More than 3,000 Ilonggos will join the first simultaneous running event in the country this Sunday to mark the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s 18th anniversary.

The run-for-a-cause activity, in partnership with the Department of Health aims to gather funds for the construction of a Halfway Home for the Kaibigan ng Kabataang may Kanser (KKK).

The Halfway Home which will be constructed on a lot donated by a businessman, will serve as temporary shelter for cancer-stricken children seeking medication in the city, since most of them are from the province.

Dennis Mas, PhilHealth regional vice president said that as part of the total heath care program, he said that aside from excruciating pain, cancer-patients and their parents suffer from costly medications.

“Instead of paying for temporary shelter, they could use their money for additional medication,” said Mas.

The activity will also be held simultaneously in Manila, Baguio, Dagupan, Tuguegarao, Clark, Malolos, Laguna, Batangas, Legazpi, Cebu, Tacloban, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Koronadal, Marawi, Butuan and Tubod, and Lanao del Norte, gathering 100,000 runners.

National beneficiaries of the activity are the Philippine Children’s Medical Center and Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital both in Manila.

Runners can still register until 4 a.m. of February 17 in four categories, three, five, 10 and 18 kilometer run. The race will start 5 a.m. at SM City Iloilo.*