Village chief believes fun run can help surrenderees recover

ALLEGED drug addicts and pushers who surrendered in Barangay Poblacion, Pardo Cebu City will be invited to join the “Bantawan Night Fun Run 2016” this Saturday.

The running event initiated by barangay captain Altea Racuya Lim will start and end at the Barangay Poblacion, Pardo tennis court.

The Pardo Police Station (Police Station 7) and the Barangay Poblacion plan to let the surrenderees join to help them in their quest to live a new life.

The 62 persons who surrendered in their barangay during the “Operation Double Barrel” and “Operation Tokhang” have been actively doing community service and Lim believes programs like the fun run can help them change.

The run will feature a 3-kilometer distance. It is the highlight of the annual “Bantawan Festival” to honor Barangay Poblacion, Pardo’s patron saint, Saint Tomas de Villanueva, whose feast is on Sept. 22.

“They are not harmful people because they’re just victims of illegal drugs and they really want to change so we have to help them get involved in more community service and activities,” said Racuya during the final coordination meeting for the fun run at the Barangay Hall of Poblacion Pardo yesterday.

Police Senior Inspector Robert Lucernas, the OIC of Pardo Police Station, said he is very glad about Lim’s effort.

Under Lucernas’ jurisdiction in Pardo, around 600 plus have already surrendered, 62 came from Barangay Poblacion.

“Our campaign against drugs is improving and our information drive about operation Double Barrel and Operation Tokhang is widely received by the community,” he said.

“We’re so happy that there are programs like this in the barangay so that those who surrendered won’t go back to their vices.”

Around 500 runners have already enlisted for the running event, which will have a bubble foam party and colored powder theme.

The road going to Cebu City along the Cebu south highway will be closed to traffic at 9 p.m. onwards to give way to the runners.

Handling the fun run will be veteran race director Joel Juarez of Coco Running.

Registration is ongoing at the Barangay Hall of Poblacion Pardo. Registration fee is pegged at P350 inclusive of the race shirt, race bib, certificate and finishers’ medal, while there is a P100 registration fee for those who want to avail only of the race bib and certificate. The surenderees don’t have to pay a registration fee to join.