Tayag enjoins Bicolanos to support PhilHealth Run 2013

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 7 (PNA) –- Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag has appealed to fellow Bicolanos to support the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) by joining the Feb. 17 nationwide PhilHealth Run 2013. The first-ever simultaneous running event in 18 major cities in the country, with the theme “Nationwide run for mother and child protection,” will be supported by a campaign by the Department of Health (DOH) dubbed as “Ta-Run Na!,” said Tayag. The proceeds expected to be generated from the registrations of PhilHealth’s target of 100,000 participants in the running event will be used to fund DOH’s maternal and child care programs across the country. It was learned that Tayag spent his tender years in this city. He was among the Batch 1970 graduates of the Saint Agnes’ Academy and took the first two years of secondary education at the Divine Word College of Legazpi before going to Manila. “He is our math wizard in high school,” recalls Carmelo Altea, a DWCL alumnus and high school classmate of Tayag. Tayag reminded Bicolanos of the advantages of running, aside from physical fitness and other bodily gains. He cited PhilHealth’s noble objectives in holding the event which is a push to bringing universal health care into reality. “Let us join. The gains of this event will be a long-term benefit to mothers’ and children’s health care,” the DOH official said. This city is among the 18 sites of the fun run. The others are Manila, Baguio, Dagupan, Tuguegarao, Clark, Malolos, Sta. Rosa, Batangas, Iloilo, Cebu, Tacloban, Zamboanga, Iligan, Davao, Koronadal, Butuan and Marawi. Aside from a strong assurance of participation by DOH regional office personnel, the Department of Education (DepEd) Bicol regional office based in this city has also vowed to field personnel from its various departments in the fun run. Paulette Gay Santiago, PhilHealth regional spokesperson, said this city is required to recruit 4,000 professional and non-competing runners for its 3-kilometer (km), 5-km, 8-km, 10-km, and 18-km run divisions. The simultaneous fun run coincides with the celebration of the “Heart Month” this February which Tayag said, “will be very timely because running as a form of exercise is good for the heart, so, let’s move it, move it with PhilHealth.” He also enjoined Bicolanos to join the DOH’s “Belly Good” program pushing for the observance of appropriate waistline measurement to avoid the risks of obesity, heart ailments, cancer and diabetes. (PNA) http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid&nid=2&rid=495388 www.pna.gov.ph