Julius Paner, tourism officer of Sta Cruz during Monday’s Kapehan sa Davao, April 11. (Ace R. Morandante/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY — The tourism office of Sta. Cruz town in Davao del Sur announced that they are cancelling the annual Mt. Apo Boulder Face challenge to give way for a run-for-a-cause event which aims to raise funds for the rehabilitation of 151 hectares of forests in Mt. Apo.
Julius Paner, tourism officer of Sta Cruz said, “we will cancel the Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge supposedly scheduled on April 24 of this month.”
“It is very unfortunate for us that the fire incident in Mt. Apo two weeks ago,” he said.
Benjie Lizada, chair of the Visit Davao Fun Sale Executive Committee, said they will hold “Takbo para sa Mt. Apo” (Run for Mt. Apo) as an alternative event which will be held on April 17 in Babak, Island Garden City of Samal.
Lizada said the event has a 5-kilometer, 10-kilometer, and 21-kilometer categories.
“The 5-K and 10-K will start at 6:00 am and the 21-K half marathon at 5:30 am,” he said.
Lizada said they have already made arrangements with the Roro barge to start carrying people from Davao City to Samal Island starting 4:00 am. He said the first 500 registrants will get a free ride.
Registration fee for the fun run is P150 for the 5K and 10K categories; and P400 for the 21K half-marathon race.
“This is a fund raiser for the Mt. Apo rehabilitation and fire fighting efforts,” said Lizada.
Meanwhile, Paner said they are thankful for the Visit Davao Fun Sale which made significant steps to rehabilitate the Mt. Apo.
“The local government and other agencies still have to spearhead some rehabilitation efforts, but at some point this Visit davao Fun Sale is a good starting point,” he said.(davaotoday.com)
