ABOUT P152,000 in donations were raised by more than 20,000 participants in this year’s Alay Lakad in
Cebu City.
Students, teachers, barangay officials, groups and Cebu City Hall employees joined yesterday’s walk
which started at J. Briones St. in the North Reclamation Area.
Participants passed by S. Osmeña Boulevard and Plaza Independencia before heading to the Plaza Sugbo
grounds at Cebu City Hall.
“We’re only asking for donations, but it’s not compulsory. In previous Alay Lakad before, it has become
compulsory especially for the students; now it isn’t anymore. But usually, we are able to gather
between P150,000 to P200,000 on average,” said Steve Norman Tan, executive director of the Alay Lakad
Cebu Foundation Inc. (ALCFI).
He said the proceeds from the donations will be used to fund programs on skills training, livelihood
training and education assistance for the youth.
Revisit
Tan said they’re considering to include programs on children’s rights welfare and protection.
“There is really a need to be involved in those areas because our target is to inform the children and
the youth, educational campaign, letting them know what are their rights,” Tan said.
Yesterday’s walk started at 6:30 a.m. and ended past 7 a.m. at the Plaza Sugbo grounds.
Certificates were also awarded to the top donors of the Alay Lakad last year.
With the average turnout this year, Tan said the foundation hopes to revisit its donors.
Program
“Alay Lakad needs to go out and reach to its partners again in order for them to really know and be
refreshed on what Alay Lakad really is about, what its purposes is and what are its benefits,” he said.
Tan also admitted that some donors have become hesitant to deal with non-government organizations after
the pork barrel controversy last year.
He said they have an adopt-a-scholar program wherein a company can give money to the foundation which
will then help facilitate the education of a chosen scholar.
The Alay Lakad group targeted a crowd of 30,000 to 40,000 yesterday but Tan said 20,000 to 30,000
participated in the event.
“We weren’t really counting. But there were other schools that weren’t able to join due to other
activities. But we’re happy since there were more barangays who joined this year,” Tan said.
Closed
Traffic was manageable during the morning walk, said Jonathan Tumulak, operations chief of the Cebu
City Transportation Office (CCTO).
“It didn’t affect traffic flow since we implemented a minor rerouting along S. Osmeña, similar to what
we did during the concreting of the road,” Tumulak said.
The southbound lane of S. Osmeña was temporarily closed to traffic for the participants to be able to
walk through.
The seaside lane or the northbound lane was opened to two-way traffic although an alternative route was
opened in Arellano Boulevard, passing through Baclig St. and out to Pier 4 or Pier 6./Reporter Jose
Santino S. Bunachita
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