Let's all "KICK THE HABIT" & run for health this February 26!

At last I found the perfect event cum advocacy for me! The "Kick the Habit" Fun Run seeks to literally kick out all kinds of bad addiction starting with smoking, one of the greatest killers of mankind! I was invited as a blogger and as a former cigarette junkie by a good friend and client Arleen Lindo of Chris Sports during its bloggers night. I was put on the spotlight via a TV interview by sharing my inspiration to kick the smoking habit. I told the crew that my main motivations were: for my own health & family's sake; and to put to rest my nagging conscience. Imagine I was wrestling with him for more than 20 years!

The vital cogs of the Kick The Habit Fun Run @
Chris Sports SM Megamall

Anyways, the event kicked off, no pun intended, with a simple announcement from one of the event partners & actor Alvin Anson. I talked with him beforehand and he said there are big efforts from their group to revive but improve the action film industry which I grew up with. The likes of Robin Padilla, Cesar Montano, the late Rudy Fernandez and other macho stars lorded it over in that era, but that's for another blog post.

Anyways, Anson explained that there are many stakeholders in the run which is one of the most important running advocacies I've encountered. It's a lofty goal specially in the Philippines where two out of five are smokers according to health officials. Included are Chris Sports (a leading sports retail shop), HOP-E foundation, MMDA, Cities of Mandaluyong & Pasig, DOH, Buhay Partylist, Bagong Henerasyon Partylist, Clarity, Agility, Philippine Public Safety College, Philippine Coast Guard, Rotary International, Philippine Coast Guard, and Rotary Paranaque Central.

Me with Alvin Anson (left), veteran actor and
one of the organizers of the event

Me and the MAN himself, Billy Ray Bates 
(right) a.k.a. The Black Superman

I was again introduced to share my "quit smoking" experience together with another gentleman. My deep fervor is to really share my experience to everyone so that they could learn a thing or two from it. And eventually help them not only to quit this very nasty & dangerous habit, but apply the power of persuasion in  their lives.

Bloggers and some traditional media were present during the informal but fun and interactive gathering

Billy Ray Bates, otherwise known as 'Black Superman', who during his prime was the most dominant import in the Philippine Basketball Association, was also part of the core group of celebrity endorsers who spoke about their experience with forms of addiction, in his case alcoholism. He urged the bloggers and media present to quit smoking and drinking and instead get into sports and start a healthy lifestyle.

My wife Karen with popular rapper Young JV

I can't wait to run on Sunday with my wifey because by doing so, it would be the first few steps toward a lofty 'Smoke-free Philippines'. Dreams do turn into reality you know :-)

The Kick The Habit crew with moi in Chris Sports 
SM Megamall

Other activities the Kick the Habit team has lined up are concerts, health seminars, running clinics and various events in Visayas, Mindanao and overseas.

You can register at any Healthway Medical clinic and Chris Sports branch within Metro Manila or they can contact GWorld Inc. at 719-0184, 215-0512 or email: gworldeventspecialists@gmail.com  and Visions in Action Enterprises, Inc.at 740-7074 or email: runproudpinoy@yahoo.com.

Here are some vital highlights of the event's press release for your info:

"Non- smoking advocates, lead by actor/director Cesar Montano, stage actress/ singer Jamie Rivera, PBA/NBA star player Billy Ray Bates, actor /host Alvin Anson, actress/singer/endorser Roxanne Barcelo, dancer/ singer Young JV, social enterpreneur, Jay Lizarondo, lay missionary, Clarke Nebrao, actor and TV personality Victor Aliwalas, businessman Alven Torres, multiple car racer winner Alvin Ng, model Ariane Esperas, celebrity endorser Lana Roi, songwriter Jojo Toledo and civic club officer Ely Fenger in cooperation with the Pasig and Mandaluyong City government, Philippine Sports Commission, MMDA, Healthway Medical, Chris Sports and GWorld Inc., have joined efforts in putting up the 2nd “Kick the Habit Campaign: Run & Love a Healthy Lifestyle” on February 26, 2012 5:00a.m. at the ULTRA, Pasig City."

"Now bigger, the Fun Run with distances of 1K, 3K, 5K and 10K aims to gather 2,000 to 5,000 participants (mostly students who are next in line to carry the campaign) who shall continually embrace “the Healthy and Active Lifestyle.”

"Proceeds of the project will go to the Helping Overcome Poverty Thru Education (HOP- E Foundation)."

See you on Sunday! Let us help this noble group to propagate the dangers smoking and other forms of addiction like alcoholism, drugs, sex etc. bring to mankind. Now is the time to say out loud 'KICK THE HABIT!'

By Paolo Angelo Florenda