MARKO Kasic, a British philanthropist and founder of FundLife, a leading non-governmental organization established to rebuild communities devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban City, has completed a 600-kilometer running challenge across Luzon, urging greater investment in grassroots sports for children in the Philippines. Following the recent success of Filipino athletes, including Carlos Yulo's two gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kasic emphasized the need for substantial support to help young Filipinos reach their full potential. The project, Move Luzon “Run with Purpose,” is part of FundLife's “Play Equity’ Pledge to campaign for the freedom all children should have to play and learn safely.
Specifically, the effort aims to provide 5,000 underserved children access to running clinics and equip a hundred Department of Education (DepEd) teachers with the basics to teach running classes. FundLife uses sports to protect, educate, and empower vulnerable children to work hard for a better life. Hence, the project was conceived to encourage Filipino children to start running, which can lead to educational opportunities.
“If they excel at running or any sport, it could provide them with an athletic scholarship to finish high school and enter college. Running can be an attainable pathway from poverty to educational and economic prosperity,” Kasic said. His two-week run began at Patapat Viaduct, Pagudpud, on July 8 and ended at Metro Manila on July 21, 2.