Category: Philippine Air Force

Vertek rules again at the 39th MILO Marathon Tarlac race

PRNEWS Admin Leave a comment

Eduardo “Vertek” Buenavista aced the 39th National MILO Marathon Tarlac qualifying leg on Sunday, where over 13,000 runners were present to conquer the roads. The 5-time MILO Marathon King and current MILO Marathon record holder posted a time of 01:13:19 in the 21K male division, besting his rivals Jessie Guiquing (01:21:01) and Jay Lomyog (01:21:29) who placed second and third, respectively.
In the distaff side, 26-year-old Cinderella Lorenzo, 7th placer in the 2014 MILO Marathon National Finals, proved that the intermittent rains were easy to overcome as she comfortably placed first with a time of 01:34:59. Shane Acosta (01:43:51) followed in second place, while Berna Pulmano (01:49:54) finished in third.

Both Buenavista and Lorenzo have secured their slots in the National Finals, and each took home the top prize of P10,000 in cash and a trophy. Both will go head-to-head with the country’s best runners at the National Finals in Angeles on December 6, where the MILO Marathon King and Queen titles are up for grabs. This year’s King and Queen will be sent by MILO to the USA on all-expense paid trips, for a chance to run in the prestigious 2016 Boston Marathon.

The Tarlac qualifying race turned out to be a meeting of generations of champions. The 36-year-old Philippine Air Force sergeant was not the only Buenavista who made waves in the Tarlac race. His son, 14-year-old Edward Josh Buenavista, showed that he is definitely following in his father’s footsteps as he placed third in the 5K male division. “Edward is excelling in running. As a father, I couldn’t be any prouder of him. He trains with me all the time. I coach him, give him advice, and he listens to me,” shared Vertek. “He’s a member of the University of Baguio running varsity team. Like me, he really loves running, but I always remind him that he has to balance his sports with his academics. He’s a good son.”

The National MILO Marathon is not only a breeding ground for local talents but also a program that empowers children nationwide. With the support of the Department of Education and the National MILO Marathon runners, MILO’s Help Gives Shoes advocacy will provide 10,000 underprivileged youth with brand new running shoes this year. MILO is working with DepEd in the selection of deserving public school student beneficiaries.

The race will resume in Balanga (July 19), before heading to Manila (July 26), Calapan (August 2), Lipa (August 9), Naga (August 16), Lucena (August 30), Iloilo (September 20), Bacolod (September 27), Tagbilaran (October 4), Cebu (October 11), General Santos (October 18), Davao (November 8), Butuan (November 15), and Cagayan De Oro (November 22). The National Finals will be held on December 6 in Angeles, Pampanga.

The 39th National MILO Marathon is made possible by Timex, the Bayview Park Hotel Manila, ASICS and Smart, along with endorsements from the Department of Education, Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Manila Water deploys mobile water treatment plant to assist in relief drive for “Pablo” victims

PRNEWS Leave a comment

The water which is being sourced from the Agusan River in were filtered and treated to ensure it is potable and safe for drinking before it is delivered to the affected residents in the area

The Ayala-led Manila Water Company (MWC) has stepped in to help in the ongoing emergency relief efforts in areas in Mindanao devastated by typhoon “Pablo” by deploying its Mobile Treatment Plant along with nine personnel to provide safe and potable water to affected residents in Purok 1 & 3 in Compostela Town Proper, Compostela Valley, one of the provinces hard hit by the recent typhoon. Equipment and crew were ferried to the area by a C-130 cargo plane Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The mobile water treatment plant was able to provide 34, 000 liters of water to the affected communities during its first three days of operations. Water from Agusan River is filtered and treated to ensure its potability.

Residents of New Bataan are also able to benefit from the provision of potable water through trucks that transport the treated water from Agusan River to this hard hit municipality in the province.

Manila Water’s relief effort is being done in coordination with government agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the office of Compostela Valley 1st District Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora-Apsay.

The lady solon even personally tested the treated water before it is delivered to the residents to demonstrate that it is safe to drink.

It was not the first time that Manila Water has deployed such facility for free to assist in similar situations, Manila Water President Gerardo Ablaza Jr. said adding that it was previously used in the Bicol region, Iloilo, Quezon province, Jolo and Cagayan de Oro when those areas were also struck by calamities.

Aside from providing safe and potable water, Manila Water has also donated food packs and medicines to the victims of typhoon “Pablo”.

The company’s personnel deployed to Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley headed by Edilberto Mercado, the company’s Network Compliance Manager, also constructed temporary comfort rooms that the affected residents can use.