, Inc.
6th Place          Lerma  Aquino                        NYK-Fil Shipmanagement Inc.
7th Place          Maritess  Gerona                     Cargo Safeway, Inc              

Biggest Delegation (with 285 participants)      =     Magsaysay Maritime Corporation

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